Cattle Trailer

[ncboy34]

Looking at upgrading my cattle trailer and have found a 16 ft trailer and 20 ft trailer. The 16 ft is newer and in good shape. The 20 ft is older but was lightly used and is in good shape also. They are both priced reasonably. Any opinions on which to go with length wise. I have had a 16 ft for a while and thought about going up to a 20 ft but am trying to decide if I need that much. I currently have 31 momma cows that are currently calving. Will the extra 4 ft of hauling space make that much of a difference? With fuel prices the way they are I'm trying to make sure I'm not making any unnecessary trips.

 

[SRBeef]

One factor in the choice is how heavy of a pickup do you have to pull the trailer? If a half or 3/4t I would go with the 16'. The 20' should probably have a 1 ton pu. braking capacity is the key.

 

[TexasBred]

Looking at upgrading my cattle trailer and have found a 16 ft trailer and 20 ft trailer. The 16 ft is newer and in good shape. The 20 ft is older but was lightly used and is in good shape also. They are both priced reasonably. Any opinions on which to go with length wise. I have had a 16 ft for a while and thought about going up to a 20 ft but am trying to decide if I need that much. I currently have 31 momma cows that are currently calving. Will the extra 4 ft of hauling space make that much of a difference? With fuel prices the way they are I'm trying to make sure I'm not making any unnecessary trips.

If you're going to go larger go to a 24'......20 is just large enough to be larger but not that much more functional. Multiples of 8 seem to work best.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

The width of the trailer is more important than the lenth. You can haul as many cattle in a wide 16 ft. trailer as you can a narrow 20 ft trailer.

 

[Bigfoot]

I would get the 20. Somehow that extra 4 foot allows you to sometimes sort on the trailer.

 

[Gunner]

I would consider how often I need to haul more than the 16' would haul. In our case we lease several small places and found the 14' we had required several more trips each time we had to move stock around so we bit the bullet and bought a 20'. We wish now we had spent the extra $ and got the wider version. Have no regrets for going to the 20' other than that.

 

[cowmaker]

I have a 20footer and my only regret is that it is not a wide model. However, my narrow model seems to line up perfectly with the fenders on the dually. 24' is my next step and I will see how a wide model lines up with the fenders on the ole dually.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I have a 24 and would never want anything shorter so i would say out of these two i would get the 24. any 3/4 and some better 1/2 ton trucks will handle and stop a 20 so if you have a 16 now i think you would like the 20

 

[heath]

We traded a 20x6 and got a 20x7. The extra width has came in handy. I use a 3/4 ton and even loaded with cows it handles it fine. My neighbor has a 24' bar top and also uses a 3/4 ton. As long as its not too hilly there shouldn't be problems only hauling loaded a few times a year.

 

[cow pollinater]

See if you can fit a 20' everywhere it needs to go before you buy one. I can't go longer than 16' and that can get a little dicey at times. Keep in mind that on any slope at all the backend of a twenty footer will drag alot faster than it will on a shorter trailer. Mine is a 16' on stilts. :lol:
How far do you have to haul? if it's less than an hours drive then I'd say absolutely go with the sixteen.

 

[moloss]

I'd hold out for a 24' model.....I have a 20' and wish I had gotten a 24'......most 24' trailers have two cut gates (our 20' only has one) that really makes a difference when you haul a mixed load like we sometimes do (would make sorting in the trailer much easier)......just my two cents worth.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I'd hold out for a 24' model.....I have a 20' and wish I had gotten a 24'......most 24' trailers have two cut gates (our 20' only has one) that really makes a difference when you haul a mixed load like we sometimes do (would make sorting in the trailer much easier)......just my two cents worth.

2x especially on the two cut gates i use that sevarel times a week twice this afternoon

 

[BC]

I have a 20 ft trailer that has been pulled by 3/4 ton trucks for 21 years. It has an extra cut gate that makes a 4 ft and two 8 ft compartments. That 4 ft compartment has been used to cut off one or two calves on a separate order, serve as a restgraining chute, haul baby calves or feed and tack when the kids were showing.

One thing to consider is how are your entrances set up. Many culverts and gates were set up for bumper pull trailers that follow in the tracks of the truck.

 

[circlew]

Something you may want to consider is a brand that will have the best resell value. You never know when you may need to resell it.

 

[shaz]

I've got a 20ft narrow trailer and I think my biggest gripe is that it has a solid front so I can't see back through the middle of the trailer. It's ok if I'm trying to hit an 8ft gate but backing up to a squeeze chute is tough.

 

[BAR_R]

Size matters.....we went from a 20/6.5 (steel Titan) to a 22/7.5 (EBY Wrangler) ...night and day .....we pull with an 09' Dodge 3/4 6.7 cummins...no issues at all. Good god it seems like we went from a 2 bedroom apartment to a 4 bedroom house.....if condition is simmilar go longer and wider....

 

[Goodlife]

How may head can you get on a 16 and a 20 ft trailer? I know this varies so I work with angus and hereford so lets say 1,000 lb cows. I just purchased a 2009 F250 5.4 gas engine. (Yep, wanted the diesel but this was what I could afford, I got a good deal) and was thinking 16 ft. trailer was in my near future. But you all have me considering a larger trailer. I don't feel like I have a ton of power at 300 hp and 365 lb torque though. My sale barn is about 1-1/2 hours away and will be used maybe 6 times per year. In a couple of years I plan on trading for the truck I really want.

Ed

 

[Goodlife]

One more thing. As I have looked at trailers it seems the bumper pull are 6' wide and goosenecks are 6-1/2 to 7' wide. Is this what you all have found (that you have to go gooseneck to have wider?) I do not currently have a gooseneck setup in the truck although I do have a factory installed trailer setup including brake adjuster. Probably a dumb question, but is it worth the $1,000-$1,500 to get the gooseneck setup in the bed for my 6 times per year?

 

[circlew]

One more thing. As I have looked at trailers it seems the bumper pull are 6' wide and goosenecks are 6-1/2 to 7' wide. Is this what you all have found (that you have to go gooseneck to have wider?) I do not currently have a gooseneck setup in the truck although I do have a factory installed trailer setup including brake adjuster. Probably a dumb question, but is it worth the $1,000-$1,500 to get the gooseneck setup in the bed for my 6 times per year?

Our bp trailers are 5 to 6' wide, 10 to 16' long, and 6, 6.6 and 7' tall. GN are 5',6', 6'8", 7', 7'6", 8' wide and 12 to 48' in length. Also that price for a goose neck hitch is too high.

 

[cowmilker]

I bought my gooseneck set up on ebay for maybe $400 (?) and installed it myself. Craig