Cattle prod
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A cattle prod, also called a stock prod, is a handheld device commonly used to make cattle or other livestock move by striking or poking them, or (in the case of a hotshot) through a (relatively) low voltage electric shock.
[edit] Terminology differences
Ranchers and farmers use the term cattle prods mainly to refer to fiberglass rods; most people living outside of rural areas use the term 'cattle prod' exclusively for the electrified variant. Most ranchers and farmers refer to electric cattle prods as hotshots (because one of the prominent brand names has been Hot-Shot).
[edit] Regular prods
Regular cattle prods can actually be anything from a stick (goad) or piece of pipe, to a manufactured fiberglass rod with a rubber handle. Most prods also have a rubber tip, though some have metal tips with dull barbs (in a similar design to a fire poker) for herding stubborn animals. Unlike hotshots, regular prods are simply used to tap, strike, or poke an animal (usually on the flanks), depending on how stubborn the animal is. Sometimes, a prod can be used as a sort of "extended fence", allowing one to simply intimidate skittish animals away from open gates or downed fences without having to touch them.
[edit] Electric cattle prods
A hotshot is typically cylindrical, and can carry an open electric current at the "shock end" when activated. The electric current at the shock end runs through two metal electrodes. Anything which touches the electric current receives a high-voltage low-current shock, not strong enough to kill a human or a large animal such as a cow or sheep from short-term exposure, but it is enough to cause significant pain.
The electric cattle prod was originally created to apply a painful shock to cattle, and thus "prod" them along; the pain stimulates movement. Some higher-voltage hotshots can interfere with radio and CB radio reception when activated.
There were reports of police using them on humans, before specialized police stun batons were available.
There are various designs of electric cattle prods. Their shape is often subject to guidelines of what can easily be used and handled. They range in length from 6 inches (usually of a more encased rectangular prism design like a taser), to up to 6 feet. Anything out of that range is usually too heavy and unwieldy for practical use. Another typical design is a box containing a large battery (or battery pack) at the handle end and wires embedded in a fiberglass rod, ending with two electrodes in a rubber tip: this design is well-suited for use as a regular cattle prod.
[edit] Animal welfare
The use of electric cattle prods has been debated by many people. Organizations such as PETA contend that the use of cattle prods is as much mentally harmful as it is physically. Most farmers contend that the short shock is minutely felt, and soon forgotten.
