alley length

[bird dog]

I am building some working pens and I plan on having an alley before the squeeze that will hold two average (1250 lb) cows. How long should the alley be?

Thanks in advance

 

[dun]

12 foot should be adequate

 

[backhoeboogie]

I agree with Dun. But if you're building it, why not make it accommodate more? Its easier now than it will be later.

 

[bird dog]

The alley to the chute is branched off of a long wider alley where I will load and unload. When I am working a large group, the long load out alley will stage a bunch of cows that will move down the wide alley to a circular tub type area that feeds them into the chute. I generally work cows by myself so I prefer a shorter alley where I don't have so much walking. My plan is to have two in the chute and three or four in the tub before reloading from the staging area.

I have another place that has an alley going into the chute that is about 80' long with vertical sides. I walk myself to death when working cows and small calves are even worse. One gets turned around and I either have to climb over or run them all the way back out the end. Its a pain when only doctoring one cow and she enters the chute and goes all the way to the squeeze. I have to hustle down to shut the backgate before she starts backing up.

I haven't started construction yet, just laying it out and thinking through it. The short alley will have sloping sides.

The place I bought has a massive roof only structure and this will be under less than half of it it with sorting pens that will be partially under this roof and partially outside. It will also be used when fence line weaning to give the calves some shade. The other half is used as a hay barn.

Everything I have read about alleys with sloping sides says to use 16" at the bottom and 28" (or 30") at he top but they don't ever tell you at what height the 28" should be at. I big barreled pregnant cow is widest at only 3' or so off the ground. Any suggestions on this?

Thanks

 

[Supa Dexta]

My suggestion is to not used slope sides, and go 28".

 

[bird dog]

My suggestion is to not used slope sides, and go 28".

Why not if you don't mind? This is my fourth set of pens to build, all of the others have had a vertical alley. I put cattle panels in them when I work the calves to narrow them down. It works, but not desirable. I thought I would try slope ones this time.

Thanks

 

[Kingfisher]

You'll get it right.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Harder to build, usually more expensive, and if an animal ever gets down in it its harder to get them back up - the more they struggle the tighter they slump down into it.

 

[BRYANT]

if it only 12' long make the width adjustable. If you like sloped sides make it where the adjustable side is two 6' sections that will open then if a cow gets down you just open up the side. I would make it longer with some back-up stoppers in it. I pipe U hanging down with a chain to adjust it and make it where they can only go one way is easy to build and makes life a lot easer when working cattle by yourself. you just lift them up and hook them if you need to back up cattle.

 

[Ebenezer]

Match alley capacity to holding pen/tub capacity and they work better. Consider multiple trips back and forth versus fewer trips. I'll go with a longer ally, fewer trips, keep my mind on the work for longer periods of time. And when I want to just do a pour-on it is in larger multiples. I'm lazy.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Most of the time you can vaccinate in the race too. Leaving nuts/horns/preg check etc for chute work.

 

[bird dog]

Thanks for the replies. Had a private message to avoid the slope sides because of the cow getting down in the narrow bottom as mentioned and no easy way to get them back up. Makes sense and a thought I will abandon.

May rearrange things to to make the chute a little longer for three cows. Lots to think about.

 

[BRYANT]

avoid the slope sides because of the cow getting down in the narrow bottom as mentioned and no easy way to get them back up. quote]

that is not a problem just make alley where it will open, makes it great for sorting and if one gets down you open the side and it gets up. no problem.

 

[Brute 23]

Match alley capacity to holding pen/tub capacity and they work better. Consider multiple trips back and forth versus fewer trips. I'll go with a longer ally, fewer trips, keep my mind on the work for longer periods of time. And when I want to just do a pour-on it is in larger multiples. I'm lazy.

:nod: I agree.