Cattle yards working directions?

[Putangitangi]

We're about to build new yards. Most of the designs we've looked at have cattle being worked in an anti-clockwise direction. Is there any science about which way cows move best or is that a right-handed designer bias?

 

[dun]

Biased. Ours are clockwise because the area we have to work just lends itself to that. The new farm facilitys will probably be the same deal.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Mine go both ways, left out of the tub and right into the chute. They look for an escape more than anything else.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

The flow, and keeping them wanting to go around the next corner, is more important than the direction.

 

[greybeard]

We're about to build new yards. Most of the designs we've looked at have cattle being worked in an anti-clockwise direction. Is there any science about which way cows move best or is that a right-handed designer bias?

I've always been told they 'want' to go back in the direction they just came from, even if it's parallel to the alleyway they just came down. It's why I made my load chute parallel to the alley where the sweep gate is and it has worked pretty good. Once they make the turn out of the sweep and into the load chute/alley, they all but run to the trailer.

 

[bird dog]

We're about to build new yards. Most of the designs we've looked at have cattle being worked in an anti-clockwise direction. Is there any science about which way cows move best or is that a right-handed designer bias?

I've always been told they 'want' to go back in the direction they just came from, even if it's parallel to the alleyway they just came down. It's why I made my load chute parallel to the alley where the sweep gate is and it has worked pretty good. Once they make the turn out of the sweep and into the load chute/alley, they all but run to the trailer.

Thats the principal of the Bud box. The cattle walk in to a solid wall, turn back the way they came and look for an exit which is your chute or alley. They work well if you have solid walls or at least tarped walls. Not so good when they are open.

I prefer a tub.

 

[Putangitangi]

We have space, so have printed the plan both ways and it fits better counter-clockwise.

Thanks for your thoughts.