Anyone use a grate style of cattle guard (layed in ground instead of a fence mounted swing gate) for entrance onto their pasture/property? Would like to know what the effectiveness is as to keeping cattle in. Anyone have experience with cows managing to get across one? Would you say they are as reliable as a fence gate for keeping the cows in? I ask as it would seem to make entering/exiting a lot better for someone who would need to travel thru one gate multiple times a day.
cattle guard opinions
- Thread starter bman4523
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Sometimes thy're as effective, but usually there will be at least one cow that figures it out. A local dairy had one entire year class of heifers that figured it out. Anyway they figured it out to et out but couldn;t figure it out when we tried putting them back in.
Saw the first ones in operation this year. Seemed to work great. That said, there was plenty of grass on the inside of the fence. I thought about putting them in, but my fear, per Dun's comments, is getting them back in if someone gets out.
1982vett
Well-known member
They are better at keeping cattle in than gates that get left open. ;-)
Biggest reason cattle "walk" them is people let them fill with dirt or they are to narrow.
Biggest reason cattle "walk" them is people let them fill with dirt or they are to narrow.
Are we talking about a regular cattle guard here? There are tons of them around here... every body has them. Its the best part about some one drilling on your property... you make them put a cattle guard at every cross fence. 
I prefer to have a regular gate aross them... not the pipe swing gates. It looks better and is more functional. Don't worry about putting them back in... if they walked it to get out... they can walk it when you put them back in. You could aslo hange a small gate in your entrance or fence to the side if you are really worried about it. We have also layed down a sheet of plywood across the cattle guard to get them back in if need be.
I prefer to have a regular gate aross them... not the pipe swing gates. It looks better and is more functional. Don't worry about putting them back in... if they walked it to get out... they can walk it when you put them back in. You could aslo hange a small gate in your entrance or fence to the side if you are really worried about it. We have also layed down a sheet of plywood across the cattle guard to get them back in if need be.
marksmu
Well-known member
We have them all over our ranch. It is the only thing that prevents them from getting to the main highway. Ours is 20' wide and 12' deep. We have yet to have even a single cow cross it, or even attempt to cross it.
I have been told that if you dont regularly use round up in the pit below it, that the weeds will grow through it and the cattle may try to cross. We have not had an issue with this, as ours gets so much traffic there is no chance for overgrowth.
If this thing stopped working, I would be in a heap of trouble. All my cattle would be on the highway in a minute. If you put one in though, you ALWAYS have to have a gate that is all grass beside it, to be able to get them back into your pasture...they may find their way out of it once...but I'm told they will never find their way back in. They are great though, better than an electric gate opener.
I have been told that if you dont regularly use round up in the pit below it, that the weeds will grow through it and the cattle may try to cross. We have not had an issue with this, as ours gets so much traffic there is no chance for overgrowth.
If this thing stopped working, I would be in a heap of trouble. All my cattle would be on the highway in a minute. If you put one in though, you ALWAYS have to have a gate that is all grass beside it, to be able to get them back into your pasture...they may find their way out of it once...but I'm told they will never find their way back in. They are great though, better than an electric gate opener.
i have never had an adult figure out our cattle guard, but the calves have no problem with it. our cattle guard is 4 inch pipe laid parallel and welded together. the calves will cross it going out and putting them back. finally had to wire it off with three strands of barb. i've been told the same thing about letting them fill up with dirt, but it doesen't explain the calves crossing and not the adults. the only fool proof drive through gate i've ever seen is a bump gate.
The 4" pipe could be the problem. That is plenty width for a cow or calf to walk on. Most are only 2 3/8 or 2 7/8 pipe.
Thereason they work is fooling their depth perception. On some ranges in california where a paved road crosses through a fence they paint a cattle gaurd on the pavement. Alternating black and white stripes about 3-4 inches wide.
I'm having one built. Met the welder this evening. He plans on useing 3"x 1/2 " L shaped steel for the frame, 2x4x3/8" box steel on 16 inch centers and cross with 3"x3/8" steel pipe. Also a pipe rail to hang a gate on. We will only close the gate when we are not home.
I don't really need the cattle [gap] or cattle [gate] depends where you live, but I am darn tired of hearing the complaining when one of the cows/calves escape and enter Kathys yard and destroy her trees, flowers and shrubbery. Don't misunderstand me, she has every right to complain as she worked very hard telling me how she wanted it.
~Tom :lol: :lol:
I don't really need the cattle [gap] or cattle [gate] depends where you live, but I am darn tired of hearing the complaining when one of the cows/calves escape and enter Kathys yard and destroy her trees, flowers and shrubbery. Don't misunderstand me, she has every right to complain as she worked very hard telling me how she wanted it.
~Tom :lol: :lol:
That is an odd design and I bet pretty pricey. Usually its just 3 or 4 (depending on length) 4" runners or I-beam laying vertical and 10-12... 2 3/8s or 2 7/8s pieces oilfield tubing laying horizontal across the other runners with around 3-4" of gap between each one..
Make sure what ever your height is on the cattle guard is the same as the debth of your cement runners. When the cattle guard sits in the runners you want it to be flush.
Make sure what ever your height is on the cattle guard is the same as the debth of your cement runners. When the cattle guard sits in the runners you want it to be flush.
HEREFORD ROADHOG
Well-known member
The Obama-Biden Whitehouse recently said that all of the "cattle guards " should be fired to save the government money :? ......................... Supposed to be a true story.
