Three Ways To Use A Livestock Sorting Unit
by Clayton James
If you're new to farming and have started to raise cows, there are all sorts of things that you'll need to quickly learn. One thing that is useful to learn is that a variety of pieces of agricultural equipment can make your job immeasurably easier. One useful device is a livestock sorting unit, which is a large structure that consists of fences and gates. Livestock sorting units are often on wheels, allowing you to position this device with a tractor or truck wherever you need it. You'll often start with several animals in the large, center space, and then begin to separate individual animals into the unit's smaller pens. Here are three ways to use a livestock sorting unit.
Sick Or Injured Animal
When one of your cows appears to be sick or injured, you want to keep it away from the other animals. Livestock illnesses can spread quickly, so isolating the animal is the best way to keep your herd safe. A livestock sorting unit is a handy tool for getting a sick or injured cow on its own. You can herd the animal into a pen, provide the necessary water and food, and then call a farm veterinarian to visit your farm to determine what is wrong with the cow in question.
Weaning
A calf will spend the first part of its life drinking milk from its mother, but there will be a time that you need to wean the calf off its milk. A good way to accomplish this goal is with a livestock sorting unit. Calves can be anxious when away from their mothers for the first time, but the design of this unit will allow the two animals to be close together — albeit separated by a fence. This can result in far less anxiety for the calf than taking it entirely away from its mother during the weaning process.
Sales
Some farmers will keep cows for a certain period of time and then sell them. When you sell a cow, you'll either load it onto a trailer to transport to its new farm or another farmer will arrive with a truck and trailer to pick up the animal. Before you can load the cow onto a trailer, you'll need to separate it from the herd in an organized manner. You can do so with a sorting unit. Once you have the cow in its own pen, you can open up the pen's exterior fence and lead the animal onto the trailer.
Share
About Me
Getting into the agricultural business can be a profitable one, but you need the right tools and equipment put into place in order to ensure your success. There is no reason to create your business by hand when so many awesome options are available on the market to help you. Whether it comes to watering your plots or keeping pests at bay, there is machinery and accessories available to get the job done with less manpower, electricity, and money. On this blog you'll learn about the best pesticides, fertilizers, and weeders to use on your farm. You'll also gain some insight into the best machinery to use depending on your specific type of agricultural endeavor. And once in awhile you may even gain some insight into the best times of year to grow particular types of crops.