MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (Handling)

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (Handling) Handling: Sheep & gats at Shne Farm are t be handled quietly, calmly and humanely in rder t prevent stress and fr handlers t gain desired results. It is best fr a handler t remember sheep & gats are flight animals and t wrk with the flight zne (persnal space), nt against it. Because penetrating the flight zne t deeply and quickly can cause an animal t becme unpredictable and dangerus, it is best t wrk utside the flight zne. Examples f minimal pressure include but are nt limited t: verbal ( up, sheep! ), a whistle, light hand clapping and physical prdding by hand. Examples f maximum pressure include but are nt limited t: Slapping the sides f the fence r chute with an pen hand, stepping tward the animal aggressively while using a frceful vice and/r hand clapping. Handlers at Shne Farm shall always start with minimal pressure and escalate up the scale f pressure, if needed, t btain desired results. Optimally, the sheep & gats will respnd calmly with minimum pressure when needed. Handlers shall psitin themselves behind sheep and gats s that they can be seen by the animals. Handlers shuld imagine a bubble arund an individual animal and arund themselves. When these bubbles run int each ther, sheep & gats will mve (gats may scatter r drp t the grund). If a handler bumps frm behind the shulder f a sheep r gat, the animal will mve frward. Cnversely, if a handler bumps at, r in frnt f the shulder, the animal will stp and/r mve its shulders away frm the handler. The mre aggressive a handler s bubble bumps an animal s bubble, the mre reactive the animal, usually. This is a basic cncept that handlers shall always keep in mind when mving sheep & gats. Lambs/kids & Yearlings: It is easiest t btain desired results in grwn r nearly grwn sheep & gats, if they were trained as lambs & kids. Yung and/r new animals that are trying t acclimate t their envirnment are very sensitive and reactive. Therefre, in dealing with these animals, the handler needs t maintain a quiet, yet authritative stance. Minimal pressure needs t be applied and the handler must cntinue until they receive the desired result. If an animal learns frm a yung age that the handler will back dwn, it will remain nn-cmpliant. Sheep & gats shuld never be taught t turn arund n the handler at ANY age. This shuld be highly discuraged. If a lamb r kid turns back n a handler, the handler MUST make the animal believe this is nt where it wants t be by INSISTING the lamb r kid turn back arund. This shall SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 6

be dne by first starting with minimal pressure ( 1 ) and escalating quickly t ( 10 ) until the desired result is btained. The safety f all handlers is paramunt. Yearlings shuld be handled in the same manner as lambs & kids, hwever, handlers shuld remember that Yearlings are much mre unpredictable and lambs dn t flck (withut adults) as well. Yearlings will spread ut mre, mve faster and turn back n their handlers mre ften. It is cmmn t have t start n the pressure scale at higher than 1 and quickly mve up the scale t btain desired results. Adult Sheep & Gats: Adults (especially new animals) can be just as reactive as yearlings and mre cautius until they knw they are safe. Pasture Herding: When mving sheep & gats ut f the pasture, it is easiest t teach them t cme when called and t fllw the handler. Calling them the same way each time and using grain in a bucket as an incentive with the leader/s is an effective and quick way f teaching them t fllw. Sheep & gats feel much mre secure fllwing the same safe paths and rutines. Once they knw what yu want and where they are ging, they will mve right alng and ften pass the handler n their way t their destinatin. The handler shuld fllw alng quietly, with purpse and withut stpping frward mmentum. Sheep & Gat Unit Alley: When the flck/herd is brught up t the barn t be lcked in the Sheep & Gat Unit, the handlers shuld clse gates behind them as quickly as pssible s that if/when an animal turns back, they dn t rush past the handler and back ut. When sheep & gats are herded int the wrking chutes and hlding pen, the same principal shuld apply with the gates. Hlding Pen: Handlers shuld try t mve all sheep &/r gats int the hlding pen staged just utside the wrking chutes. If they are separated, it ften inspires them t SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 7

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (Handling) cntinued jump ut. Enugh rm as pssible shuld be available fr the sheep/ gats t mill and as sheep/gats mve int the wrking chutes, the area can be clsed dwn and made int a smaller pen. Handlers shuld, at n time, beat the sheep/gats n their heads and yell while they are in the Hlding Pen in an attempt t mtivate them t mve. This causes cnfusin and stress and lack f cmpliance n the animal s part as well as pssible injury t handlers and animals. Prperly taking hld f an animal and guiding it int the chute helps t get ther sheep/gats t fllw Sheep & Gat Unit Chutes: Maintaining frward mmentum f sheep/gats frm the Hlding Pen and int the Wrking Chutes is helpful s that the animals line up in and fill the chute cmpletely making it pssible t clse the guilltine behind them. When sheep/gats see the animal in frnt f them mve frward and ut r thrugh the chute drs, they will mve frward t fllw. Handlers shuld, at n time, beat the sheep/gats n their heads r yell while they are in the Wrking Chute in an attempt t mtivate them t mve. This causes cnfusin and stress and lack f cmpliance n the animal s part. If an animal stps and refuses t mve frward, the handler shall prd the sheep r gat frward by pushing n its dck. If this desn t btain the desired results, the handler shall place their fingers under the tail stub (sheep), lift and push frward until desired results are btained. There are times when this des nt wrk and a handler may need t enter the chute with the sheep r gat and push the animal frward. If sheep & gats are habitually resistive t mving frward in the chutes, the shrt electric prd shuld be used t encurage them frward and t teach them hw t prceed thrugh the chutes. Handlers shuld be aware f their wn bdy psitining by making sure they aren t impeding the sheep/gat s frward mvement by standing in frnt f them r by hanging ver the chutes. Handlers shuld keep in mind the flight zne and remember t stay utside f it. Turn Table: After entering the Main Wrking Chute, the animals enter the Turn Table. One adult sheep/gat fits in the Turn Table at ne time, hwever, 2 t 3 lambs/kids are able t fit. At times, mre lambs/kids in the Turn Table at ne time makes it easier t perfrm tasks. SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 8

