Livestock Loading Ramps

Getting livestock on and off your property is no easy feat. It is particularly difficult because transport is a stressful experience for livestock, so their actions are often more unpredictable than normal. It’s a process that involves substantial risk, for both the people and animals involved, so to ensure smooth movement, it is important you have the right livestock loading ramps on your property.

 

OBJECTIVES

Learn how to safely load/ unload livestock on your property

 

BEST PRACTICE DETAIL

According to the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association, there are general design principles people should follow when designing livestock loading ramps

  • Ramps should be constructed appropriate to the species of stock and vehicles used
  • Ramps should be aligned north-south to avoid loading into the sun
  • Ramps should be installed with noise and visual distractions minimised
  • If the facility will be used at night, adequate overhead lighting should be installed to light up pens, loading areas and vehicles
  • Ramps should be built to enable single-operator use and ease of operation
  • Farmers should consult with facility users to assist in the initial design phase
  • Ramps materials should be non-slip and non-bruising
  • Facilities should be clean and in a good state of repair
  • Rated capacity should be displayed on the ramp and the working load limit displayed on any winch or hoist
  • Anyone using the facilities should be adequately trained
  • There should be emergency contact details signage on the ramps
  • Facility users should report all faults and safety issues to management

 

ACTIONS

There are actions you can take to ensure your livestock loading ramps are up to scratch.

  • Ensure your ramps are adequately designed for the species on your farm and vehicles used to load/unload
  • Ensure your facility is aligned north-south
  • Ensure there are no noise and visual distractions near the facility
  • Ensure there is adequate lighting around the facility
  • If you are about to build a facility, ensure you consult with facility users in the initial design phase
  • Ensure the ramps are made out of non-slip, non-bruising materials
  • Ensure the rated capacity is displayed on the ramp, and the working load limit on any winch or hoist
  • Check that all staff using the facilities are trained
  • Ensure there are emergency contact details displayed on the ramps
  • Ensure staff are aware that they must report any faults of the ramps to management 
Livestock Loading Ramps