How to Reduce Labour in Livestock Handling

Reducing Labour in Livestock Handling

Practical strategies for safer, faster, more efficient cattle and sheep work

How to Reduce Labour in Livestock Handling – Labour is one of the biggest pressures facing UK livestock farms today. With fewer people available, rising costs, and increasing compliance demands, farmers are being pushed to do more with less. Nowhere is this more obvious than in livestock handling, where poor design, outdated cattle handling equipment or inefficient workflows can turn simple jobs into time-consuming and stressful tasks.

The good news? With the right setup, you can dramatically reduce labour without compromising safety or animal welfare. In many cases, small changes make the biggest difference.

1. Start With Animal Flow, Not Manpower

Most labour is wasted when animals stop, turn back, bunch up or refuse to move. Improving flow reduces the need for extra people.

Improve flow by:

• Using curved races to encourage forward movement
• Adding solid sides to reduce distractions
• Ensuring consistent lighting with no shadows
• Removing sharp corners where animals hesitate
• Keeping the approach to the crush or handler calm and clear

When animals move willingly, you don’t need extra hands to push, block or guide them.

 

2. Upgrade Gates, Latches and Access Points

Old gates that rattle, stick or require two people to close are a major labour drain.

Look for:

• Auto‑locking gates
• Quiet, smooth latches
• Spring‑loaded or self‑closing gates
• Catwalks or safe access points
• Drafting gates positioned for one‑person use

Modern equipment is designed to reduce physical effort and improve safety.

 

3. Use Equipment That Reduces Restraint Time

The longer it takes to restrain an animal, the more people you need.

Labour‑saving equipment includes:

• Automatic or pneumatic cattle crushes
• Sheep handlers with auto‑catch and drafting
• Weigh crates with integrated EID
• Head scoops and anti‑backing systems

These tools reduce the need for someone to “hold”, “block”, or “stand guard”.

 

4. Integrate Weighing & EID to Reduce Paperwork

Manual recording is slow and error‑prone.

Digital systems:

• Record weights automatically
• Sync treatments and movements
• Reduce time spent writing or typing
• Allow one person to manage data while handling

This is especially valuable during Bovine TB testing, lambing, dosing or routine checks.

 

5. Design Handling for Continuous Flow

Stop‑start handling wastes time and increases stress.

Improve flow by:

• Using a forcing pen that tapers
• Keeping the race long enough for batching
• Adding a pre‑catch area before the crush
• Ensuring animals can’t turn back
• Positioning gates so one person can operate them

A well‑designed system keeps animals moving without constant intervention.

 

6. Plan for One‑Person Operation (Even If You Have Staff)

The best cattle yards and sheep yards are designed so one person can do the job, even if two or three are available.

This reduces:

• Labour costs
• Stress
• Risk of injury
• Time spent organising people

It also future‑proofs your farm as labour availability continues to decline.

 

Final Thoughts

Reducing labour in livestock handling isn’t about working harder – it’s about designing systems that work with you. With better flow, modern livestock handling equipment and smart livestock handling design choices, farmers can save hours every week while improving safety and animal welfare.