When it comes to performing a task, farmers spend 60% of their time on the task and 40% of it on getting animals to the task.

That is according to Miriam Parker (left) from Livestock Wise, which specialises in improving animal handling facilities for farms and factories.

Speaking at last week’s IGA sheep conference, Miriam said there were three key elements in the efficiency of a handling unit – the handler, the animals and the facilities. She said the goal of any handling system should be to have the three factors working perfectly together as close to 100% of the time as possible.

The animals

Miriam stressed the importance of considering how sheep instinctively behaved: “As farmers, we are working with animals’ natural behaviour most of the time, particularly at lambing. When it comes to handling, we are doing the opposite.”

Taking sheep in for handling triggers a fear reaction. This fear can be caused by isolation, falling, past experience, fear in other sheep and predators, such as dogs or humans.

There is a long-standing myth that sheep are thick. I can assure you they’re not

A good handling unit should seek to minimise these fears. Miriam said sight was the most important sense – always consider whether the animal can see where it is going. The most important part of any system is getting the first sheep moving and a clear line of sight makes this easier.

“There is a long-standing myth that sheep are thick. I can assure you they’re not,” she said.

In terms of learning, she said sheep were quicker than most domesticated animals. Sheep can learn to respond to a stimulus, either positively or negatively.

Stimulus

A number of farmers said they used a bucket of meal to incentivise sheep to follow. In this case, the bucket was the positive stimulus, which sheep associated with the reward of meal.

Sheep have a strong sense of association and can remember where things are, such as water troughs and feeding areas. For this reason, Miriam said those using mobile handling units should always set them up in the same position in a field.

Dogs can also be a major disruption to a handling system

Sheep can also recognise people or dogs. Miriam said sheep would react more negatively to the person who carries out the bulk of tasks such as shearing. Sight of this person is a negative stimulus for sheep, as they are associated with the fear of shearing.

Dogs can also be a major disruption to a handling system. Miriam said dogs often place themselves in the wrong place where sheep have sight of them under barriers. She advised keeping dogs out of the handling unit where possible.

The facilities

Farmers were told to map out their handling unit and mark places where sheep moved well and where they did not. Problem areas could be identified where sheep formed a bunch and circled, indicating they cannot see where they should go.

“Have you got on your hands and knees and moved through the handling unit? That’s the first thing you should do or you won’t know what a sheep sees,” Miriam advised.

She fielded a number of questions on methods to stop sheep moving back through a chute.

She emphasised if the flow through the chute was good enough, none should be required. Sheep can pass a fixed point at a rate of over 1,000 an hour and performing a task can frustrate that forward movement.

To ensure the best flow into a chute from a crowding pen, the outer barrier should be in line with the chute while the inside barrier should be set diagonally at a 30° angle. This means sheep can see the entrance at all times, resulting in less circling back.

Units should be built either level or with a slight upward incline

Leaving the outer barrier open but sheeting the inside barrier was also advised. Leaving the outside open means sheep find it easier to see which way they should move. Sheeting the inside blocks sheep from seeing distractions.

Units should be built either level or with a slight upward incline. Animals do not like moving downhill as it increases the risk of falling.

Utilising animals’ instinct to bounce back is also an option. Sheep generally seek to return to the direction from which they have come, so units should try to incorporate a 180° turn.

Miriam presented anecdotal evidence of a theory called left-eye laterality, which suggests the vast majority of animals prefer to move anti-clockwise. Systems geared in this way generally see better flow.

Miriam said regardless of the cost of a handling unit, if it is set up to work against the natural instincts of a sheep rather than with them, efficiency would be reduced. “You can have the best hardware, but if the software isn’t right, then it won’t matter,” she said.