Animal handling device

An animal crush system comprising:

• a headbail at an exit end of the animal crush system configured to interact with a neck of an animal passing through the animal crush system, the headbail comprising:
• opposing barriers, the opposing barriers being moveable between a fully open position, a fully closed position, and a variable position, the variable position comprising the opposing barriers in a position located intermediate the fully open position and the fully closed position;
• an actuator configured to adjust a distance between the opposing barriers;
• a potentiometer configured to sense the distance between the opposing barriers by measuring electrical impedance;
• and
• a controller comprising a dial that is communicatively coupled with the actuator, the dial configured to be adjusted in position to a datum position, each position of the dial corresponding to an impedance measurement of the potentiometer equivalent to the fully open position, the fully closed position, and the variable position;
• the datum position based on an animal characteristic selected from:
• animal shape, animal size, animal age, animal species, animal sex, animal body condition score (BCS), animal ID tag, or any combination thereof;
• wherein the potentiometer further measures a change in impedance once the datum position is set caused by presence of an animal and uses the change in impedance to automatically cause the actuator to move the opposing barriers to the fully closed position.