Pig Boards & Paddles: Steer Pigs Calmly Instead of Pushing

Pig Boards & Paddles: Steering Pigs the Calm Way

Pigs react badly to a rush. Push them while moving or loading and you get exactly the opposite: animals turn round, wedge themselves in and the job drags on. Good handling therefore works with a visual barrier and sound, not with pressure. Here you will find paddles, boards and slappers with which you get the group calmly and quickly to where it is meant to go.

Paddle, board and slapper in use

The sorting paddle is an extension of your arm. There is the Flex version at 107 centimetres with a fibreglass handle as well as a model at 103 centimetres with a PP handle, whose head makes a clear rattling sound as it swings. That sound moves the animals from a distance without you touching them. The pig board works purely by sight: it takes the pig's view to the side away and so turns an open passage into a clear line. The slapper adds a sound when an animal stops. One person with a board and one with a paddle is usually the right set-up.

Accessories and handling them properly

The range includes a replacement shaft for the AniShock Pro, with which an existing unit can go on being used instead of being swapped complete. For fixing at the head you will also find pig ringing staples in round wire in packs of a hundred, which are set as a nose ring and limit rooting. When moving pigs the rule is: walk slowly, stay offset behind the group and always leave the animals a visible way forward. Avoid dead ends, glare and slippery spots. Work with small groups and plan an extra run rather than one too few. Clean paddles and boards after use, then they carry no germs into the next pen.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the paddle make a sound?
The rattle in the head of the paddle is usually enough to keep a pig moving. So you move the animal through its hearing and do not have to prod it. That keeps the group calmer and keeps you out of the crush.

Board or paddle, when do I use which?
The board sets the direction and blocks off side routes, the paddle gives the impulse from behind. In a passage or at the ramp the two work best together, so one of each per person pays off.

How big should a handling group be?
Better small. Five to ten animals can be steered without losing track, while larger groups jam at doors and ramps. An extra run costs less time than a group that turns round.