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (Handling) cntinued When leaning ver the Turn Table in rder t perfrm a task n an animal, the handler shuld put ne hand n tp f the animal s shulders and push dwn s that if the animal leaps int the air, the handler can prevent it frm injuring them. As the handler finishes with each animal in the Turn Table, the frnt chute gate shuld be pened t let the animal ut and the hind gate shall be pened t let the next animal in. Once the sheep/gat exits the Turn Table, the frnt chute gate shuld be clsed t enclse the next sheep r gat entering. Sheep Unit Pens: The Sheep & Gat Unit Pens functin as, amng ther things, eating, living, lambing/kidding and hlding areas. When a sheep r gat is released frm the Turn Table, they are directed either int the Creep pen t remain there r int the Creep pen and then ut int the main sheep/gat pens. When used as eating areas, hay and grain shall be placed in the available feeders r n the grund, alng the fence in clean areas, if needed. When used as living areas, the large main pens shall be raked ut and cleaned by hand and peridically cleaned ut with the tractr. On ccasin, it is necessary t separate sheep & gats while they are within the main pens, hwever, whenever pssible, animals shuld be separated and wrked n thrugh the chutes. This alleviates stress and injury t animals and handlers. Remember: when handling sheep & gats D nt mve a sheep r gat t far away frm the rest f the flck an islated sheep will becme easily stressed and unmanageable. Always wrk calmly and quietly arund sheep and gats this will make it much easier t handle them. Cnsistency and prper use f facilities is key animals will remember gd and bad experiences as well as cnsistent human behavir. Cnsistency with feeding and r calling will wrk when mving sheep and gats. They will usually fllw a bucketful f grain as well as lng as they knw what it is (dn t assume that they d). With a flck / herd, using a chute that the animals can easily walk thrugh in a single file line allws fr safe handling t cmplete bjective effectively. Always be aware f rams and bucks they may butt and can cause great bdily injury never turn yur back. SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 9

~ STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ~ Catching ~ Cnfine the targeted animal with several thers in a small area Apprach the selected sheep r gat slwly and calmly Make sure that the pen des nt have any sharp r jagged areas where the animal culd get hurt Mve the sheep r gat int a crner while extending and arm sideways t frm a visual barrier Nte: The sheep r gat may try t run alng either wall r jump ver yur arm/s Catch the sheep r gat by putting a hand under the lwer jaw (be careful nt t apply t much pressure, these are prey animals) and gently pull up the head (if the sheep cannt see what is in frnt f them, they will nt mve frward) Be careful nt t hld the sheep r gat by the thrat With the free hand, place it arund the tail/rump (this will assist with keeping the sheep frm backing up) T mve the animal frward, apply a little pressure with the hand n the dck r under the tail t push frward. Use the ther hand t guide the directin that yu want t mve the sheep r gat. SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 10

~ STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ~ Mving Sheep & Gats: Leading ~ Call Hey, sheep! (r gats) Incentive Small bucket f grain Shake bucket Feed the lead sheep/gats small amunts f grain alng the way Lead Watch t see that all animals are mving and cming tward the handler Make sure that sheep flck tgether befre pening the gate t let them thrugh Open gate and step aside nce taught, sheep & gats will knw the rute Herding ~ Scale f aggressin: 1= minimal pressure 10 = maximum pressure Examples f minimal pressure include, but are nt limited t: Verbal: up, sheep! (r gats) whistle light hand clapping Examples f maximum pressure include, but are nt limited t: slapping hand against the chute stepping tward the animal aggressively while using a frceful vice r nise Handlers at Shne Farm shall always start with minimal pressure and escalate up the scale f pressure, if needed, t btain desired results. Optimally, sheep/gats will respnd calmly with minimum pressure. Handlers shall psitin themselves behind sheep/gats s that they can be seen by the animals. The handler shuld fllw alng quietly, with purpse and withut stpping frward mmentum. The handler shuld release pressure when desired results are btained. SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 11

Handling Sheep & Gats: Setting a Sheep n its rump ~ ~ STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ~ While next t the sheep, slip left thumb (careful nt t get bitten) int sheep s muth behind the incisrs - place ther hand n sheep s right hip Bend the sheep s head back ver its right shulder while in ne mtin, push with ther hand n sheep s right hip while swinging clckwise int yu until the sheep lands n its rump Hld the sheep s it is sitting up and leaning back tward yu SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 12

Mving Sheep & Gats: ~ STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ~ Leading ~ Call Hey, sheep! (r gats) Incentive Small bucket f grain Shake bucket Feed the lead sheep/gats small amunts f grain alng the way Lead Watch t see that all animals are mving and cming tward the handler Make sure that sheep flck tgether befre pening gates t let them thrugh Open gate and step aside nce taught, sheep & gats will knw the rute Herding ~ Scale f pressure: 1= minimal pressure 10 = maximum pressure Examples f minimal pressure include, but are nt limited t: Verbal: up, sheep! (r gats) whistle light hand clapping Examples f maximum pressure include, but are nt limited t: slapping hand against the chute stepping tward the animal aggressively while using a frceful vice r nise Handlers at Shne Farm shall always start with minimal pressure and escalate up the scale f pressure, if needed, t btain desired results Optimally, sheep/gats will respnd calmly with minimum pressure gats prefer t fllw Handlers shall psitin themselves behind sheep/gats s that they can be seen by the animals The handler shuld walk alng quietly, with purpse and withut stpping frward mmentum The handler shuld release pressure when desired results are btained SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOATS Page 13