Drafting is one of the most dangerous tasks to be undertaken in cattle yards. It requires trained and experienced cattle handlers, and wherever possible separation of people and cattle.
Drafting cattle alone is unsafe. If you can't avoid someone drafting cattle alone, make sure they stay separate from the cattle wherever possible.
Wherever possible, avoid people being in with the cattle when drafting.
If anyone needs to be in with the cattle make sure:
Before anyone starts drafting make sure they know how to:
Closely supervise new cattle handlers until you are sure they are competent and can do the job safely.
Have a safety discussion before you start drafting to:
You need to have an emergency procedure in place before you start drafting. Make sure everyone knows what the procedure is and what they need to do if something goes wrong.
People can be seriously injured:
Making small changes to the flow of the yard and where gates are positioned could avoid injury or save a life.
When positioning your gate make sure it is flush with the yard wherever possible. Consider setting the gate in a position that you can easily grab it when you want to close it. If you are manually closing gates from inside the yards, always consider the position of your escape routes.
When moving gates always keep two hands on the gate rail at shoulder height.
When you have shut the gate always test that it is securely closed.
Ensure the gates in your drafting areas are kept well maintained so you can open and close them easily.
The surfaces of your yards are important for the safety of both people and cattle. Uneven ground, rocks or debris can cause tripping hazards for cattle handlers. Boggy yards often mean that rubber boots need to be worn and pugging occurs, causing slippery and uneven surfaces.
There are also long term approaches to cattle management to help make drafting safer. These include:
There are many different layouts used for drafting across Victoria. Some are safer than others.
Yard drafting involves drafting between two different pens, with someone standing at a gate. This way of drafting has the most risk, and requires adequate escape routes and well trained cattle handlers.
The pound yard is often used as an entry to the working area, allowing multiple yard access to the forcing area with gates in up to 7 directions. It is placed as a hub, a central connecting point between a group of pens and lanes.
Manual pounds have been a common item in handling yards for many years. They are operated by a handler standing inside the pound, processing a small number of animals at a time and separating them using the exit gates. A manual pound should be used only to draft complete pens of cattle.
Tear drop lane drafting involves running cattle in ones and twos through a gate, and then going into the next yard, then drafting them into different yards. This method relies on adequate escape routes and well trained cattle handlers, but can be less risky than yard drafting.
In a tear drop/stick pound draft there is a person operating the pound from a raised platform, and a person operating a gate on the ground between the tear drop and the pound. This raised platform has the ability to open and draft from one raised position and is equipped with non-slip stairs and a hand rail. This method is less risky as it separates one of the operators from the cattle. Escape routes may still be required for the person operating the gate on the ground.
When single file drafting, people are completely handling the cattle flight zone outside of the race. At the end of the single file race there is usually a bank of gates to be able to split cattle into drafting pens. For example, a three way draft. This is best done when walking cattle through a crush where you can give the person on the gates time to open them.
You could also purchase an automatic drafter, which will draft from a remote point.
Utilise the latest understanding of cattle behaviour. Discuss with yard manufacturers and others to achieve yards where there is separation of people and cattle wherever possible. Ensure that you have good flow so that cattle can be worked through yards freely, without having to be forced.
People who work in many different yards are a great resource. Having safety conversations with the different people who use your yard can help you identify hazards and solutions.
If you are an employer, you also have a duty under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act) to consult with your employees and contractors about health and safety. You can do this by making safety conversations a normal part of how you work.
As a farmer you may be self-employed, employ people, or manage and control a farm. Regardless, you have duties under the OHS Act which can include ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable: