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Cold Winter Climates
2.2.4. Raceways
Where a lot of animals are to be handled, races should be 10m to 15m in length to eiciently handle and process
the animals. Shorter races may be used for smaller herds. As with ramps, the materials used for the sides
of the race should be strong enough to prevent the animals from escaping. The sides should be a minimum
of 1,600mm high and 760mm to 800mm apart.
As the race is a high pressure area posts should be cemented into the ground 800mm to 900mm deep
and heavy walled pipe is one of the easiest materials to use. If timber rails are used, the rails need to be at least
50mm thickness to withstand the pressure applied to the rails and posts spaced no more than 1.5m apart. All
pipe posts should be capped or illed with cement to prevent them illing with water and rusting out.
The bottom one or two rails on the working side of the race can be made to be removable so that animals can
be released if they go down or turn over. The remainder of the rails should be secured in place to give the race a
smooth internal surface. Older style cattle yards have tended to utilise straight
races Fig. 2.19. However, curved races have gained widespread favour, and combined with sheeting of
fences in strategic positions, makes use of the animals natural behaviour and will allow animals to move in a
yard more easily. It will reduce stress and injury to both animals and people. It also removes hold-ups where
animals can be distracted or attempt to join with other animal groups Fig. 2.20.
Figure 2.19. Straight race in an older
design of cattle yards. Source: International
Agriculture for Development.
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Beef Breeder MANUAL
Figure 2.20. Modern designs utilise curves and strategically placed sheeting to use the behavioural instincts of cattle to move more easily along the race. Source: Commander Ag-quip.
2.2.5. Loading and Unloading Ramps
Regardless of whether the ramp is to be used to load or unload at the wharf, farm, feedlot or processing plant,
most features are the same Fig. 2.21. Ideally the ramps should have a slope no greater than 20 degrees. For
unloading at a farm or processing plant they can be up to 3m wide, but for loading they should only be 760mm
wide. Mature cattle should not be able to turn around in them.
Figure 2.21. Loading ramp for cattle with a
20 degree elevation to allow cattle to load onto
a truck with ease. Source: Magnus Australia.
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Cold Winter Climates
The sides can be made from wooden rails, pipe, or sheeting strong enough to stop the animals from
escaping, and should be at least 1.6m high. If sheeting is used on the side that the animal handlers work on it
should only be sheeted to half the height to allow the handlers easy access to the animal.
The inclined surface of the ramp must be non-slip so that the animals can walk up the race in all conditions
without risk of slipping and injury Fig. 2.22.
Ideally, the ramp should have a lat area at the top of about 1m in length Fig. 2.23. This level area helps when
cattle unload from trucks as they are able to step onto a level surface and steady themselves before moving
down the inclined ramp. The height of this level area should be the same as the loor height of the trucks that
would be used to deliver and cart away the animals. This height should be determined correctly when building
the ramp as it will help to reduce injury, bruising and stress, and involves checking the loor height of local
trucks before building the ramp. The sides of the ramp should also be constructed so that there is no signiicant
gap between the end of the ramp sides and the truck that would enable an animal to attempt to escape
through during loading and unloading.
Figure 2.22. A non-slip surface created using narrow tread boards installed across the loor of a wooden loading ramp. Source: International Agriculture for Development.
36
Beef Breeder MANUAL
Figure 2.23. Cattle loading ramp with a level platform at the top of the ramp to assist cattle to steady themselves as they step of the truck. Source: Magnus Australia.
Figure 2.24. Poorly designed and constructed handling facilities such as the limsy, low-sided loading ramp left and poorly maintained race right are unsafe for cattle and people and must be replaced. Source: International Agriculture for
Development.
2.2.6. Laneways