Handling and Restraining livestock is a topic covered in the PDF Basic veterinary Restraint and Handling Procedures.

One of the first things they teach you in veterinary school is animal restraint, the gentle art of getting your patient to stand still long enough for you to help it...Find out what ails the beast.

It's near impossible to inject medication into a moving target if you've had any experience with livestock...It's easy to be in the way of a hoof or horn.For the well-being of both the animal and its owner, it's essential that it be kept still during treatment.

That doesn't mean that a young steer has to be tranquilized and boxed before it can be given a dose of vitamins.The best animal restraint is not a restraint at all.It is possible to apply treatment to an animal without tying it down.The idea is to do the job without hurting yourself or the beast if you must catch and hold the animal.This article is all about that.

When you're dealing with an animal that isn't used to being restrained, you should always remember that flight is a beast's first response.When a doe kid goat is trapped, she can turn into a bunch of teeth, horns and hooves.The moral is to expect the unexpected.It's always a good idea to assume that any creature bigger than you is stronger and will act accordingly.

Rabbits will bite or kick with their front feet, but their best defense is their hind legs, which they can use to strike attackers with amazing speed, force and rapidity.If you have to handle one of the furry creatures, here's how to avoid getting a "swift kick" the next time.

In the case of a small hare, grab the animal by the scruff of the neck with one hand and slide your other hand under the bunny's curved back.Place your hand against the animal's hind feet.If you're dealing with a larger rabbit, simply grasp the fold of skin on his neck with one hand and support his lower back with your other arm, then position the animal so that his body rests against your hip and his "thumping end"

Small birds can be held motionless by gently pinning their wings against their body.Your feathered friend may try to peck you, but his beak is useless as a defense mechanism.

You should watch out for geese.The leading edges of a goose's wings can be used to batter rams.The other day, our goose caught the bridge of my nose with amazing accuracy.My street fighting days kept me on my feet.

If treated gently, the honker's neck can be used as a handy handle.Put his wings to his sides and tuck him under your arm.If you can tuck your prisoner's head under one wing, he will be calmer.

When grappling with your gander, don't forget that goose legs are very fragile and easily broken.

There isn't much of a defense system for sheep.They prefer to stamp their hooves and run away, even though they can lower their heads and charge at invaders.

A small gate can be used to catch the lamb or sheep in the corner of the pen.Place your hands at the front and rear of the animal and hold it.It helps to have an assistant.You can place the lamb on its rump and hold it from behind for more extensive procedures.

The homestead goat is usually easy to restrain.caprines need a milk stanchion and a small amount of grain.

The goats that aren't accustomed to people are difficult to catch in their pen.It is necessary to grab the animal's beard as he runs past...You can hold him against a wall or fence after that.Most goats are easy to anchor with this tactic.

Even if you hold the goat against the wall, it won't be enough to stop the beast from jumping and playing.Have patience...By tying its head securely and pressing your head firmly into the animal's flank, you can work on injured teats or feet alone.It may be necessary to hold one of the beast's hind legs.

A little stanchion training prior to a doe's first milking session is worth the effort.Start Nanny about a month before she's due to refresh by giving her a small amount of grain in the stanchion.Don't do anything else in the beginning.When the doe is used to it, sit beside her while she eats...As she relaxes more, she will start to pet her.You should be able to milk Nanny by the time she comes back.

If you think this is a lot of work, you can try to get her into the stanchion by stripping out a kicking, bucking, squatting, and squirming doe.If you haven't milked her first, do not buy an older doe.

The pig can be difficult to grab.These animals are difficult to hold onto and can cause serious wounds with their needle-like teeth.A good holding crate with a head gate is an absolute necessity if you plan to have many oinkers around.The hog can be held in a corner with a portable gate that is the same length and height as the pig.

If you can slip a rope over his snout, a large hog will hold on.After fastening a section of rope or cable to one end of a long piece of pipe, feed the free end through the tubing and affix a "crosswise" handle to the cable.Throw the looped-back rope over the porker's snout and pull on the handle to cinch the loop on his nose.The hog will try to back away from the holder.Hold your ground as you pull the rope's free end snug.

The best way to handle smaller porkers is to grab their hind legs and lift them off the ground.If the piglet's mama is within earshot, don't attempt this.The mother sow will respond quickly to any noises her babies make.

You can hold the pig's hind legs up if you stand straddling him.If necessary, you can anchor the young'un with your knees.

The only way to restrain a hoofer 10 times your size is to drive them into a narrow chute made of hardwood or iron.When dealing with an angry cow or bull, pine 2-by-4s are not better than balsa wood.Use bolts or strong welds to hold the chute's members together, and make sure you don't leave any sharp corners on either the inside or outside of the enclosure.

Next, working from behind the steer, bull, or whatever, use poles pushed crossways through the frame just behind him to keep the brute facing forward, and once he's all the way in the chute, catch his head with a sturdy stanchion.When dairy cows are shut into a stanchion, they are best worked on.

If you want to restrain Bessie's head, you can either buy a rope halter or use a bull lead.You can see the image gallery.Once the lead is in place, you can pull the beast's head through the stanchion and tie her to one side.I didn't have the cow's head pulled tightly enough the first time I used one of these gadgets.The animal threw the nose lead out of her snout and into the air after flipping her head up.Thank you for the stitches that healed my head.

You're halfway home after securing your cow's head.The powerful back legs are all you have to worry about.If you want to throw Bessie's hind end into neutral, grab the base of her tail and thrust it up.This will put pressure on her nerves and make it more difficult for her to kick.If your 1,500-pound lovely is not in neutral, stand well to one side and apply a lot of upward pressure.

It's a good idea to tie a rope into a loose figure eight above the beast to keep her from kicking.Don't tie the rope to something solid...You don't want her to break her legs when she tries to move.To prevent kicking and stomp, have someone keep some tension on the line.

As in people medicine, the first rule in veterinary medicine is: Do no harm.If you have to restrain an animal, do it in such a way that you don't hurt yourself or the beast.

In this limited amount of space, I can only tell you that "when in doubt, consult your vet."

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