That fence has to be AT LEAST 5 1/2ft tall or you're wasting your time. If they can get their head over it it's too short and they're liable to try and make a jump and boards will shatter. Had a cow get her head under a fence that was made of rough cut 2x6s and she swung her head up and those suckers shattered like a tooth pick. That cow is no long here but still! If they can get their head through or over the fence it won't work.
Corral boards
- Thread starter sassafras manor
- Start date
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greybeard
Well-known member
I had a couple of my sister's beefmasters jump up on a 60" tall board pen. The boards would take lot of pressure of cows pushing out with close spaced posts, but didn't stand a chance of that weight on top.Rafter S":4kimgjrg said:
One of them kept running, cleared 3 other fences and we never saw her again. 'good riddance' my sister said.
Nesikep
Well-known member
Salers are about the same!..ALACOWMAN":3j6gvzoc said:
If your boards are a bit long to go a single span between posts without getting floppy but would be ridiculous to put posts closer, a stiffener board upright at mid span will help distribute things.. the more solid it "feels", the less they will try challenging it.
Its not our Brahman cattle that were going over the pens... it was some Limousine cattle. We were buying some Limousine bulls from from an uncle and their offspring were jumping fences, cattle guards, pens. Those things were like deer.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Brute 23":1u1nh5r4 said:
Rolled into a yard to look at some cattle a dozen years ago. He had wire cattle panels stapled part way up a Holstein height board fence to make it over 6' high. Old timey Limi crosses made him do it. :nod:
snoopdog
Well-known member
Upright boards between the posts are a must. What I meant though when I said operations change was not breed related, You plan on just sorting calves now, but there may come a time when you have to put a new bull or sick cow in there, and an ounce of prevention. We ran this gamut when we started with stockers, and then moved to cow/calf and back, not much different in what you plan to do. A whole lot more reinforcement has taken place since. Consider everything and take your time. And then consider it again.
sassafras manor
Well-known member
The design in regards to how it flows in relation to the barn, head gate and loading area has been an ongoing thought process for the past year or so. We had more calves to wean this year than ever before and have the extra cash to finally implement the plan. Two weeks ago I set T posts where the wood posts were going to be in order to mock the system up before actually setting the wood posts and made a few changes. The wood posts were set Monday and weather permitting will start installing the boards this weekend. I like the concept of adding a vertical board for added rigidity and may add that feature. Thanks
ClinchValley
Well-known member
I used 1x6x16 rough cut oak boards, spaced 5" apart. Used RR ties as posts. Concreted in the ground. Built 6'4" tall. Put upright 1x6 between the 8 feet post spacing. Alleyway going to chute has post spacing of 4'. Used upright 1x6 in alley between posts also. Sides of alley are pretty dang solid. Tried to keep the cattle from seeing out. Left enough gap to slide an oak 2x4 as a back stop in front of each post. Prevents them from backing up.
Fastened with 3.5" deck screws. Had lots of help on planning from our neighbors.
The very bottom board is just high enough off the ground to keep the boards being in wet grass all the time. Maybe 10 to 12 nches.
I'm impressed with what they help me come up with. Works very well with me by myself. Very low stress and well flowing.
Definitely put uprights between posts IMO. Ties everything together. Cannot draw that way. One of the best things we did IMO. Makes it real strong.
Fastened with 3.5" deck screws. Had lots of help on planning from our neighbors.
The very bottom board is just high enough off the ground to keep the boards being in wet grass all the time. Maybe 10 to 12 nches.
I'm impressed with what they help me come up with. Works very well with me by myself. Very low stress and well flowing.
Definitely put uprights between posts IMO. Ties everything together. Cannot draw that way. One of the best things we did IMO. Makes it real strong.
pricefarm
Well-known member
ClinchValley":13c9mirq said:
Did you use used railroad ties? I have been thinking of using some. I haven't found anywhere to buy them around here but Lowes and there around 15$ a piece.
greybeard
Well-known member
pricefarm":21v6glpa said:
Take a hammer with you and smack each one of them several places on at least 2 sides. Ties have a bad habit of being rotten or even hollow on the inside and a dull 'thud' tells the tale. A good solid one makes an almost 'ringing' noise when you hit it.
Most ties are advertised as 8' long but I have found a lot of them that were 102"-106" long. Someone told me they use longer ones if they were under track on a curve. I dunno...I ain't a choo choo guy.
pricefarm":mf4uf9sk said:
This past weekend, I pulled about 35 RR ties that had been in the ground almost 50 years at my FILs farm. Only 4 broke off before they pulled out. Not concreted in. Replaced with 3 siders (RR ties) picked up at RK for $12 each. I couldn't believe how long they held for him.
We cant use RR ties here. They will be rotted out in a couple years. In west texas they set cattle guards on wood beams though so guess it depends on the area.
sassafras manor
Well-known member
We are installing the boards this afternoon and I will do my best to post pictures of the finished product
