Keep sheep handling to a minimum to avoid unnecessary stress to the animals. Consider the following strategies to reduce the stress experienced by sheep during handling.
Sheep handling system
Design handling facilities (shearing sheds, yards, laneways and sheep handlers) to minimise the risk of injury to sheep and complement natural sheep behaviour.
- Design yards to ensure a smooth flow of stock, with long, narrow forcing races (1.5 m) so sheep move in one direction.
- Bugle-type designs work well as they give sheep the sense of an escape route, operators have access to sheep that baulk and sheep do not see the operator as they enter the draft.
- Sheep generally move better on flat ground or on an incline.
- Ensure ramps have a slope of less than 1:3 (rise:run).
- Avoid shadows in yards, which can cause sheep to baulk.
- Open the front of raceways so sheep do not see a dead end.
- Sheep tend to move better and remain calmer if they see other animals within touching distance.
- Use materials that do not make a noise and are designed to avoid potential injury to sheep.
- Maintain sheep handling facilities in good working order and complete repairs well before major husbandry practices are carried out.
- Provide non-slip flooring.
Stockmanship and education
Stockmanship is a broad term that encompasses the expertise of people involved in handling stock. Appropriate sheep handling methods are important for ease of movement, increasing productivity and reducing workplace health and safety (WHS) issues.
Understanding sheep behaviour is an important part of effective stockmanship and improves a handler’s ability to move stock while minimising stress. Key characteristics of sheep behaviour include:
- Sheep are herd animals — they exhibit flocking behaviour and like to follow each other.
- A separated sheep will always attempt to return to the mob.
- Different breeds behave differently — Merinos prefer to flock as a single group, Southdowns form a few subgroups and Dorsets form subgroups.
- In a flock situation there is little dominance, but in competitive feeding situations hierarchies occur.
- The flight zone – basically the concept of the sheep’s ‘personal space’ in which it feels comfortable and unthreatened. When the handler moves towards the sheep and enters the flight zone, the sheep start moving away. When a handler is outside the flight zone, the sheep will turn and face the person.
Consider the following when handling sheep:
- Avoid sudden jerking movements and loud noise.
- Apply optimal pressure rather than excessive pressure to work with the sheep’s flight zone. If a sheep moves away, the handler has penetrated the flight zone. If the animal is looking at the handler, the handler is outside the flight zone.
- Sheep like to see what is pressuring them. When pressured too much they will try to cut back. Attempt to move the lead animals by positioning yourself in the flight zone, rather than forcing from behind.
- Use dogs carefully. Muzzle dogs that bite and tie them up when they are not working.
- Selection for temperament may improve animal behaviour and stock handling.