| While working hands-on is the only way to achieve the | | | | The crowding pen should be round or four-cornered, |
| optimum results. But that doesn't mean that he or she | | | | but triangular pens are not encouraged as some |
| does it with his or her own bare hands. That's why | | | | sheep have the tendency to get stuck at the corner. |
| sheep owners must purchase their very own sheep | | | | Here the equipments like coral and cradle come into |
| handling equipments to manage the flock effectively. | | | | play. The coral is used to stabilize a sheep in one area. |
| A halter is among the most basic of sheep handling | | | | The cradle is used to keep the sheep from walking |
| equipments. It is attached to the head of a sheep | | | | around so that they can be checked for disease, |
| usually behind the ears and above the muzzle. The | | | | vaccinated or checked for pregnancies. |
| halter is used for leading, training and tying up the | | | | The chute is a raceway for sheep. This is a narrow |
| sheep. Sheep halters can be made of leather or rope | | | | passageway held on its side with ropes or transparent |
| in nylon or cotton fibers. | | | | fence. It should be narrow enough to fit one sheep. |
| Moving the sheep may be a daunting task. That is | | | | Chutes belong to the most important sheep handling |
| why several sheep handling equipments and facilities | | | | equipments. It enables the flock to walk in a single file |
| are designed to organize the flock. | | | | as if in a queue. This equipment is important especially |
| The gathering pen is another area where the sheep, all | | | | when giving vaccines to each sheep to make sure |
| types even the small ones are collected from the | | | | that each and every sheep are covered and |
| pasture. While it is enclosed, it should be large and | | | | monitored. A chute can be very long that's why it can |
| spacious enough to contain all the flock. After staying | | | | be separated by transparent gates. However it is |
| in the gathering pen, the sheep are now ushered | | | | important that the end of the chute is not blocked, as |
| towards the crowding pen. | | | | the sheep tend to panic when it approaches a blocked |
| The crowding pen leads to the chute or the raceway. | | | | passageway, and might cause stress to the whole |
| The crowding pen is used to sort out the animals from | | | | flock |
| the flock coming from the gathering pen. Small lambs | | | | The chute further leads to gates that select which |
| or even pregnant ewes can be distinguished from the | | | | sheep will be further lead to holding pens or back to |
| rest of the flock once they enter the crowding pen. | | | | grazing. |