A cattle squeeze chute door opening assembly includes a cattle squeeze chute including a lateral wall that has an open end for having an animal extending therethrough. A door frame is attached to the cattle squeeze chute adjacent to the open end. The door frame includes a door support post spaced from the lateral wall. A space between the lateral wall and the door support post defines an access portal. The door frame including an upper frame member and a lower frame member. A gate is pivotally couple to door support post and is positionable in an open position or in a closed position. The gate has a lower edge positioned adjacent to the lower frame member. A foot actuator is mounted on the door frame. The gate is lifted upwardly and moved from a closed position to an open position when the foot actuator is actuated.

A folding head restraint mounted to a cattle hoof trimming chute. The head restraint is mounted at the head gate of the chute and positioned so that the animal's head will be in the head restraint when the chute is in the layover position. The head restraint has a flat center brace and two folding side braces that rotate to the perpendicular when the chute is rotated to the layover position. The side braces are moved by a hydraulic piston operated by remote control. The movement of the side braces correspond to the movement of the chute from the upright to the horizontal position. As the chute rotates the side braces move to perpendicular. This shield's the animal's head, and also helps calm the animal.

An improved locking device is provided for one a livestock head gate in which two doors rollingly engaged on an overhead guide shaft for roving movement of said two doors toward one another into a closed position bracing a livestock animal between said doors and away from one another into an open position releasing said livestock animal. Primary and secondary shaft-receiving and locking members have respective first and second through-holes therein for receipt of the overhead guide shaft. A spring-receipt member is fixed to the primary shaft-receiving member for cooperation with a spring that tilts the primary shaft-receiving member into a locking position. The secondary movable locking member is retained beside the primary member in a manner enabling both tilting therewith and displacement relative thereto so as to bite onto the shaft at the perimeter of the second through-hole in the locking position.

An improved locking device is provided for one a livestock head gate in which two doors rollingly engaged on an overhead guide shaft for roving movement of said two doors toward one another into a closed position bracing a livestock animal between said doors and away from one another into an open position releasing said livestock animal. Primary and secondary shaft-receiving and locking members have respective first and second through-holes therein for receipt of the overhead guide shaft. A spring-receipt member is fixed to the primary shaft-receiving member for cooperation with a spring that tilts the primary shaft-receiving member into a locking position. The secondary movable locking member is retained beside the primary member in a manner enabling both tilting therewith and displacement relative thereto so as to bite onto the shaft at the perimeter of the second through-hole in the locking position.

A vehicle pet holder. The vehicle pet holder provides a basket that is mountable to the interior of a vehicle for safely positioning a pet within. The basket securely affixes to the interior of a vehicle for transit via one or more hooks. The basket includes a sidewall that forms an interior volume for housing the pet. The hooks extend from the sidewall and are configured to mountably affix the basket to an interior side of a vehicle door. A harness is selectively attachable to fit to a torso of the pet. The harness includes a fastener and a strap which can be removably coupled to the basket.

A vehicle pet holder. The vehicle pet holder provides a basket that is mountable to the interior of a vehicle for safely positioning a pet within. The basket securely affixes to the interior of a vehicle for transit via one or more hooks. The basket includes a sidewall that forms an interior volume for housing the pet. The hooks extend from the sidewall and are configured to mountably affix the basket to an interior side of a vehicle door. A harness is selectively attachable to fit to a torso of the pet. The harness includes a fastener and a strap which can be removably coupled to the basket.

Embodiments of the invention include a squeeze chute for temporarily confining an animal while it is being inspected or treated. Certain embodiments of the squeeze chute include side grippers, a rear pusher, and a sling that fits under the ventral section of the animal being confined. The side grippers and the rear pusher cooperate to restrain the movement of the animal within the squeeze chute and the sling ensures that the animal can not lay down. Certain embodiments of both the side grippers and the pusher are rotatable about the top rails of the chute as well as vertically extensible and retractable from the top rails on which they are mounted. The sling is typically a rectangular strip of flexible material that is attached on each end to an extension tube that is vertically extensible and retractable from the top rails.

A directional lock or a headgear or interface assembly comprising one or more directional locks that include a catch arrangement for initiating or assisting in movement of a lock member of the direction lock. In some configurations, the catch arrangement assists movement of the lock member in only a portion of a range of travel of the lock member. In some configurations, the directional lock has a housing and a sleeve and the catch arrangement has a catch arm carried by the sleeve. The catch arm includes a catch end that contacts the lock member, which can be a lock washer in some configurations.

Embodiments of the Working Chute are comprised of A working livestock chute comprised of an adjustable width alleyway from 18 inches wide to 36 inches wide; one or more double hinges; one or more catwalks; one or more pins; a plurality of chains; a stabilizer bar; support straps; one or more palpation gate assemblies; a hydraulic gooseneck; a hydraulic gooseneck lifting means; an underslung torsion tube; and a plurality of free floating gates.

The poultry cradle unloading systems and methods described herein provide for the unloading of birds and, in some cases, placement of the birds in a selected location among two or more possible selected locations. The unloading may be accomplished in a manner that promotes safety for the birds by releasing the birds such that they are predisposed to landing in an upright orientation after release from a cradle. The unloading may involve releasing the head before releasing the legs of the bird. The cradle and/or bird retained in the cradle may be oriented such that the bird is held at an angle such that the head of the bird is located forward of the hock joints.