Safety is important. We all know that, but cattle feedyards can be dangerous places to work. In addition to working with cattle, which can be unpredictable, workers use horses and tractors; machinery in the feed mill; trucks, all-terrain and utility-task vehicles and other vehicles; and are exposed to challenging weather conditions.

When running cattle through chutes and corrals for vaccination and loadouts, it is important to make sure facilities and systems are working properly to avoid injury and unnecessary stress for the cattle and their handlers.

Do you need a more efficient and stress-free cattle-working system for your operation? Explore the key differences between manual and hydraulic chutes before you make your decision.

Feedlots must adopt innovative strategies to maintain their competitive edge while upholding the highest standards of animal welfare.

It’s time for general health checks, vaccinations, branding, castration, weaning, checking cattle equipment like your cattle chute and a variety of other routine chores.

In order to maximize economic return, producers need to strategically balance factors introduced by different types of animal-handling facilities. 

Dairy farming can be unpredictable, and even with the best management, accidents can happen. For example, a cow may slip exiting the parlor and go down. This could happen even on the best employee’s watch and while following all correct protocols.

Feedlot managers must know the abilities of both riders and horses in order to avoid putting them in situations they aren’t equipped to handle. If necessary, the manager should be ready to provide training for either rider or horse to help them acquire necessary skills.

During the past 25 years, there have been many improvements in designs of cattle-working facilities and in cattle-handling techniques, but some cattle operations still need to “tune up” their handling methods.