Cattle stopping before squeeze chute

[JeffK-MN]

We have a small herd of cattle 10 head.
We use portable panels to make the alley and holding pen with a short gate to make a sweep.
When we run the cattle through the chute I try and push them but they stop and try and turn I have to manually push them into the chute.
I have been told to put something so the cattle can't see through the panels
Thanks for any help or info Jeff

 

[branguscowgirl]

That is the reason a solid wall sweep and alley were designed. However, I had a big fancy solid wall S shape system and had no better luck. The cattle still stalled out just before the chute. They just seem to know that you are going to catch their head, and they don't like it. I now have a portable sweep, and occasionally they get a subtle touch with the hot shot when they refuse to move. I try grain and a halter first. (Some of mine are halter broke.) I don't make full contact with the hot shot, just a light touch to let them know I am serious.

 

[dun]

If someone is standing at the head gate that will frequently make them hang up. Setting it to auto catch or closing it completely until they are in the chute works to solve the problem, most of the time

 

[M5farm]

If possible open the chute and pen them where they have to travel through the chute to get water. They only have to do it a couple of times and they will learn to walk in the chute and stop for the work to be done.

 

[Howdyjabo]

with cow/calves its well worth the time to do some training runs when you can.
Just open the head gate and let them go right thru several times a year.

 

[bigbull338]

cows and calves are going to stall going into the squeeze chute.that is pretty normal.so cows will try to run through the chute like a freight train.heck cows and calves will stall just being loaded in the cow trailer.as they know they leave on the trailer and never come back.

 

[Black and Good]

I have posts every 3' where I can slide a pipe behind them once they make it up so far. Then once they back up and hit that pipe they usually go on though. Then I use the drop gate on the squeeze chute. Also I have my squeeze chute turned at about a 30 degree angle from alley I think that helps as they think their escaping. :cboy: B&G

 

[JeffK-MN]

Thanks for the info I have been training them with the head gate open and most of them go right through now but I still have a few that have to be pushed hard but when they get in the chute they get out in a hurry. But for the most part having them walk through is going good Jeff

 

[Alan]

Sounds like you have about got it, I agree with the posters that say to just put them in the working pen and open the chute and let them figure it out. At first, before they were trained, I had to do this a few times a year. But once I got older cows that just saw what was happening they trained the younger cows to do the same.

This always worked the easiest for me.

Alan

 

[donholmes]

google, Dr. Temple Grandin and watch all of her videos . they are on the right side of her screen. On is about your problem. She is a expert on animal behaviour.

 

[donholmes]

I decided to just open the head gate and leave it open so they could satisfy their curiosity ,they often use the dry lot for a play pen. A couple of hours later I heard a rattling sound, one of my cows closed the head gate on her self going the wrong direction. I was surprised that she remained calm, I don't know how long she was in it,not very long thou.

 

[Nesikep]

I just stopped using a headgate and squeeze pretty much, and went with more easy to handle cattle... I still need it for a few of them, and they know darned well that whatever the reason they're getting caught for isn't one that they're going to like... I have one that went down the loading chute once to go to the vet to get dehorned as a 2 year old... she now *loses her mind* if you put her in the crowding pen... (this was 8 years ago).. she'll demolish everything to get out, so she has pretty good memory!

I find cattle will move easier uphill than downhill..

 

[Aaron]

Get some canvas tarps and lay them over the panels. Ideally they should be attached to the pipe with self-tapping screws and a washer on each one, into the panel, to keep them from fluttering around and spooking the cattle. Wide conveyor belting would also work. Cattle flow seem to flow much better when they can't see outside the alley. I don't want to make it a definitive statement as there are cattle out there that flow much better when they can see what is around them.

 

[wacocowboy]

A good hotshot makes mine move

 

[Hook]

Get some canvas tarps and lay them over the panels. Ideally they should be attached to the pipe with self-tapping screws and a washer on each one, into the panel, to keep them from fluttering around and spooking the cattle. Wide conveyor belting would also work. Cattle flow seem to flow much better when they can't see outside the alley. I don't want to make it a definitive statement as there are cattle out there that flow much better when they can see what is around them.

Shade cloth works great too

 

[Dave]

I have posts every 3' where I can slide a pipe behind them once they make it up so far. Then once they back up and hit that pipe they usually go on though. Then I use the drop gate on the squeeze chute. Also I have my squeeze chute turned at about a 30 degree angle from alley I think that helps as they think their escaping. :cboy: B&G

Be real careful using the pipe behind them method. I know two different people who have broken their femur doing that. If you are on the wrong side of that pipe and a cow backs up before you get the pipe all the way across the pipe will hit you very hard in the leg. If doing this always stand facing the same way as the cow holding the pipe in front of you. That way if the cow backs up too quickly it just takes the pipe out of your hands.

 

[talltimber]

x2. and mashed/broke fingers hands too.

 

[ky-aggie]

Someone mentioned pipes behind them to stop them. We do that. A trick I use quite a bit is grabbing their tails and twisting it up (so that the hole is exposed, the tail is up, and the tail base is in a tight circle). When you do that usually you can guide them on forward.. usually.