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Optimal Cattle Handling Facilities Design for Safety and Efficiency

Learn how well-designed cattle handling facilities can reduce injuries and enhance workflow efficiency for beef cattle farms. Discover key elements to consider in designing pens, sorting facilities, crowding areas, and working chutes. Ensure safety and ease of cattle management with proper dimensions and layout.

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Optimal Cattle Handling Facilities Design for Safety and Efficiency

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  1. Cattle Handling and Working Facilities Design Ray Huhnke OSU Extension Agricultural Engineer

  2. Why Working Facilities? Beef cattle farms ranked second among all farming operations in injuries per hours of work. National Safety Council

  3. OSU Study • 25% of injuries attributed to equipment and facilities • 50% of injuries due to human error

  4. Cattle Behavior • Vision • Panoramic • Poor color recognition • Poor depth perception • Tend to move toward light • Hearing - very sensitive

  5. Flight Zone

  6. Holding and Sorting Pens • 20 square feet per head (min.) • 50 head (max.) • No less than 16’ for smallest dimension • Consider proper gate placement

  7. Sorting Facilities • Use simple design • Consider number of pens • Alley width: 12’ - 14’

  8. Crowding Area • Circular • Totally enclosed sides • Solid crowding gate • Rough concrete floor

  9. Working Chute • Curved approach • Totally enclosed sides • Sloping sides • Rough concrete floor • Overhead restrainers

  10. Working Chute Dimensions Over 1200 lbs. To 600 lbs. 600-1200 lbs. & cow-calf Vertical Sides Width 18” 20-24” 26-30” Length (min.) 20’ 20’ 20’ Sloping Sides Width at bottom 13” 15” 16” Width at top 20” 24” 28” Length (min.) 20’ 20’ 20’ Fence Height (min.) 45” 50” 60” Post depth (min.) 30” 30” 30”

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