Post-Crush Cattle Drafting

Cattle Drafting is the act of choosing and separating some cattle from a mixed group that share a common attribute such as gender, weight, physical appearance, or age. Drafting livestock traditionally requires the rancher to be inside the holding pen with the animals to manually lead a portion of the group elsewhere. With Post-Crush Cattle Drafting, you can take advantage of the flow established by running cattle through a system to draft them after the crush. It is a faster, easier, and safer method of separating cattle that handlers of any skill level can execute. Using your cattle handling system to draft livestock after the crush enables you to maximise profitability the easy way.

Why does Post-Crush Cattle Drafting work?

Post-Crush Cattle Drafting is an effective method to separate cattle from one another because it saves time and effort. Drafting cattle by solely applying pressure zone and point of balance handling techniques can be a tedious task that is dependent on the stockmanship skills of the handler. Additionally, being inside the pen with the animals exposes you to risk, especially when dealing with unpredictable cattle.

Utilising your handling system to separate cattle from one another is much safer and more efficient! The equipment serves as a barrier between you and the animals, and enables you to gain better control in a more contained environment.

Based On Animal Science

Cattle are capable of processing only one thought at a time (Gill, R., & Machen, R., 2014). Running cattle through a system reduces distractions as compared to being exposed to different stimuli in a yard.

Cattle do not like pressure and are driven to relieve it as soon as possible, when they experience it. When placed in a system, their primary goal is to escape, speeding up the flow of cattle.

Post-Crush Drafting with Your Facility

Cattle handling facilities can be a big investment for your business, and using your system to draft cattle can significantly add to the returns it will provide. Post-Crush Drafting saves time because guiding a large group through a system is easy once you create the draw to initiate flow. Leading them into separate pens only requires swinging the draft gate in different directions. By running cattle through your handling facility to a post-crush cattle draft, safety risks are greatly reduced.

Systems that adhere to low-stress cattle handling principles enable Post-Crush Cattle Drafting to work effectively. By understanding cattle behaviour, you can design a cattle handling facility that takes advantage of cattle psychology for the betterment of your business, and the animals too.

Benefits of Post-Crush Drafting

• Safer for the farmer
• Less distractions for cattle
• Better flow because cattle want to escape
• Saves time and effort for the farmer because it only requires controlling the gate
• Added returns to your investment in a cattle handling system
• Time saved is money earned

The Arrowquip Way

Good cattle flow is essential when drafting to allow for continuous movement. At Arrowquip, we focus on creating equipment that maximises efficiency while adhering to low-stress cattle handling principles.

All our products are designed to fit together seamlessly to create an effective cattle handling system. Everything you would need to establish draw and constant flow can be found in the 3E BudFlow® Forcing Pen, Easy Flow® Adjustable Cattle Race Systems, and the Q-Catch 86 Series Cattle Crush.

To draft livestock after the crush, the Post-Crush Cattle Drafting Gates must be attached to a Cattle Drafting Race. The Post-Crush Drafting Gates provide space to access the head of the animal and means for the rancher to pass through the system. Using the drafting Race with the Cattle Drafting Gates and the Q-Catch 86 Series enables a single handler to operate the draft with one hand and control the yoke gate with the other to regulate flow. With the Cattle Drafting Race, you can quickly send cattle into different directions with just a pull of a rope. This saves you time and energy for the things that truly matter.

If you need assistance in finding the right solution for your operation, do not hesitate to contact one of our Product Specialists. We are ready and willing to help you!