 EASE
OF MOVEMENT FOR YOU
LESS STRESS FOR YOUR LIVESTOCK
 Animal
handling and welfare is becoming an increasingly important issue
to consumers, and major meat buyers. We make it our business to stay
informed about the best livestock handling techniques from around
the world.
Rough handling or poorly designed equipment is detrimental to both
animal welfare and meat quality. Meridian can design facilities for
you and your livestock that will minimize stress levels, improve
efficiency and maintain good meat quality.
Stressed animals cause meat quality problems (such as dark cutters
in cattle). This is a major cause of large monetary losses to the
livestock industry. Gentle handling of animals through well-designed
facilities will reduce or eliminate electric prod usage. This in
turn will lower the stress to your livestock and increase your yields.
Meridian can provide on-site consultations to assess your needs.
Our understanding of the behaviour of livestock will facilitate handling,
reduce stress, and improve both handler safety and animal welfare.
We can provide you with the facilities that will allow you to use ‘low-stress’ techniques
or modify your existing facilities to better handle livestock.
Quiet processing of livestock is next to impossible if animals slip
or fall during handling. Animals tend to panic if they slip even
a little bit. Livestock become agitated due to the slipping while
standing in a race, or chute. Meridian can assess your location and
provide the correct flooring and safety guards for you and your livestock.
“Reducing stress during handling
will improve productivity and prevent physiological changes that
could confound research results or lower productivity. Handling stresses
lower conception rates and reduces both immune and rumen function.
Handlers who understand livestock behaviour can reduce stress.” -
(Temple Grandin)
MERIDIAN CAN HELP YOU ADHERE TO ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS
To decrease the stress on livestock and increase your yield
 • Meridian’s
livestock handling facilities can be fitted with sides or
 barriers
around the cattle to prevent the animals from seeing
people
deep inside their flight zones. This is especially
important
for
wild or excitable cattle.
• Non-slip flooring can be laid to lessen the
stress on the livestock.
• The entrance of the crush must be well lit. All livestock must be
able
to see a place to go. When they can see they move
forward
in
a calmer manner.
• The crush must be designed to avoid uncomfortable pressure points
on the animal's
body.
• Livestock will remain calmer if they can see other animals within
touching distance.
• The equipment Meridian uses has been engineered to minimize
noise. High pitched
noise is most disturbing to livestock.
• Smooth surfaces (eg gates, fences, chutes) can be used to avoid
bruising your livestock
and damage to the hide.
• Animals become uncomfortable when they see a drop-off.
Meridian
is able to
install a false floor under the restrainer to prevent this
from
occurring.
TIPS FOR GOOD LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT
• Keep animals calm. Calm and quiet animals move more easily.
• Do not allow the animals to slip.
• Know your flight zones and points of balance.
• Small groups move more easily.
• Keep working areas well lit.
• Install false floors.
• Avoid bruising.
• Calm animals are easier and safer to handle.
Less stress to your livestock means less stress on your wallet!
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