Bud Box

[Bestoutwest]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aniUeugrm8Y

A few questions for folks.

1)What are some size suggestions?
2)Is it better to bring them back like this gentleman does, or push them forward with the hole at the end of the box? If this makes sense.
3)Can it be rectangular?
4)Pros and cons if you've got experience.

I'm looking to build one with a loading alley and squeeze chute at the end. It seems this is pretty slick and probably easier to design and build than a homemade 90 degree sweep tub.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Bud box was a big "idea" quite a few years ago. My husband thought it should be wonderful. But, it may work "most" of the time, but what do you do when you have a group or more likely ONE animal that will not go through that hole. You have absolutely NO way to force him to take that route. I have to admit I never have tried it - and never plan to. A sweep or a "funnel" into an alleyway works. Even just a long gate that you can use as a sweep. If you want to get really pizzed off, try making an animal go where it does not HAVE to go.
You may get others that use it and love it. Just my opinion. Anxious to hear others opinions - but absolutely would never convince me to try it.

 

[oscarsteve]

Yep, both of my catch pens employ the "bud box". And I really like them. Mine are approximately 12 ft. wide and 24 ft. long, It works very well with the cows. However, I found calves are a little more difficult to get through the hole. To solve that problem, I installed a second gate that hinges on the bud box side of the hole that I use as a sweep. Makes dealing with calves a lot easier. My other problem involves a couple of cows that are too tame. (I don't use a hot stick.) They prefer to get petted and don't see me as a danger. So, they are a little more difficult to keep moving. You might find this video interesting. My catch pen and box are very similar to this guy's pen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba20J_q8ZGE&t=34s

 

[ez14.]

A bud box is based on the principle that cattle naturally want to go back in the direction they came from so putting your hole at the other end defeats the purpose of the bud box.

I thought they all were rectangular?

 

[bird dog]

You have to get in the pen with your animals. Thats not always a good thing.
You do need it where they will double back on themselves. That is their natural flow.
I personally would rather have a tub.
If you build a bud box, one with solid sides or at least tarps over the sides makes them work better.

I worked with one for a couple years. Cows worked better than calves. Some calves that haven't been worked through a chute just can't seem to get it. Oscar's idea of a second gate is good and would surely help.

 

[texan@heart]

All of these suggestions are correct. The second gate solves the problem of the individual that won't load. Also found that if the gate isn't exactly 90 degrees they load a little better. The absolute best is the Daniels double alley. Big feedyards work more than 1K hd/day with that system.

Put a hole in the fence with another fence behind it so you can work flighty cattle from outside the box. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Aaron]

Mine is 38' long and 14' wide. Far too long and wide. 25 x 12 would be much better, maybe only 10' wide. Younger cattle are easier to work as they have a bigger flight zone. Cows are a real pain as they are too quiet. I will make the box smaller and see if that improves it. If not, I am going to a tub.

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

They won't work for me. My cattle assume they're about to get a scratch when they see me start walking towards them. Smart cattle don't walk away from a good scratch.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Yep, both of my catch pens employ the "bud box". And I really like them. Mine are approximately 12 ft. wide and 24 ft. long, It works very well with the cows. However, I found calves are a little more difficult to get through the hole. To solve that problem, I installed a second gate that hinges on the bud box side of the hole that I use as a sweep. Makes dealing with calves a lot easier. My other problem involves a couple of cows that are too tame. (I don't use a hot stick.) They prefer to get petted and don't see me as a danger. So, they are a little more difficult to keep moving. You might find this video interesting. My catch pen and box are very similar to this guy's pen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba20J_q8ZGE&t=34s

took him longer to get ready to do it,than to do it...

 

[True Grit Farms]

Yep, both of my catch pens employ the "bud box". And I really like them. Mine are approximately 12 ft. wide and 24 ft. long, It works very well with the cows. However, I found calves are a little more difficult to get through the hole. To solve that problem, I installed a second gate that hinges on the bud box side of the hole that I use as a sweep. Makes dealing with calves a lot easier. My other problem involves a couple of cows that are too tame. (I don't use a hot stick.) They prefer to get petted and don't see me as a danger. So, they are a little more difficult to keep moving. You might find this video interesting. My catch pen and box are very similar to this guy's pen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba20J_q8ZGE&t=34s

took him longer to get ready to do it,than to do it...

