Yoking apparatus primarily intended for use in the milking of sheep has an upright framework mounted on a milking platform and defining a series of yoke openings in which ewes are held by their necks. Associated with each opening is a respective yoke lever mounted on the back of the framework. Each yoke lever is pivotable about its mid-point between a closed position in which it traps the ewe in the associated opening and a release position in which the top of the opening is clear. A number of pivotable shields are linked by chains to respective yoke levers to cover the openings when the levers are in their release positions. A locking mechanism positively latches the levers in their closed positions. The arrangement of linked yoking levers and shields permits cascaded yoking of ewes largely without unwanted trapping of the ewes in the yoke openings and with minimal fouling of the mechanism by wool.
