Cattle crush

A cattle crush (in British Isles, New Zealand and Australia), squeeze chute [ [http://www.bowmanenterprisesnet.com/ Cattle handling equipment] ] [ [http://www.filsonlivestockequip.com/sweeps_&_alleys.htm SWEEPS & ALLEYS] ] (North America) or simply stock (North America, Ireland) is a strongly built stall or cage for holding cattle, horses, or other livestock safely while they are examined, marked, or given veterinary treatment. Cows may be made to suckle calves in a crush. For the safety of the animal and the people attending it, a close-fitting crush may be used to ensure the animal stands "stock still".

Construction

A crush is usually built of heavy welded metal tube, and may be fixed or mobile, but is typically linked to a "cattle race" (also known as an "alley"). The front end has a "head bail" (or "neck yoke") to catch the animal and may have a baulk gate that swings aside to assist in catching the beast. The bail is often adjustable to accommodate animals of different sizes. This bail may incorporate a chin or neck bar to hold the animal's head still. A side lever operates the head bail to capture the animals, with the better types having a rear drop-away safety lever for easier movement of the cattle into the bail. Usually smaller animals can walk through the head bails that are incorporated in crushes. Doyle, Philip W., Beef Cattle Yards, NSW Dept. of Agriculture, 1979]

Lower side panels and/or gates of sheet metal, timber or conveyor belting ensure animals’ legs do not get caught and reduce the likelihood of operator injury. At least one side gate is usually split to allow access to various parts of animals and to feed a calf etc. A "squeeze crush" has a manual or hydraulic mechanism to squeeze the animal from the sides, immobilising the animal whilst keeping bruising to a minimum. The rear entrance gate is usually a sliding gate that is operated from the side of the crush. Crushes usually have a single or split veterinary gate that swings behind the animal to improve operator safety, but the animal may be prevented from moving backwards by a horizontal "rump bar" inserted just behind its haunches into one of a series of slots.

A crush is a permanent fixture in slaughterhouses, because the animal is carried on a conveyor restrainer under its belly, with its legs dangling in a slot on either side. Carried in this manner, the animal is unable to move either forward or backward by its own volition. [ [http://www.grandin.com/restrain/new.conv.rest.html Conveyor Restrainer] Retrieved on 4 September 2008]

Some mobile crushes are equipped with a set of wheels so that they can be towed from yard to yard. A few of these portable crushes are built so that the crush may also be used as a portable loading ramp. [cite book |last= Beattie |first= William A. |coauthors= |title= Beef Cattle Breeding & Management |publisher= Popular Books, Frenchs Forest |year= 1990 |month= |isbn= 0-7301-0040-5] A mobile crush must incorporate a strong floor, to prevent the animal moving it by walking along the ground.

Crushes vary in sophistication, according to requirements and cost. The simplest are just a part of a cattle race (alley) with a suitable head bail. More complex ones incorporate features such as automatic catching systems, hatches (to gain access to various parts of the animal), winches (to raise the feet or the whole animal), constricting sides to hold the animal firmly (normal in North American slaughterhouses), a rocking floor to prevent kicking [ [http://www.livestockcontroller.co.uk The "Livestock Controller" crush, designed to prevent kicking] ] or a weighing mechanism.

Uses

Specialist crushes are made for various purposes. For example, those designed for cattle with very long horns (such as Highland cattle) are low-sided or very wide, to avoid damage to the horns. Other specialist crushes include those for tasks such as automatic scanning, foot-trimming or clipping the hair under the belly, and smaller crushes (calf cradles) for calves.

The crushes used in rodeo arenas are known as rough-riding chutes and roping chutes. The rough-riding chutes are a little higher to take horses and cattle, including bulls, and have facilities for riders and assistants to access the animal from above. These chutes release the animal and the rider through a side gate. A roping chute is large enough to contain a steer of the size used in steer wrestling and may have a seat above the chute for an operator. The steer or calf is released through the front of the chute.

Stocks for cattle and horses are more commonly stand-alone units, not connected to races (alleys) except for handling animals not accustomed to being handled. These stand-alone units may be permanent or portable. Some portable units disassemble for transport to shows and sales. These units are used during grooming and also with veterinary procedures performed with the animal standing, especially if it requires heavy sedation. For some surgical procedures this is reported to be efficient, [PMID 18564258] or to permit surgery under sedation rather than general anesthesia. [PMID 11994846] These units also are used during some procedures requiring the horse to stand quietly without sedation. [PMID 17078809]

History

Historically, a stock was a simple stand-alone construction of heavy timbers or stone columns and beams, without a head bail or yoke. In Spain they were a village community resource. In France, they were associated with blacksmith shops. These stocks have been widely used in Europe and were the forerunners of today’s crushes.

pain

France

Germany

References

External links

* [http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/beef/equip/yard-design/under-100-head "Beef cattle yards for less than 100 head" (5th ed)]
* [http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/beef/equip/yard-design/circular-250-head "Circular cattle yard - 250 head capacity" (2nd ed)]
* [http://www.polaris-sales.co.uk/new_page_13.htm British supply company sales page, illustrating various types of crush]
* [http://www.starkeng.com.au/cattle.html Australian supply company illustrating further types]