Whit Hibbard

As with loading out, trailer loading is another production event that can be high stress on both the animals and people, but it needn’t be that way. During conventional (i.e., high stress) trailer loading, we typically see unwilling, confused, frightened animals being forced onto trailers. There’s too much help, noise, pressure, electric prod use and too little understanding, empathy and concern for the animals.

It’s surprising to us now, but producers often have difficulty loading their scales, and we were no exception before learning Bud Williams’ low-stress livestock handling. Conventionally, people think the reason cattle don’t want to go on the scale is because they are afraid of it. Bud asserted that they are not afraid of the scale; what they are afraid of is what we do to them to get on it. If we do it properly, they will willingly go onto the scale.

These cattle are being stored in segments of the alleyway waiting their turn to go up to the processing area for pregnacy testing. Note the generous space they are given to help keep them relaxed and in a normal frame of mind. In this regard, wider alleyways are better (i.e., 14'-16') instead of 12' pictured here. ( Walt Hibbard ) Conventionally, alleyways are used not only for livestock movement, but for storage.