Cattle Chute

[Len]

I need to purchase a working alley chute system mainly for restraining cattle for vacinations and AI. I currently have 2 cows and a calf, probably never have more than 6 head at any one time. Would some cattle panels forming a working alley w/headgate be sufficent for vacinations and AI. I priced this today for about $800. Or else buy a squeeze chute and panels for $1800.

I like option 1 the best, mainly because funds are tight right now, but my concern is will this work OK for calfs and cows.

Thanks for all input!
Len

 

[certherfbeef]

Would some cattle panels forming a working alley w/headgate be sufficent for vacinations and AI.

will this work OK for calfs and cows.

Thanks for all input!
Len

This set up will work just fine. Enjoy your cattle!!

 

[dun]

A lot depends on the disposition of the cows. Just make sure the panels and the headgate are well fastened to the ground or something really solid. We used the setup like you describe for many years and it worked great. The sweep, alley and chute is faster and smoother of an operation, but it's not really needed for only a few head. And if truth be told, it probably isn't all that necesarry for 20-30 head. Just makes things go faster.

dun

 

[TXBobcat]

I agree with Dun on this, a lot depends on disposition of the cattle. If they are a bit wild when penned up, cattle panel won't hold them long.

If you are setting this up on your on property as a permanent pen, I would suggest building a small chute (16' long x 25" wide x at least 6' tall), either out of pipe or wood, and securely attaching a headgate to the end. After that is done, you could funnel the cattle into the chute with a small pen built of cattle panels until a more permanent pen is build if needed.

Costs:

Priefert manual headgate - $500
Pipe, concrete for chute - $480
Built with 2 3/8" and 1.6" pipe
12 pcs cattle panel - 16' x 60" tall - $400
These can be welded to pen later if you decide to build a pen out of
pipe.

At around $1380, kind of in the middle of your 2 estimates. Just a thought, but I know that one cow that won't cooperate can be a big headache if you don't have good catch pens and working chutes.

 

[Len]

Thanks for all comments/suggestions!

If you are setting this up on your on property as a permanent pen, I would suggest building a small chute (16' long x 25" wide x at least 6' tall), either out of pipe or wood, and securely attaching a headgate to the end. After that is done, you could funnel the cattle into the chute with a small pen built of cattle panels until a more permanent pen is build if needed.

Should the wood chute be tapered?
Thanks!
Len

 

[Tod Dague]

The best coral system that I ever saw was used by a man that ran over a thousand stockers a year. It had a long alleyway about 12’ wide and on either side of the alley were pens. At the end of the alley was a sort of box that was a little bigger than the alley approximately 15-20 feet square. Just as you entered the box on your right was a solid slide gate that was the entrance to the working chute and at the end facing the alley the cattle was a pipe gate that the cattle could see thru. As you enter the box close the large solid alley gate and open the chute gate. Stand just to the right of the center of the box and the cattle would go around to your left and behind to feed into the chute thinking they were going back the way they came. He would only move 10-15 at a time. The cattle stayed quiet and moved easily. He said that cattle like to move from a smaller place to a larger and they like to go back the way they came. The chute was slightly curved and had sliding solid boors spaced far enough in between to fit 800-900 lb steers well. The walls of the cute were not solid but were space so that the cattle could not see you but you could get to the easy enough to move them along if need be. To move them thru the chute open the fist door to allow the first in line to enter the squeeze and close the door behind them then the next and so on. When they worked a large group they used three people; one to feed cattle to the chute, one to move cattle forward in the chute, and one to work the cattle. The only problem is that you are in with the cattle while moving them to the chute. They have been doing this for years and no injuries yet but they have been around cattle their whole life. All of their interior fences are 3 strands of electrified high tensile and one strand of gaucho wire just off the ground attached to sch. 40 1.25” PVC pipe and wood terminal post. This fence keeps the stockers, sheep, and goats in their paddocks.

Probably more than you needed (or wanted) to know but they had the coolest setup and operation.

Tod

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

One of the cheapest, workable systems I've seen was just a Corner of the guys fence lined both ways with bull rail about three lengths (36'?). He then hooked the head gate between the end of the bull rail and a corral panel. Then run corral panels diagonally to the other corner. You just open up the corral panels into a v shape between the non-headgate end of the bull rail and the panels, run the cattle down the fence and close the panels up behind them. You can then squeeze them depending on how many cattle you have. Works good for a few head and leaves the panels available in case you need them for something else.