we often have to restrain cattle for examination treatment and medical or surgical procedures there are a number of restraint methods available including chemical sedation trapping animals in crushes or stalls halt turing nosing or the use of nose tongs gate trapping casting kick bars and lifting the tail many of these restraint methods are commonly used in combination the most appropriate restraint method or combination of methods will depend on the degree of control required and how amenable the patient is dairy cattle are used to close human contact as a result they're usually more amenable to restraint than circular cows or beef cattle who are lesser bitumen contact as vets it is our responsibility to ensure that the animals we are treating our strained appropriately in order to ensure our safety and that of our patients and all those with whom we are working for many veterinary procedures the cattle crush is the best and most appropriate method of restraint the animal is guided into the crush by a race or funnel system once the animal is entered first the rear gate is shut or a bar is placed behind the animal and then the yoke or neck brace is closed trapping the animal's head yokes can be operated by a number of different methods most require a handle to be pulled or pushed handlers should familiarize themselves with how the yoke works before animals enter the crush once the animal is trapped most animals relax however some lesser bitchu ated cattle will flash and jump wildly in order to avoid potentially serious injuries handlers should never insert their arms between the animal and the metal bars of the crush no matter how calm the animal appears at the time trapping animals behind gates is commonly used for a variety of minor procedures it is a good way of containing cattle in order to apply a halter and can be performed single-handed by experienced handlers the animal is directed towards the corner in which a gate is hinged as the animal walks towards the corner the gaze swung around behind them to restrict the animals movement cattle are prevented from backing out of the corner by fastening the gate or placing and fixing a rope or chain behind them one of the simplest ways of restraining cattle is using a halter in most clinical situations it will be necessary to contain an animal by gait trapping or in a stall or crush in order to apply a halter due to their larger flight zones before you start correctly orientate Coulter and open it wide enough for easy application even with very quiet animals it may be necessary to have the help of an assistant to contain or direct the animal towards you the animal should be passively approached from behind the shoulder ensuring they're aware of your presence first place the halter behind the ears and horns if they're present it is often more effective to apply over the far ear first allow the halter to fall forward and guide it under the chin tighten the halter and ensure it will not slip or pull forward over the nose during applications they close the animal but it is vital you do not place your head above the pole to avoid serious injury if the animal throws its head upwards the animals should be tied to a substantial fixed bar of a pen or heavy fixed gate using a quick-release not in order to remove the halter loosen it under the chin and flick it forwards over the years cattle are traditionally led from the left so the halter should be applied from the left-hand side however in clinical practice is often necessary and entirely acceptable to apply the halter from whichever side is most convenient always wrap the halter rope around a bar twice if the rope is simply looped behind a bar if the animal pulls back it will be difficult to maintain control if the Rope is wrapped twice around the bar no matter how hard the animal pulls it will not be possible for them to pull the rope out for your hands animals should be tied using a quick release knot there are two common ways the simplest is not suitable for tying cattle as it quickly works loose the correct method involves making a loop and twisting it before the free end of the rope is drawn through the twisted loop can be either above the rope attached the cow as in this demonstration or below the rope attached to the cow as in this last demonstration you another method of restraint for some procedures is nosing it will usually be necessary to restrain the animal with a halter or in a crush during nosing stay close to the animal but it is vital you keep your head back to avoid serious injury if the animal throws its head around standing next to the shoulder reach over the neck to limit upwards movement of the head the hand can be placed in front of the far eye to encourage the animal to turn its head towards you the knee is used to prevent the animal dropping its head to the floor the nostrils are grasped using the thumb and middle two fingers the second hand firmly grasps the base of the far ear the head is drawn across the handler who took themselves into the animal's shoulder and adopts a wide base stands for stability for strong hold the fingers and thumb should be locked in words the fingernails must be kept short in order to minimize the risks of injuring the inside of the animals nose if animals attempt to break free the handler should forcibly turn the animal's head towards them compelling the animal to turn around the handler who remains in control at the center of the circle nosing an animal can be made easy using nose tongues also called dogs Bulldogs or barnacles it will usually be necessary to restrain the animal with a halter or in a crush during application stay close to the animal but it is vital you keep your head back to avoid serious injury if the animal throws its head around standing to the side of the animal reach over the nose and grasp underneath the chin if the animal is fractious the upper lip or the upper jaw can be held at the diastema for better control the knee can be used to prevent the animal dropping its head the dogs are placed into the nose and either sprung shot or tightened using a slider long handled nose tongs are used in some situations nose tongs grasp the septum in a similar way to the handlers fingers during nosing dogs can be useful especially when the animal is in a crush forehead restraint above that afforded by a halter alone another method of applying additional control is lifting the tail it helps to prevent animals kicking the handler approaches the animal from the side and steps in close behind the hind legs the underside of the tail is grasped firmly in both hands towards its base and lifted straight upwards the free end of the tail can be tucked under the arm to prevent it swishing into the handlers face once elevated the handler applies firm but not excessive pressure in a forwards direction the tail must not be twisted or looped as this risks breaking them kick bars can be used to limit an animal's ability to kick they are almost exclusively employed on dairy cows in milking parlors the length of the bar is adjusted by depressing the button and sliding the arm the bar is applied by passing one end under the flap of skin in front of the hind leg and then hooking the other end over the spinal processes between the pin bone and the tail to prevent kicking at the correct length a moderate degree of force is required to place the bar the bar is removed by unlocking it from the spine we sometimes want to cast an animal without heavily sedating them roof's method of casting a cow is a two-person procedure and requires a long piece of thick rope with the animal restrained on a halter in a field or a deep straw and for comfort when the animal is cast a non-slip loop is tied around the animal's neck using a bowline with the help of the assistant next two loops of rope are placed around the cow the first is placed directly behind the forelegs by passing the ropes free end over the top of the cow around the body and back through itself the second loop is placed in front of the hind limbs just cranial to the other once the rope is positioned correctly any slack is taken up so the loops are tightly placed around the animal to catch the animal the halter is untied the first person steps back and slightly to the side and applies firm and constant pressure in a chordal direction by pulling on the rope whilst the second person turns the animal's head towards its flank when pressure is applied most animals will simply crease up and lie down allowing the second person to maintain control of the animal in sternal or lateral recumbent C by keeping the head turned tight against the flank using the halter