Beef cattle production and management
A pen on slight slope
Practical Action
Location
The greater the distance cattle travel the greater the expenditure of energy. Facilities should be
sited as near equidistant as possible to all areas served by them.
Design
The design should allow for a well- organised flow of animals with least disturbance and
minimum possible injury. There should be a vantage or control point, from which the whole
layout is visible, to enable adequate supervision.
Rectangular or triangular pens have been the norm in Zimbabwe. A minimum of two kraals is
recommended. This allows for rotation of cattle from one kraal to another during the rainy season.
A cattle race measuring up to 5 metres can be constructed on one side of the kraal.
Dimensions
The following areas in square metres per head are recommended
Holding pens
2.5sq metres per head (worked immediately)
6.0sq metres per head (detained overnight)
Calf pens
0.6 sq metres per head
Using the above, handling facilities can be built to satisfy herds of varying sizes, but the
capacity of holding and forcing pens should be no more than 125 head. Bigger herds are more
difficult to control and more prone to disturbance - fighting, butting etc, which can cause injury
and sometimes panic.
Components of a proper handling facility
The race
Ideally, a race 5m long and 0.75m wide holding 2 to 3 animals is recommended. The race
should be used regularly, preferably at each muster to ensure that animals, especially the
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