An apparatus for assisting the forward movement of a livestock animal, comprising:
- (a) a livestock alleyway including spaced side walls that extend from an upper end to a lower end and that define a passageway suitable for accommodating single file movement of livestock animals,
- (b) a pivot structure that includes a pivot shaft that is rotatably mounted to the upper ends of the side walls of the livestock alleyway by a pivot shaft, the pivot structure being able to rotate about a first axis that is generally normal to the sidewalls of the alleyway, the pivot structure including a pivot arm that extends away from the pivot shaft, the pivot structure also including an actuator arm that extends away from the pivot shaft,
- (c) an actuator connecting between the alleyway and the actuator arm of the pivot structure and being able to rotate the pivot structure between a first pivot structure position and a second pivot structure position,
- (d) an arm assembly having a first proximal end and a second distal end and including an outer tube at the proximal end and a height adjustment arm, the height adjustment arm being slidably received by the outer tube, the outer tube being pivotably mounted to the pivot arm of the pivot structure such that the arm assembly is able to rotate around an axis that is also generally normal to the sidewalls of the alleyway between a first extended rotational position and a second retracted rotational position, the arm assembly being biased toward the first extended rotational position, the height adjustment arm being able to slide within the outer tube between a first retracted position and a second extended position, the arm assembly also including a paddle attachment that presents a flat portion suitable for pushing the hind quarters of a livestock animal, the paddle attachment also being pivotably mounted to the distal end of the height adjustment arm such that the paddle attachment is able to rotate between first extended rotational position and a second retracted rotational position, the paddle attachment also presenting a roller at its distal end, the pivot structure and the arm assembly being arranged so that the livestock animal moving through the alleyway will encounter the paddle attachment and be able to push the paddle attachment and the arm assembly up toward the second retracted rotational position and pass underneath the arm assembly as the livestock animal moves forward with respect to the pivot structure, the arm assembly being able to be rotated by the pivot structure upon activation of the actuator to cause contact of the paddle attachment with the rear of the livestock animal thereby urging the animal forward in the alleyway as the pivot structure and the arm assembly are rotated by the actuator away from the first extended rotational position toward the second retracted rotational position.