A livestock head holder features a top holding member, a bottomholding member and an intermediate link connecting same. An operating leverconnected to the bottom holding member so that downward pulling of theoperatinglever performs a closing stroke of the head holder that swings both holdingmembersinto place against the animal's neck. A lock and release mechanismautomaticallyblocks the linkage from performing a reverse opening stroke that withdraws theholding members away from one another under raising of the operating lever.Theoperating lever is arranged to release the locking action during initialraising of lever toenable completion of the opening stroke, thereby using the same lever for allopening,dosing and unlocking functions, whereas prior designs required a separate lock-releasemechanism.
