Cattle Working Systems

[barceranch]

I need to purchase a working system for working cattle that I am planning on buying. I am just starting out and I'd appreciate any recommendations you all could offer me that you all satisfied with. Priefert sent me a catalog on their equipt. and I'm checking Powder River also. Are their others out there that you all use and are satisfied with? :?:

 

[preston39]

bar...,

Regardless of the system you decide on...for ease of handling and the animal..... consider including the animal immobolizer concept. It works great and is much safer for animal management.

http://www.igd-usa.com/immobilizer.htm

http://www.cattleimmobilizer.com/howworks.htm

I am sure there are other models...search 'em.

We use the RAU 2000 with a standard shute and head gate.... with excellent results.

 

[dun]

We use Preifert and really like it. The one tyhing I would change is the sweep. They have one with the4 exit at the hinge end of the gate and that would make it much easier to get the cattle up through the working chute.

dun

 

[BlackBaldyMan]

Might look around in your area to see what you can get cheap. What I mean is alot of people around here use guardrail from hwy's that is "outdated" and bolt them up to 8ft steel pipes cemented into the ground. Do you want permenant? Use panels such as Powder River if you do want permenant. Depending on the country wood can be good or bad. In our part on the WA coast there is so much moisture even treated RR ties dont last but 10-20yrs, thats why are corrals are all cemented in the ground iron, hope this helps.

 

[cfpinz]

I made the alley out of RR ties and 2x12 oak boards for the sides. It's inside out of the weather. Would have been cheaper to buy a metal one but wood is quieter and this one will hold a 955 cat.

If I were buying one it would be a toss-up between priefert and for-most.

cfpinz

 

[Circle G]

I am cemeting in drill pipe cut 10' feet deep. What type of panel would you recommend? I haven't decided how I am going to hold the panels. Either screws or weld.

 

[Dusty Britches]

whereabouts is Timson?

If central Texas, I'd go to Producers Co-op and get some Preifert stuff. They have the best prices on it.

If not, you could try McCoys and negotiate a lower price with them.

I'd recommend you look around at other cattle operations in your area and get an idea of what you like and don't like about their systems. Ask if you can volunteer to help those guys work their cattle to learn.

Remember, it is easier to let the cattle work themselves than to force them into being worked. A well designed system will allow the former.

 

[barceranch]

whereabouts is Timson?

If central Texas, I'd go to Producers Co-op and get some Preifert stuff. They have the best prices on it.

If not, you could try McCoys and negotiate a lower price with them.

I'd recommend you look around at other cattle operations in your area and get an idea of what you like and don't like about their systems. Ask if you can volunteer to help those guys work their cattle to learn.

Remember, it is easier to let the cattle work themselves than to force them into being worked. A well designed system will allow the former.

Timpson is about 25 miles east of Nacogdoches in Shelby County heading on Hwy 59 North.

 

[barceranch]

I need to purchase a working system for working cattle that I am planning on buying. I am just starting out and I'd appreciate any recommendations you all could offer me that you all satisfied with. Priefert sent me a catalog on their equipt. and I'm checking Powder River also. Are their others out there that you all use and are satisfied with? :?:

I would like to thank you all for your responses to my question. I have two places some 3 miles apart so I'd need to go from one to the other so a permenant set up at this time may not be an option right now.

 

[Dusty]

Titan West Inc, just don't buy from Jerry Weichman @ Bruna Imp....

For-most equipment with a tub and double alley to single ally...

I really like Titan West chutes, Piefert headgates with titan west Neck extender for shots...

Linn Post and Pipe to compare prices (post and pipe and Titan West equip are built 200 ft from each other )

 

[Crowderfarms]

Take a good look at Preifert products. IMHO, for portable Pens, Alleys, and Squeeze Chutes, I feel they are the best.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Go look at the best ones, reverse engineer them and build your own better than theirs. Keep it all portable and stout enough to transport.

The only "store bought" item you reall need is a good head gate. Build all gate hinges out of 1 inch pipe and 1 inch round stock.

Weld 5 foot tall panels with 4 inch grid to all of your portable panels and it will add the strength of several gussets.

I am up to $1700 in my little system including the head gate. Several people have tried to buy it off of me.

If you don't have a welding machine, buy one. You'll pay for it in no time.

 

[Moocow11]

do not use a powder river chute. we have a portable chute with tub and allway it works pretty good i will post some pics.
we took an old portable system that just had the chute and the alley and we chopped the tongue off of it put it on a frame, made it a goose neck with two wheels on hydralics put on a homemade tub and a little catwalk on the tub get some pics tomarrow

 

[novatech]

I built mine based on this design.

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/6230.pdf

I used drill stem, and added slideing gates in the chutes, Rubber boat rollers work great. Use 1/2 in. rod and 16 or 14 gauge metal for crouding drum. Pretty simple one man operation.
I use a WW squeeze chute, no complaints.

 

[dun]

Something that has proven invaluable to us is a catch pen that the squeeze chute opens into and a way to get an animal from that catch pen back into the alleyway that feeds into the squeeze.
Didn;t start out that way, just sort of evolved, but it has been a real life and labor saver.

dun

 

[KNERSIE]

dun, exactly the same here. after missing a few in the head gate my well planned facilities undergone more planning and is much better off for it.

How wide are your alley leading up to the chute?

 

[dun]

29 inches.
I alwasy forget about it till it's needed. We got a heifer with a malpresented calf in the chute. Put a halter on her, tied the halter to the squeeze and let her out so we could work on getting the calf out. We didn;t have to do it last night, but last year after we pulled the calf we had to run the cow back through the chute so the calf would nursr. Having that side gate to just get her back into the lead in pen to the alley sure made it a lot easier. After w pull a calf we leave the cow and calf in that catch pen outside the exit of the chute over night so we can make sure things are working out. Then if we have to do anything they're right there and handy to the chute.

dun