While a necessary part of raising cattle, the process of sorting the animals is something that can be both frustrating and difficult. On most cattle farms, animals must be sorted multiple times throughout the year to place them into groups by size, condition, sex, or to single out animals that will need special care or feeding. Cattle must also be sorted when it is time for them to be sold. With heifers sorted by size and age and steers sorted into groups to be finished and sold for beef.
Livestock producers who are currently struggling with antiquated sorting units and infrastructure can use the following information to help them understand how they can benefit by purchasing and installing new cattle sorting equipment.
Preventing human and animal injuries
Whenever large livestock must be handled, they must be moved into confined areas. If the animals are unused to being near humans or confined in small spaces, as most animals in large cattle herds are, they easily become agitated and more difficult to control. When large animals are unruly, they are more apt to attempt to charge humans who enter their spaces or try to jump over or crash through the barriers that confine them.
When sorting is done in a hodge-podge system made up of spare fencing panels, gates, and lumber that are insufficient to hold an agitated animal, the odds that a human or animal will be injured are much higher. By purchasing and installing modern cattle sorting equipment, livestock producers will be better able to ensure a safer environment for animals and humans during sorting.
Streamlining the sorting process
Livestock producers who are still using older or cobbled together sorting lanes and alleys are often frustrated when animals slip through into the wrong group and must be re-sorted. In addition to adding more stress to the animal, sorting mistakes caused by insufficient sorting equipment also slows the sorting process and raises labor costs for the operation.
Purchasing and installing new livestock sorting equipment can help streamline the process of singling out specific animals and the creation of necessary groupings of animals. Modern livestock sorting equipment can be custom-designed to fit the needs of each operation. Strong steel panels, automatic gates, and many other special features can help reduce animal stress and facilitate flow for an easier sorting process.
To get more information, cattle producers can contact a reputable agricultural equipment supplier and make arrangements to view and compare all available livestock sorting systems and equipment.
Share3 June 2022
A few months ago, I realized my farm wasn't as safe as it could be. We had outdated equipment, and sometimes it would jam--putting my workers at risk. Fortunately, a friend of mine told me about a great place that sold better equipment, so I could update things. I invested part of my yearly profits into a few new pieces of equipment, and it was amazing to see the difference it made. My employees were able to harvest food faster without putting themselves at risk. Check out this blog to learn more about how to improve your farm.
