General Principles of Animal Handling

There is a lot of routine work that goes on, on a farm. That is work that the farmer and the worker do every day to care for the animals and sometimes to harvest products of the animals such as feeding cows and milking them routinely. To do most of the routine work on a farm it is necessary to come into contact with the animal or to handle them.

• The approach and all actions should be done in a calm and unruffled manner. Avoid a wild approach.
• Sounds and noise should be limited to a minimum, especially with single animals.
• Animals should always be talked to first, to make them aware of the presence of the handler. Individual animals, in particular, should be addressed in a quiet, even and calming way.
• Any action or movement should be performed slowly and deliberately. Sudden movements will cause animals to become excited and restless.
• The safety of the operator and his assistants should be the first consideration.
• The safety of the animals, causing of injury and unnecessary pain must be considered.
• Always ensure that assistants know exactly what they have to do.
• See to it that the best available aids are at hand.
• Use the most suitable facilities that are available for a particular purpose or that can be constructed easily and practically. This is necessary for effective handling and will also save much time.
• Individual animals should always be caught and controlled by people they know and by whom they are normally handled.