Sheep yard design on a budget!

Sheep Infrastructure design tips Sheep yards are the main sheep handling complex on a farm and need to be designed and built to provide efficient sheep handling. Sheep need to move well in the yards and we all want to handle our sheep safely.Good sheep yards confine and control the movement of sheep. Good yard set up helps us to achieve a high quality work rate with a minimum of physical effort.This should be done in a pleasant and safe working environment for humans and animals alike!So where do you start with setting up or improving your sheep yard infrastructure?Your site selection consider these factors:•             ease of access from all parts of the property including access to power for muscle or pregnancy scanning•             slope of land to assure good drainage•             effect of prevailing winds on working conditions and dust control•             situation of the yards in relation to existing trees which can provide shade and protection•             access to a water supply for livestock drinking, dust control, and cleaning.Yard sizeThe main yards should be large enough to handle the biggest mob on the property. Yard size is determined by a combination of the selected design, the capacity of the working race and the size of the flock to be handled. The holding yards should be large enough for mobs of ewes and lambs at weaning. Adjoining mini-paddocks including a water point increase the number of mobs that can be handled in a set of yards.Provide 1 m2 per three sheep in forcing areas and at least 1 m2 per sheep in holding areas.DesignWhen designing sheep yards keep the following points in mind:•             Sheep have wide angled vision – they can detect movement behind them without moving their heads.•             Sheep should have a clear, unobstructed view towards where they are meant to move.•             Whenever possible use wide gates to maintain good sheep flow.•             Ideally sheep should take a familiar route and direction through the yards for all handling operations.•             Entrances to sheds, loading ramp should be placed along the route sheep usually take through the yards.•             Sheep move better on the flat than up or down hill. If the land slopes, the direction of movement should be across the slope rather than up or down hill.•             Sheep can cope well with one change of status at a time –go up a ramp; go onto the flat landing; go through a gate; go around a corner; go into a shed or a truck. Do not try to get sheep to do more than one change of status at a time or they will have trouble and cause a blockage in movement pathways.•             Sheep move readily towards light and avoid dark areas, shadows and dead ends.•             Sheep move willingly around curves and corners into narrow races. Sheep follow one another, and the use of see-through panels may encourage them to move.•             Take sheep behaviour into account when positioning handling facilities – generally sheep will move towards the yards in anticipation of escape or release to their paddock.•             Oncoming sheep must not see the operator. The sheep in the race focus on the sheep in front of them and in the direction of movement without distractSupport the showWant more! Want to show us some sheep love? Sign up for extra content via our sheep supporters tab !https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new