Working Ranch Magazine March/April 2025

team with those goals in mind. Some designers may be tied to a certain brand, but with the right balance, you can end up with a facility that is super functional and well worth the invest ment.” Dr. Biggs explains. A squeeze chute that fits the cat tle, humans, and individual situation is a solid foundation in the design of the perfect cattle handling system. Designing a system that incorporates all the elements of cattle behavior and anatomy to the handler’s advantage is of particular importance in large rangeland areas where cattle may only be handled once or twice a year. Cattle behavior might be overlooked in some cases but should always be considered in the design of a working facility. Temple Grandin is considered a visionary in how she designs facil ities as she works from the animal’s perspective. Dr. McFarlane jokes about everyone on social media find ing concern with chronic cortisol lev els in humans, “We’re finally talking about how chronic stress can be such a negative influence on humans, but that is something we have identified

in cattle for a long time. Even if you’re only working with your animals once or twice a year, the facility can profoundly influence that stress response. It can reduce cattle perfor mance and vaccine efficacy. The long term influence of stress can make an impact on your bottom line.” Dual use of a working facility is often the case for many producers and Dr. McFarlane also points this out: “Take bulls for example. How do we manage them during the offsea son? While they’re not breeding, a lot of people use their working facility as a home base where they are fed. You have to have the infrastructure not only to provide water but also feed and a setup that doesn’t break down under that pressure.” “If you’re going to invest the money and the time, you should do it right. And whether that is you doing a lot of homework and consulting with coop erative extension in your region of the country, or if it’s working with com panies that have a lot of great, experi enced professionals, I think there’s so much value to that,” he concludes.

recent study (1) to bring a premium of $16.80/head for cattle that had BQA listed in the lot description, making it an essential and relevant program for most producers. Proper cattle handling techniques, injections, and other protocols are made easier to accomplish if planned for in the design of your facility. “Other important considerations include how cattle will flow, where we need people in the system and how we ensure they can do their jobs in the best way, and what the evolving needs are to process larger numbers of cat tle,” Dr. Biggs continues. Shelter from the hot desert sun with a shade structure fits one region of the country, but a sometimes cold environment such as Oklahoma might call for a barn or building needed to build your facility in. Along with that is the footing in the system and how cattle and people will handle that during inclement weather. “I think there’s a real advantage in working with someone as long as they understand the operation’s goals and you have the right people on the

FIRST THING I’VE GOT TO DO IS SQUIRREL. AND THEN I’VE GOTTA SQUIRREL. AND AFTER SQUIRREL, I NEED TO SQUIRREL.

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