Buying a Squeeze Chute

[Boot Jack Bulls]

I have had a Priefert. I didn't for long.... Now I have a Real Tuff with the palp cage. I'm not exaggeration, my cows won't fit past their shoulders into a Priefert. I never even attempted to put one of my mature bulls in it, I'm quite certain it would have looked like a crushed beer can when all was said and done. I also hate their head gates.

We looked at tons of chutes before getting the Real Tuff. It has the widest floor aside from a Silencer, "saloon door" head gate, and all the extra bells and whistles, minus a brisket bar (that's just asking for trouble IMHO). I like that all the handles can be put out of the way while clipping or whatever, the sides are straight up and down (even when you squeeze it down), a butt-bar works as good as the drop down rear gate (I never use mine) and with the added floor length of the palp cage, I can even get Max most of the way into the chute!!!

 

[Bright Raven]

I have had a Priefert. I didn't for long.... Now I have a Real Tuff with the palp cage. I'm not exaggeration, my cows won't fit past their shoulders into a Priefert. I never even attempted to put one of my mature bulls in it, I'm quite certain it would have looked like a crushed beer can when all was said and done. I also hate their head gates.

We looked at tons of chutes before getting the Real Tuff. It has the widest floor aside from a Silencer, "saloon door" head gate, and all the extra bells and whistles, minus a brisket bar (that's just asking for trouble IMHO). I like that all the handles can be put out of the way while clipping or whatever, the sides are straight up and down (even when you squeeze it down), a butt-bar works as good as the drop down rear gate (I never use mine) and with the added floor length of the palp cage, I can even get Max most of the way into the chute!!!

Regarding fitting cattle into the chute - was that the S01 or S04? The S01 is too small for some of my cows also. I have one cow that will not fit her hips through my S04. I work and breed her in the alley way behind the palpation cage. The S01 would be too small for most of my cows. I don't have a bull but I agree, the S04 would be small for most Simmental Bulls.

I consider a cow that will not fit into a S04 to be bigger than what I want in my operation.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

BR, it was the larger model. I want a cow with enough spring of rib (skeleton, not fat) to rub the sides of my Real Tuff. Honest to God, if she isn't using up the floor space in that thing, I don't need her around!

 

[Bright Raven]

BR, it was the larger model. I want a cow with enough spring of rib (skeleton, not fat) to rub the sides of my Real Tuff. Honest to God, if she isn't using up the floor space in that thing, I don't need her around!

Well. Maybe you and Brook are not that far apart. Lol

 

[Bright Raven]

What is the average weight of your cows? Also, what breed?

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

We are. My cattle are kept in true working condition year round. My ideal cow is (limi of course!) a frame 6-6.5 and 1600-188 pounds.... I want a moderate animal with tons of true, natural skeletal width... Fat is a waste of me ey in my program....

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

BR, our cows are Limousin and Lim-flex. There is a lone black Angus cow in the mix, and my daughter's red Angus cow. They are pretty much all around 1700 pounds mature...

 

[Bright Raven]

We are. My cattle are kept in true working condition year round. My ideal cow is (limi of course!) a frame 6-6.5 and 1600-188 pounds.... I want a moderate animal with tons of true, natural skeletal width... Fat is a waste of me ey in my program....

That explains the fit. My cow that does not fit is probably 1800. My average is more like 1250 to 1600.

 

[Dave]

Beings as Silencer was mentioned. Obviously out of the price range for most of the people on here, me included. But if you ever run one you will want one. They were about $18,000 last I heard. I sure wish I could afford one. The absolute Cadillac of chutes.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

Beings as Silencer was mentioned. Obviously out of the price range for most of the people on here, me included. But if you ever run one you will want one. They were about $18,000 last I heard. I sure wish I could afford one. The absolute Cadillac of chutes.

Indeed! If I ever win the lottery, I'm getting one!

 

[bird dog]

I will agree that the priefert SO4 chute is not big enough for some but for those of us with moderate size animals, it works fine.

I am not a fan of saloon door type chutes at all. Had a Filson. Had to take it apart with a bull wedged in the saloon. He stuck his head in part way and pulled back. The auto catch did not work at all on my gentle cows. They just walked in and stood there without hitting the gate hard enough to close.

My biggest cows are 1650. They will fit. Bulls up to about 2000 have been in it. I would like it to be about 2 or 3"'s wider and 6"s longer.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

BR, this is my daughter's cow Roxy pictured 2 years ago. She's the one who just dropped twins a couple of weeks ago on her 14 the birthday. Her hooks will not fit in a Priefert...

 

[Bright Raven]

BR, this is my daughter's cow Roxy pictured 2 years ago. She's the one who just dropped twins a couple of weeks ago on her 14 the birthday.

Wow. Very nice. I like the capacity.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

BR, this is my daughter's cow Roxy pictured 2 years ago. She's the one who just dropped twins a couple of weeks ago on her 14 the birthday.

Wow. Very nice. I like the capacity.

Thanks! She is quite an animal.

 

[Bright Raven]

I will agree that the priefert SO4 chute is not big enough for some but for those of us with moderate size animals, it works fine.

I am not a fan of saloon door type chutes at all. Had a Filson. Had to take it apart with a bull wedged in the saloon. He stuck his head in part way and pulled back. The auto catch did not work at all on my gentle cows. They just walked in and stood there without hitting the gate hard enough to close.

My biggest cows are 1650. They will fit. Bulls up to about 2000 have been in it. I would like it to be about 2 or 3"'s wider and 6"s longer.

You are singing my tune. I wish it was about 3 inches wider with a little more floor space.

 

[Bright Raven]

BR, this is my daughter's cow Roxy pictured 2 years ago. She's the one who just dropped twins a couple of weeks ago on her 14 the birthday. Her hooks will not fit in a Priefert...

Yes. That is where it gets tight on some of mine - pelvic width. It gets a little stressful watching some squeeze in.

I wonder what chute Branded uses for those 2200 pounders.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

Mine simply won't do it, and I don't use a prod or anything like that. They load just fine into the Real Tuff. They don't put pressure on the head gate. In fact, for shots and most things, they just stand in it with the gate set, but not locked in. The only time I really need them locked in at this point is to put nose rings in the young bulls the first time...

 

[Bright Raven]

Mine simply won't do it, and I don't use a prod or anything like that. They load just fine into the Real Tuff. They don't put pressure on the head gate. In fact, for shots and most things, they just stand in it with the gate set, but not locked in. The only time I really need them locked in at this point is to put nose rings in the young bulls the first time...

Hey, how many head do you have? And what is your market?

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

Right now, my sister is running most of the cows, 25 or so breeding age now. My daughter has half a dozen head. My mom retired last year, and my brother sold out at the same time, he had 50 or so cows. I own our bull program, 12-18 breeding age bulls at an given time...

My bulls are for sale or lease. My daughter's herd is in building numbers mode. My sister sells breeding and show females occasionally and I buy her top end bulls for my program... If that all makes sense....

 

[Bright Raven]

Right now, my sister is running most of the cows, 25 or so breeding age now. My daughter has half a dozen head. My mom retired last year, and my brother sold out at the same time, he had 50 or so cows. I own our bull program, 12-18 breeding age bulls at an given time...

My bulls are for sale or lease. My daughter's herd is in building numbers mode. My sister sells breeding and show females occasionally and I buy her top end bulls for my program... If that all makes sense....

Yes. Sorry for being intrusive. Thanks. Interesting operation.