A Good Reminder

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Workinonit Farm

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A reminder to always check the floors and floor-boards of trailers before each and every use.

I hauled a load of calves to the sale today. As I was waiting for mine to run across the scales, I got into a conversation with the scale attendant. She was telling me about a man who was there a few weeks ago, with a load of mixed (cows,calves,steers), who had a heck of a mess waiting for him when he arrived at the sale barn. It seems that one of the boards of the trailer floor had rotted, and gave-way some time after he had loaded his animals. When he arrived at the sale yard there was what remained of one leg of a steer poking through the trailer floor, with the rest of the load stepping all over the poor steer who had lost most of his leg. Apparently the animal was still alive :( .

It took 5 of the pen workers, plus the man to get that animal un-stuck and into a different part of the trailer, where it was put-down (for obvious reasons).

Its easy for some to become complacent about trailer floors. This was a good reminder to NOT be complacent about our trailer's floors.
 
Actually just replaced the floor in our trailer just yesterday! I am always concerned when I see old worn out trailer floors still being used.
 
TN Cattle Man":qai2vaqj said:
I am always concerned when I see old worn out trailer floors still being used.

Me too. And I am always amazed when I see old floor boards with small rot holes and chunks missing, still being used. Whenever I see that I think to myself "its only a matter of time". :?
 
JW IN VA":evxakots said:
Glad mine is aluminum.If I had a wooden floor,I'd wantyellow locust or white oak.
I like aluminum also. I didn't think that much could go wrong with them, but then I met someone that had to replace one. I was surprised.
 
branguscowgirl":m0byiolr said:
JW IN VA":m0byiolr said:
Glad mine is aluminum.If I had a wooden floor,I'd wantyellow locust or white oak.
I like aluminum also. I didn't think that much could go wrong with them, but then I met someone that had to replace one. I was surprised.

It's not pretty when they go through an aluminum floor either. Hogs will rot an aluminum floor pretty quickly if you don't keep it clean all the time but cow sh!t will rot it too. I know one guy who leased a bull and the guy picked up with an aluminum trailer and by the time it got home it had worn the hoof and part of the bone off. I saw the hole in the trailer and the way it went through it made it hard for the bull to even pick his foot back up because it was a small hole and it looked like it would cut him if he picked his foot up.
 
JW IN VA":2f32vbmn said:
Glad mine is aluminum.If I had a wooden floor,I'd wantyellow locust or white oak.
I used white oak on mine and stapled hog paneling over the top to help with slipping.
 
Had it happen years ago. and lucky I only skint the bull up. Board broke and both front feet fell thru. I was easing around the field and felt a jolt and seen him go down and stopped. he stepped back out of the hole and I used the cut gate to keep him away from it till I got him to his destination. Its a reality check board looked good from the top.
 
Wash mine down after each use and spray it down with diesel when it dries out.
That way I get to inspect and keep it treated at the same time.
Mine usually goes to the barn at least twice a month, this year has been an anomaly being so wet.
 
Caustic Burno":2q6xecvg said:
Wash mine down after each use and spray it down with diesel when it dries out.
That way I get to inspect and keep it treated at the same time.

:nod: :nod: :nod:

Periodically I'll use burnt motor oil. By washing it out, after every use, I get a real good look not only at the floors but at the siding, doors etc.

I'm convinced that that is why my last horse trailer lasted as long as it did. Finally sold it 6 months ago, it was a 20 yr old Kingston, I got $3,500 less than what we paid for it. My previous horse trailer was also 20 yrs old when I sold it to a landscaper.
 


It's common practice to put cattle panels in floor of trailer. This is 2x4 horse panel. It was a little slick with the first load. Once they got it stomped down it's been great. I'll do it again.
 

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