Cattle handling equipment.

[bobrammer]

I've been looking at various handling equipment. From what I've seen, W-W Manufacturing and Luco Manfacturing seem
to have the better quality stuff. What are you folks using that
works and holds up well? Thanks for your time.[/b]

 

[Dusty Britches]

Priefert all the way.

Preifert was the only livestock handling company to donate equipment and manpower to help Florida round up the livestock that got out after the hurricanes last year.

I love their innovative ideas, too. I bought a wire unroller last year that converts from a cart style to a trailer style (for an ATV) so easily it is almost a joke. The rolls of wire unroll by just pulling the wire and there's virtually no twist.

We also have their 2004 Chute and 98 headgate. We are building new pens, time permitting, and we will buy the palpation gate and calf table, too.

 

[dun]

We've used stuff from several different manufacturers and have pretty much settled on Priefert. Holds up well, works like it should and it's easy to work with.

dun

 

[Rancher6]

I like Preifert equipment too. I made the mistake of buying some cheaper panels(JUNK) one time. These are now used to fill holes in fences. I went back and bought the brown Preifert panels (more expensive but worth every penny) I also use the a preifert chute and calf table also more expensive, but if you add the cost of an emergency room bill to the cheaper chutes you could have bought the Preifert beside you cannot tear one of their chutes up. My 2300 lb bull is no match for my Preifert. It will catch and hold his big a$% before he knows what happened.

 

[mbdear]

We first used Powder River about 30 years ago...my back still hurts from their weight. Had a WW chute that worked good. Now have gone with the Preifert panels and chute and are amazed at how much progress has been made over the years. The chute has a smooth action and the gates latch and open easily.

 

[flaboy]

I use a WW brand chute that is over 20 years old. Still works just fine. I did have to put some paint on it last year.

 

[Susie David]

We use a real old Powder River chute...works well for us....probably will retire before it does. Dmc

 

[msscamp]

I'm not sure what the main chute is (never paid any attention to the brand), but our calf table is a Powder River that is probably 35 years old and still going strong. Of course, the head catch on the calving set-up is also Powder River and it's a piece of junk!

 

[Dusty Britches]

Preifert is in Mt. Pleasant, due east from you, slightly north of Tyler. They will give you a plant tour, too.

but, if you can wait until early December to buy, come to the Producer's Co-op for their annual production day in Bryan. They will have the best prices on Preifert anywhere in the country. And Preifert will tell you that. They will also have demonstrations on their equipment that weekend.

 

[mbdear]

Don't let the msrp on Priefert's site scare you off. You can get your local co-op and others to give you a bid on the pieces or system you want and most likely you will find that the delivered price to your place (not set-up) will be somewhat less than msrp listed.

Whether you go with Priefert or not, they do have some plans for you to look at in designing your own pens. Always fun to window shop and get ideas from what others are doing.

 

[Larry Sansom]

I am not a fan of Priefert- have researched several before purchasing - as you should with that kind of $ spent. #1 was Stronghold 1-877-889-4834, or if you are near In. or KY. - Cowco is the almost same unit. 800-240-3868. # 2 was Big Valley by Behlen. Priefert came in a distant 3rd in my opinion - mostly priced to fit the casual user and farm store buyer. Some of the others have so many arms and brackets hanging off them a cowboy will loose the hair off your head or skin off your leg bone. Go look at several before you drop that check.