Low Stress Animal Handling

Implementing Low Stress Animal Handling on your farm is a great return on investment.  There are two aspects to Low Stress Handling: 

1. how the humans on the farm interact with the livestock and, 
2. how the animal working facilities are designed to create low stress throughput.

The basic theory behind low stress handling is applying and removing pressure.  When you want animals to move apply pressure from the side, when they start to move remove the pressure.  Through the continuous practice of low stress handling - and the removal of shouting, running and sticks - livestock stress is significantly decreased.  This also teaches the animals that stress comes and goes and whatever stress event they are currently experiencing it too shall pass.

The Bud Box is a design of handling facilities that assists in moving animals into a chute, once again without having to shout and use sticks.   

How a Bud Box works:  Herd the cattle down the alley and into the Bud Box.  Close the gate behind yourself as they gather at the far end of the Box.  Walk down the right side of the Box towards the cattle, they will head back to the gate where they came in and take the gap into chute to the crush (or to the loading shoot).