And they were already caught and ready to get out of the pen.

 

[Brute 23]

I prefer the bud box over a sweep. No need to get in if you have slam gates all the way down.

Take them past and bring them back. Once the cattle have gotten use to it you can run them from either way.

Size depends on number of cattle which depends on length of chute. It can be as rectangle as you need.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Thanks for all the advice and thoughts. I was talking to my wife last night and we both agree that a sweet type set up is probably going to work better for us. I don't mind getting in there, but it's the one cow that decides today isn't her day, or realistically calves, that makes me pause. I think it will be less stressful on them, not to mention dangerous to me, to do a sweep type setup.

Thanks :wave:

 

[RanchMan90]

Yep, both of my catch pens employ the "bud box". And I really like them. Mine are approximately 12 ft. wide and 24 ft. long, It works very well with the cows. However, I found calves are a little more difficult to get through the hole. To solve that problem, I installed a second gate that hinges on the bud box side of the hole that I use as a sweep. Makes dealing with calves a lot easier. My other problem involves a couple of cows that are too tame. (I don't use a hot stick.) They prefer to get petted and don't see me as a danger. So, they are a little more difficult to keep moving. You might find this video interesting. My catch pen and box are very similar to this guy's pen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba20J_q8ZGE&t=34s

Likewise. I have a chute going off both sides of mine. One for working and one for loading. Gates on both sides sure help with overly gentle cows.

 

[bird dog]

Wise decision Best. Most times where I have been hit with cow or calf, it was really not a malicious act by the animal, it was more of them just trying to get out of the way. The box I built to see if I would like it was about 12 x 24. It would work fine with 3 or 4 animals but sometimes to get some in it, 6 or 8 would run in together. With that many I would have to let some out or work the crowd. With that many, and sometimes with just a few, they will pile up and block the chute.
A tub will sometimes do the same, but but is much easier to get them "unstuck".

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I was the first to comment on this. Like I said, some people were going to say they loved it.
But, I don't think the theory works well on docile cattle - and, I know there will ALWAYS be that ONE that didn't read the book. Good decision IMHO

 

[Tbrake]

I love mine. Made it 12'x 24'. Only time I don't like it is if there are some fighty ones in the group. My alley is 24'+ the chute, so I bring 4-5 cows or 6 or 7 calves. Makes it a breeze by myself.
Occasionally I will have a stubborn one, but usually I can circle them again and they will go

 

[Brute 23]

I have far more problems with stuborn cows/ calves diving their head in the V of a sweep. With the bud box there is no where for them to jam up in.

The only thing I fault the bud box on is if you are a one man operation there is more walking involved than the sweep.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I'm sorry - not picking on anyone, but pointing out an obvious fact. Breeds may make a difference.
And I totally agree with the concept. I think 90-95% of the time it should be absolutely great. And once you are locked in to a system, you make it work.

 

[Brute 23]

Cattle that are super tame are always harder to work IMO, no matter the breed, because its hard to get them moving and you hate to get rough with them. No matter what kind of facilities you have, if they don't want to move its a pia.

I got rid of one bull because he was a handful when you tried to work him. Now my bulls are soooo tame you can't hardly move them. I have to literally walk them with feed buckets in to the trailer or have cows they can follow. Its just as much of a pain as the the flighty bull was.

The ideal situation is the cattle get use to what ever facility you have and just go because they are use to it. I bet 60% or better of our cattle just start taking off down the chutes no matter if its a sweep or bud box. That's my favorite way. :cowboy: I was watching a Temple Grandin video where she talked about not letting the cattle just bust out the end of the chute and take off at a run. A lot of our places do not have the facilities to hold all the cattle that have been worked after so you are turning them back out in the pasture when you are done. I started throwing a handful or two of cubes on the ground before I open the chute and I think its really helping. One, it puts other cows "at the end of the tunnel" so it helps keep the ones in the pens heading that way, two, its kind of a treat for a job well done. A lot of the cattle have started just hanging out close to the pens after they are done, laying around. IMO, thats a good sign.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I release all my cows back into the holding pen after we work them. IMO It's good insurance you never know when one might have a bad reaction to something. After a couple hours they're free to go.