Facilities weren’t always what they are now, both here and across the pond.
Back in the 70s, a young autistic woman named Temple Grandin began to change this on some of the major feedlots and factories in North America.
Figure 1: design of a single-sided race for optimum cattle flow and safety.\ Grandin.com
She did this by designing handling facilities based on animal behaviour.
Temple has been publishing books and designing layouts of cattle yards ever since, with just minor tweaks made to the original design some 40-odd years later.
Figure 1: Single chute design
This compact design is designed for a small space and functions for both small ranchers and farmers on this side of the Atlantic and provides the advantages of a round crowd (forcing) pen.
The crowd pen is a full half-circle to take advantage of the natural tendency of cattle to go back to where they came from. This is a critical factor, and features heavily throughout Temple’s writing.
The outer fences are completely solid to block outside distractions.
When a person with a flag stands on the small catwalk at the pivot point of the crowd gate, the cattle will circle around the person and enter the single-file chute.
People who are operating the squeeze chute at the head of the race should work on the outer side of it.
When people are on the outer side, the slight bend in the single-file chute will prevent incoming cattle from seeing those operating the squeeze chute.
Key considerations
1. The round crowd pen will work most efficiently if it is a full half-circle, 180°.
A full half-circle takes advantage of the natural tendency of cattle to go back to where they came from.
For cattle, the crowd pen should have a 12ft (3.5m) radius. A shorter radius can be used for pigs and sheep.
2. A single-file chute (race) will be very efficient if it has a single 180° or 90° curve. Multiple curves do not improve efficiency.
The serpentine design with two 180° curves (S shape) should only be used in places where space is restricted.
If there is sufficient space, a single 180° or 90° curve is recommended. It is a mistake to design many multiple curves into a single file race.
3. Never build a crowd pen on a ramp. If a ramp is required, it should be in the single-file chute (race). Cattle and pigs will pile up if a crowd pen is built on a ramp.
4. Install solid sides so that approaching animals do not see the people up ahead.
People should only work from this covered side and not from the open side inside the handling area.
5. Maximum race length should be 75ft (23m) or just under five standard bays of a shed, according to Temple. Having a chute length beyond this will make it difficult to fill by an individual person.
Minimum chute length should be 30ft (9m).
6. Ensure there are no objects hanging down inside or on top of the race, these are a deterrent to cattle and will prevent them travelling freely through the race.
7. Avoid installing sharp curves in a race. Cattle should be able to see two “cow lengths” (4-4.5m) in front of themselves in the race.
8. If cattle are walking into the chute, don’t push them with the forcing gate.
The forcing gate should only be used if there are one or two stubborn cattle. Pushing the forcing gate tightly against the cattle makes handling more difficult because animals cannot turn.
In short
Crowd (forcing pens) should be used to help load a race, but the gate should only be used to shove awkward cattle in it. A full half circle or 90° bend in a race will take advantage of the natural tendency of cattle to go back to where they came from. Keep race lengths to between 30ft-75ft (9m-23m).
Facilities weren’t always what they are now, both here and across the pond.
Back in the 70s, a young autistic woman named Temple Grandin began to change this on some of the major feedlots and factories in North America.
Figure 1: design of a single-sided race for optimum cattle flow and safety.\ Grandin.com
She did this by designing handling facilities based on animal behaviour.
Temple has been publishing books and designing layouts of cattle yards ever since, with just minor tweaks made to the original design some 40-odd years later.
Figure 1: Single chute design
This compact design is designed for a small space and functions for both small ranchers and farmers on this side of the Atlantic and provides the advantages of a round crowd (forcing) pen.
The crowd pen is a full half-circle to take advantage of the natural tendency of cattle to go back to where they came from. This is a critical factor, and features heavily throughout Temple’s writing.
The outer fences are completely solid to block outside distractions.
When a person with a flag stands on the small catwalk at the pivot point of the crowd gate, the cattle will circle around the person and enter the single-file chute.
People who are operating the squeeze chute at the head of the race should work on the outer side of it.
When people are on the outer side, the slight bend in the single-file chute will prevent incoming cattle from seeing those operating the squeeze chute.
Key considerations
1. The round crowd pen will work most efficiently if it is a full half-circle, 180°.
A full half-circle takes advantage of the natural tendency of cattle to go back to where they came from.
For cattle, the crowd pen should have a 12ft (3.5m) radius. A shorter radius can be used for pigs and sheep.
2. A single-file chute (race) will be very efficient if it has a single 180° or 90° curve. Multiple curves do not improve efficiency.
The serpentine design with two 180° curves (S shape) should only be used in places where space is restricted.
If there is sufficient space, a single 180° or 90° curve is recommended. It is a mistake to design many multiple curves into a single file race.
3. Never build a crowd pen on a ramp. If a ramp is required, it should be in the single-file chute (race). Cattle and pigs will pile up if a crowd pen is built on a ramp.
4. Install solid sides so that approaching animals do not see the people up ahead.
People should only work from this covered side and not from the open side inside the handling area.
5. Maximum race length should be 75ft (23m) or just under five standard bays of a shed, according to Temple. Having a chute length beyond this will make it difficult to fill by an individual person.
Minimum chute length should be 30ft (9m).
6. Ensure there are no objects hanging down inside or on top of the race, these are a deterrent to cattle and will prevent them travelling freely through the race.
7. Avoid installing sharp curves in a race. Cattle should be able to see two “cow lengths” (4-4.5m) in front of themselves in the race.
8. If cattle are walking into the chute, don’t push them with the forcing gate.
The forcing gate should only be used if there are one or two stubborn cattle. Pushing the forcing gate tightly against the cattle makes handling more difficult because animals cannot turn.
In short
Crowd (forcing pens) should be used to help load a race, but the gate should only be used to shove awkward cattle in it. A full half circle or 90° bend in a race will take advantage of the natural tendency of cattle to go back to where they came from. Keep race lengths to between 30ft-75ft (9m-23m). 
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