Farm Animals

Cattle Welfare Handling Facilities

Well-designed cattle handling facilities reduce animal stress and injuries during routine management procedures through low-stress design principles.

Key Facts

Low-stress handling facility design draws on cattle visual and behavioral characteristics
Curved races and solid sides reduce cattle balking and the need for electric goads
Temple Grandin developed cattle handling systems now used globally
Electronic goads and other aversive tools are dramatically reduced in well-designed facilities

Welfare Considerations

Cattle handling facility design profoundly affects the welfare of animals during routine management procedures. Facilities that work with cattle visual fields and natural movement tendencies dramatically reduce stress, injuries, and the need for electric goads. Investment in low-stress handling facilities improves both animal welfare and worker safety while reducing cattle handling time.

What You Can Do

Support cattle welfare standards requiring low-stress handling facility design
Advocate for low-stress handling training and certification for stockpeople
Choose beef from operations using documented low-stress handling practices
Support dissemination of low-stress handling knowledge through agricultural extension programs