N. Lidster: Why Sorting Pigs from Behind Doesn’t Work

By Nancy Lidster

The Flight Zone / Point of Balance approach often translates into a Chase from Behind approach. This causes problems when two people are sorting market hogs.  This week’s examples will show you why a chasing approach causes problems.

I’ve:

• included some stills for the benefit of readers who can’t download videos
• designated the handlers as “pen” and “gate”.

Example 1.

The pen handler pressured the target hog to come along the pen wall towards the gate.

• To start with both handlers were to the side where the hog could see both of them
• The pen handler folded in behind the hog and continued to pressure it as it approached the gate
• The continued pressure from behind drew the hog’s attention away from the gate

Pressure from behind

Example 2.

The pen handler moved his board edgewise towards the target hog’s shoulder as it moved along the pen wall towards the gate. That pressure encouraged forward movement

• He stayed where he was and let the hog move away from him – release
• The gate handler rotated forward slightly giving pressure and an opening for the hog to leave
• The hog got release by Circling past the gate handler
  
  

Pressure from side

Example 3.

• The pen handler started the target hogs moving then stayed put and let them move away
• The gate handler stepped forward to: pressure,  create an opening, and invite the target hog to Circle past
• Circling past the gate handler gave hogs the release that they wanted.

Pressure side then front

Summary:
Our pressure and movement attract pigs’ attention.
Releasing pressure makes it safe for pigs to move away from us and to shift their attention away from us to respond to the pressure of another handler.
When we are sorting market hogs, we have to think of our position, pressure and release in terms of influencing pigs’ attention and how that in turn affects the direction pigs want to go.
A Chase from Behind approach when sorting market hogs takes pigs’ attention away from the gate and makes it very difficult for them to leave the pen.
 
That’s it for this week.
Take care
 

Source: DNL Farms Ltd.