Guides & Toolkits

Handling Large Animals Safely Fact Sheet

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HANDLING LARGE ANIMALS SAFELY 2 380-BKI-01-IAOT © 2022, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) 1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | wsps.ca Guard the moving parts of a hydraulically operated squeeze chute and tilt table. Use solid panels for moving swine. Loading ramps and handling chutes ideally should have solid side-walls to prevent animals from seeing outside distractions with their wide-angle vision. Blocking vision will also help stop escape attempts. Sight reduction also lowers stress levels, thus having a calming effect on the animal. Pigs, sheep, and cattle have a tendency to move from a dimly lit area to a more brightly-lit area provided the light does not hit them directly in the eyes. A spotlight directed on the ramp will often help keep the animals moving. Loud, abrupt noises, such as the sound of banging metal, can cause distress in livestock. You may wish to install rubber bumpers on gates and squeeze chutes to reduce noises. The sense of smell is extremely important to animals, especially between females and newborns. Often animals react to odors we do not detect. For example, sheep may be lured by the smell of freshly mown hay. A bull may become aggressive when he detects a cow in heat. Handling facilities should be painted in one color only since all species of livestock are likely to balk at a sudden change in color or texture. All livestock tend to refuse to walk over a drain, grate, hose, puddle, shadow, or any change in flooring texture or surface. All these factors need to be considered when evaluating or planning livestock handling facilities. To reduce the risk of falls, provide slip-resistant footing for workers and livestock with roughened concrete ramp and floor surfaces. UNDERSTAND ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR Animals experience hunger, thirst, fear, sickness, injury and strong maternal instincts. They also develop individual behavior patterns such as kicking or biting. The handler should be aware of these behaviors and take necessary safety precautions, including using personal protective equipment. Beef, swine and dairy cattle are generally colourblind and have poor depth perception. This results in an extreme sensitivity to contrasts which may cause an animal to balk at shadows or rapid changes from light to dark. Sheep are also considered colourblind but do have good depth perception. Sheep have difficulty picking out small details such as the open space created by a partially opened gate. WSPS.CA

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