Knowing Behavior on Handling of Farm Animals

Knowledge and understanding of animal behavior is important to know the correct way of handling, reduce stress levels, increase the security of both human and hewanya and improve animal welfare. Farm animals are excited or agitated could endanger even injure the handler (DVM) and livestock. When stress is unavoidable then will increase livestock productivity, preventing physiological changes and so on.

Vision and Animal Movement

Livestock have a vision (viewpoint) are very broad. Cows and pigs have a viewing angle of up to> 300 °, while the sheep - sheep around 191 - 306o depending on the amount of wool in the head. The necessity of making a solid wall insulation to prevent livestock look disorders that are outside the cage, especially for animals that are still wild. So that the viewing angle restrictions livestock will reduce stress levels, but it also would prevent attempts to escape.

Cows have the vision down under bad (extensive blind area). When will look down, the cow will stop first, then lowered his head. If there are items that are considered strange or frightening, such as pipes, shadows, textures different floors, puddles or other objects, usually cattle, pigs, sheep and horses often strike or do not want to go through that road.
Pigs, cattle and sheep do not like sharp blinding light and tend to run out of space dim (dismal) to a brighter space. Desired beam capacity of about 5-80 lux and not light directly into the eyes. Livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs) have the perception of color and have dichromat type retina (retinal sensitive color) are most sensitive to yellow and blue-purple -Green, sensitive to sudden movements and do not like the color contrast . Livestock kept by the system of grazing animals have a visual system that can see distant objects well, while the object is close to the poor. Farm animals have the visual system, pupils can displit so efficient at the sight distance and do not want to go into a dark room or enclosure.

Effect on Sound

Cattle and sheep are more sensitive to noise (high frequency) than humans. Cows have auditory sensitivity and sheep 8000 hz 7000 hz. The voices are unwanted and foreigners can cause stress due to an increase in thyroid hormone and cortisol. The animals will adapt if the sound is heard in kontinus but not noisy (reasonable) like the sound of music, instrument, white noise, sound miscellaneous etc.

Pigs if in exposure to noise from the radio (music, etc.) will decrease the reaction to a sudden noise (sudden or unexpected noises), which can lose weight. While the cows that have high temperament (flightly temperament) will tend to jump when there is a sudden movement or sound of screaming (high tone intermittent). Examples of the stand auction (auction ring) and jelling or whistling will increase the heartbeat (palpitations). Avoid visual and auditory stimuli (sudden intermittent sound and sudden jerky movements) which makes livestock scared.

Horse, zebra and cow ears can lead to something he suspected for having a radar ear is the ear that can be moved in different directions. Keep obstruction that causes a strike on the cage or livestock handling facilities (handling facility). Domesticated livestock may appoint any obstructions (distraction) by moving the eyes and ears in the direction of the obstacle.

Comfort Zone

The important concept in the handling of livestock referred to as personal space. When the handler into the flight zone (comfort zone) cattle will move away. Broad flight of different zones depending on the level of quiescence (tameness) and wildness (wildness) livestock. Understanding of the flight zone can reduce stress and help prevent accidents handlers.

Flight vast cattle that are extensive zone of about 50 m, while the cows are kept in feedlots around 2-8 m or maybe 0 m (very tame cattle) Size flight zone may continue to decrease when cattle obtain frequent gentle handling. How to find the flight limit zone is to approach the animal slowly - slowly (circle shows the flight zone.) If you want a very docile animal handling, guided by a halter or a bucket of feed. Spacious environment (enclosure) livestock maintenance will affect the flight wide zone.

Livestock approaching from the front (head) will increase the flight zone. Heart - heart zone approaching flight because animals can run (jump) or attacking handler. The best position in the care of the animals are in flight boundary zone (cattle moving slowly). Livestock will stop running when the handler retreat from the boundary zone flight. Making cattle handler moves into position by standing on the shade or shade (shaded area) in flight circle zone. Making cattle retreat from the handler that is by standing on the point (position) neutral (the point of balance).
When the handler position outside the flight zone, the cattle will come back and maintain a safe distance When the handler into the flight zone will turn and run cattle. Cows are herded into a "race" will tend to be fearful and agitated while waiting and then turn back.
Mechanical movement of livestock handlers that want to get into the squeeze chute (a clamping) is someone with a way to move past the point of balance (in the area of ​​livestock zone flight) with a direction opposite to the direction of the desired animal. Then back to the starting position outside the flight zone. Cows can still observe the handler so that the movement is successful. In the fenced full race system (solid sides) handler needs to make a slit in the eye area along the race.