Chute Problems

[GoWyo]

"Slide Gates" versus "bars that slide in" ?

Full sliding gates in the alley. They are expensive and take a little skill to build it yourself out of pipe or square tubing, so tend to be not installed. Guilty as charged and need to get one built at the end of my alley where the tub exits and the alley begins.

 

[Tomcolvin]

Yes I've tried getting them through without leading.
I've used a local ranches chute, and most go through easily.

I'm thinking about putting them all in a small pen connected to the chute. And feeding them in the other side and just leaving them?

Put the water on the other the chute and give'em some time. Took me a month to get my bull to walk the chute and he still doesn't like it. Every time I feed a little cotton seed in the corral I make sure he is in there and I close up all but the chute. After he spent the night in the corral one night by himself, the next morning by 9am, he got thirsty. I do this every time I feed them, they all have to go thru the chute or spend the day in the coral.

 

[TCRanch]

I had a Brahman cow get in a chute and not want to go out. I left her azz in there. Went back the next day and she was still there. Went back the next day and she had walked out. She was fine after that.

Now that's funny! You're more patient than me. I've had some that don't want to go out and I'll open the slide door and let them back down the alley.

 

[Brute 23]

Now that's funny! You're more patient than me. I've had some that don't want to go out and I'll open the slide door and let them back down the alley.

I don't think I would call it patience. She was the last one so I was done with her. Others have gotten lead shots and pulled out.

Some you can get a hot shot on each side and send on to a trailer but some will lay down on you and it's a real pia.

In general, I like cows stacked in the chute so they can see cows going that way and getting turned out. Keep them stacked up and moving it the best way I have seen. Trying to run cows at a squeeze and get pipes behind them and all that is not efficient and tends to get them unnecessary wound up.

 

[simme]

Full sliding gates in the alley. They are expensive and take a little skill to build it yourself out of pipe or square tubing, so tend to be not installed. Guilty as charged and need to get one built at the end of my alley where the tub exits and the alley begins.

Here is a fairly inexpensive slide gate. $280 available from Allen Gate and Panel in Arkansas. They have a network of dealers scattered around the country. Not the most heavy duty but works for me.

Slide Gates - allengateandpanel.com

Slide Gates

www.allengateandpanel.com

 

[GoWyo]

Here is a fairly inexpensive slide gate. $280 available from Allen Gate and Panel in Arkansas. They have a network of dealers scattered around the country. Not the most heavy duty but works for me.

View attachment 51203

Slide Gates - allengateandpanel.com

Slide Gates

www.allengateandpanel.com

That's dirt cheap and functional.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

So when the slide gate is pushed closed, is there another narrow gate that comes into play (blue arrow)

 

[simme]

So when the slide gate is pushed closed, is there another narrow gate that comes into play (blue arrow)

View attachment 51207

Those are 26" walkthrough gates on each side to get in and out of the alley. People gates, not cow gates. Not part of the slide gate.

 

[Twisted]

The S04 has a tail gate no need for a bar in the chute

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

The S04 has a tail gate no need for a bar in the chute

We put a bar in the alley going up to the chute

 

[Brute 23]

My preference is to have a slide where you kneck from a sweep or alley to the chute. Then I want a decent alley that holds a minimum of 5 head. Then another slide. Then a sorting gate. Straight goes to a trap or a trailer, right goes to a sorting pen, left goes to the squeeze chute. Between the sort gate and the squeeze I enough room to hold 1 animal. The squeeze chute pointing in to another holding pen with a gate out in line. Just tie the sort gate open to the left when working cattle through the squeeze.

Basically I want to stack 5-10 head in a chute. Then open the slide so they go through the sort for Then to go to the squeeze. As soon as they cross that 2nd slide it gets closed. If they balk at the squeeze there is no where to back up. They have to stand there and look at the hole on the other side. When they know they can't back up and see the hole forward, a light tap or bump with the hs usually convinces them.

Moving them through those gates like that really helps keep them pretty calm and the knowing there is no going backwards prevents a lot of issues.

I prefer a cow in the system when I load the chute from behind. It helps them move forward when there is a cow up front vs just empty.

 

[Trixie Club Calves]

My preference is to have a slide where you kneck from a sweep or alley to the chute. Then I want a decent alley that holds a minimum of 5 head. Then another slide. Then a sorting gate. Straight goes to a trap or a trailer, right goes to a sorting pen, left goes to the squeeze chute. Between the sort gate and the squeeze I enough room to hold 1 animal. The squeeze chute pointing in to another holding pen with a gate out in line. Just tie the sort gate open to the left when working cattle through the squeeze.

Basically I want to stack 5-10 head in a chute. Then open the slide so they go through the sort for Then to go to the squeeze. As soon as they cross that 2nd slide it gets closed. If they balk at the squeeze there is no where to back up. They have to stand there and look at the hole on the other side. When they know they can't back up and see the hole forward, a light tap or bump with the hs usually convinces them.

Moving them through those gates like that really helps keep them pretty calm and the knowing there is no going backwards prevents a lot of issues.

I prefer a cow in the system when I load the chute from behind. It helps them move forward when there is a cow up front vs just empty.

I don't really have they money to make a setup like that, so what I have will have to work for now, it's not ideal, but I'm just happy I was able to get a chute.

My cows won't go through if there stacked in, we did 1 cow at a time in the alley and they just went straight through pretty easily

 

[Silver]

I don't want a slide gate at the beginning of the alley. Cattle don't need to be crammed into the alley, they should just naturally feed in if handled properly. The only time any restraint at the back of the alley is required around here is when vaccinating calves because we do that in the alley.

 

[Brute 23]

I don't want a slide gate at the beginning of the alley. Cattle don't need to be crammed into the alley, they should just naturally feed in if handled properly. The only time any restraint at the back of the alley is required around here is when vaccinating calves because we do that in the alley.

They only get cramped in an alley of you do it. It's not the slides fault.

 

[Brute 23]

I don't really have they money to make a setup like that, so what I have will have to work for now, it's not ideal, but I'm just happy I was able to get a chute.

My cows won't go through if there stacked in, we did 1 cow at a time in the alley and they just went straight through pretty easily

Its not about stacking them in, its about making sure they don't back out so they don't get spoiled. Good facilities make good cattle to work.

It's like a sweep. Once they realize they aren't coming back, you don't even have to use to the gate.

 

[Tomcolvin]

Now that's funny! You're more patient than me. I've had some that don't want to go out and I'll open the slide door and let them back down the alley.

No backing up allowed when they enter the chute on my end. Just that I have a couple plus a bull that doesn't want to go into chute.

 

[Silver]

They only get cramped in an alley of you do it. It's not the slides fault.

So why gate them?

 

[Brute 23]

So why gate them?

So they know back is not an option and also to keep more cows from from trying to jam in from behind. They will all stand in their alley or chute or where ever. If you start front to back opening gates when the ones in front start moving the seasoned cows learn to start moving as you go back.

It's like red light green light, but a gate.

 

[Silver]

So they know back is not an option and also to keep more cows from from trying to jam in from behind. They will all stand in their alley or chute or where ever. If you start front to back opening gates when the ones in front start moving the seasoned cows learn to start moving as you go back.

It's like red light green light, but a gate.

Well if it works for you. For me it would be an interruption in the flow and take an extra person. Zero need for it here.

 

[Lucky]

Have you tried the paddles with the bb's in them? Scares them into going forward. Other than that a hot shot a dog or a horse will do the trick.