Looking to replace my old corral which I did poorly. What does everyone consider the best way to go, portable panels or a permanent built unit. Looking for a good economical set up for about 25 cows. Any suggestions for a layout would also be appreciated.
Corral choices?
- Thread starter tom4018
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Oldtimer
Well-known member
I'm starting to believe that portable panels are the way to go- nothings cheap anymore- but the heavy metal panels outlast the wood corrals and its sure nice when you have to clean corrals- just pull up the panels and you have room to work. Also gives you the ability to alter pen and corral sizes and designs as things change.
We've down it both ways, unless there is a side that you would never move, next to the house or drivway, I would go 100% with corral panels. If the cows are loony it isn't such a good idea, but for normal cattle it's sruprising how well the work and hold up. We use heavy weight T-posts at the points that the meet with a chain around the post and the corral with a dog snap connecting the ends of the chain. If something needs to be changed around, just pull the post and move it.
The layout depends on your actual working equipment, i.e. sweep, chute, headgate, whatever. Ours works best with one large gathering pen, and on the end a couple of 12' wide smaller chatch pens with 12' bow gates to close them off. then a swee and an alleyway that goes to the chute. We gatther everything into the large catch pen then just run a few head at a time into the smaller pens. From the chute they go out into an open area next to the large catch pen. When the catch pen is empty we just open a gate and they can go back into the catchpen. The alleyway is made up of portable corral panels and to load the trailer we run them the same way but swing one panel in to close of the rest of the alleyway and they get routed straight into the trailer.
The beuaty of panels is that when you wont need the the working pens you can use the panels to set up water points so that they have to pass through them to reach water/minerals and go under a fly wiper mop.
As you can afford it you can add more panels and not have to move the main ones anymore, but it sure helps to spread the expenses over time.
dun
The layout depends on your actual working equipment, i.e. sweep, chute, headgate, whatever. Ours works best with one large gathering pen, and on the end a couple of 12' wide smaller chatch pens with 12' bow gates to close them off. then a swee and an alleyway that goes to the chute. We gatther everything into the large catch pen then just run a few head at a time into the smaller pens. From the chute they go out into an open area next to the large catch pen. When the catch pen is empty we just open a gate and they can go back into the catchpen. The alleyway is made up of portable corral panels and to load the trailer we run them the same way but swing one panel in to close of the rest of the alleyway and they get routed straight into the trailer.
The beuaty of panels is that when you wont need the the working pens you can use the panels to set up water points so that they have to pass through them to reach water/minerals and go under a fly wiper mop.
As you can afford it you can add more panels and not have to move the main ones anymore, but it sure helps to spread the expenses over time.
dun
Oldtimer":as58c2fx said:
Campground Cattle
Well-known member
.tom4018":18vpjrgz said:
Cherokee posted a site awhile back that had working pens. I prefer the permanent pen versus panel, out of drillstem . This is just personal go's back to the days when we had F-1 tigers.
D.R. Cattle
Well-known member
I'll nevr do wood again. By the time you build them heavy enough for larger cattle, they are just as expensive maybe more than steel. Portable is good for me with leased land. If I build another set on land I own, I'm going to go with permanent steel perimeters with panels for interior walls and chutes.
lazyhill
Well-known member
We use portable panels, mostly for the cost. I lease most of my land and they are convenient to pick up and take with me when I need to move cows. Keeps my investment down and my muscles strong. 
I have a set that we use for working cows out back by the barn. I have them configured with t-posts like dun mentioned above. I also have some that I take to the pastures to make a corral to catch-up the cows. When I use the panels in the pasture, I just have them hooked together into a large circle in a corner. I back the trailer up to an opening and they work great. The other nice thing about portables is that I can even take the panels back by the barn that are connected to the t-posts if I need some xtras. It is easy to put them back in place later.
I have a set that we use for working cows out back by the barn. I have them configured with t-posts like dun mentioned above. I also have some that I take to the pastures to make a corral to catch-up the cows. When I use the panels in the pasture, I just have them hooked together into a large circle in a corner. I back the trailer up to an opening and they work great. The other nice thing about portables is that I can even take the panels back by the barn that are connected to the t-posts if I need some xtras. It is easy to put them back in place later.
I just recalled that many years ago we used railroad ties and pierced steel plank (PSP for our working and gathering pens). But we were bringing range cows/heifers that were used to running pretty much wild upin the canyons. The PSP was mounted using 8" railroad spikes. Tough, strong, ugly as sin and worked great.
dun
dun
A
Anonymous
I'm 44 yrs. old, Started when I was 26. Built everything out of rough sawn oak, treated....Have had to rebuild everything out of steel, this time. To young folks, Use steel to start with. I'm in Missouri where wood goes away fast.
Craig-TX
Well-known member
I agree with sentiments above that iron beats wood hands down every time. My preference would pipe in the ground with welded sucker rod – if it’s on your land. If it’s on leased land, panels.
Craig-TX
Craig-TX
eric
Well-known member
I am making that same decision right now. I was all set to make a permanent corral, but with the price of steel nowadays, I am leaning towards panels. I found a guy a few miles from here who makes 10' x 5' panels for $28 each....thats seems like a fair price to me, and I can pick up 30 of them and make the whole corral and alleyway for less than $800, then just add a headgate and I will probably have around a grand in everything, and I can use the panels for weaning calves if needed.
lazyhill
Well-known member
tom4018":34x6r311 said:
Portable panels vary significantly in quality and strength. I have some Preifert's that are well over 8 years old. Powder Coated and heavy guage. On the other hand, I've had a few lighter weight painted ones get bent into a U shape by some bulls and they lasted a couple of months! If you go with portable panels, buy the best you can afford for the quantity you need. They will last longer.
TLCfromARK
Well-known member
We've always used crossties and rough sawed oak but the fireants are getting so bad and eating up the crossties that we're thinking about going to the panels. So many plusses on the panels, portable, strong, etc.
;-)
;-)
eric
Well-known member
tom4018":3hgt2twl said:
Painted might be better, but be prepared to spend quite a bit more for painted / powder coated. The ones I was looking at are galvanized with 9 horizontal bars and 4 vertical bars. Powder coating sure looks nice, but once it gets scratched, it starts rusting just like unpainted steel pipe.
Jake
Well-known member
I'd go with treated or painted steel of some sort whether it's continuous fencing, or portable panels is your choice.
Craig-TX
Well-known member
If you decide to go permanent, I would take the extra money it costs for painted or galvanized and throw it into heavier and/or more material. Then develop a taste for the esthetics of rust color. When it comes to longevity, in my climate anyway, the same money that would be spent on paint or galvanizing would be better spent on more metal. It might not look as good but the cattle won’t complain. It all depends on who you’re trying to impress. Somebody said something about strong tough and ugly. That works for me.
Of course if you’re talking portable this does not apply to the extreme or you’re not talking portable anymore.
Craig-TX
Of course if you’re talking portable this does not apply to the extreme or you’re not talking portable anymore.
Craig-TX
certherfbeef
Well-known member
I have telephone poles set on the perimeter. 4 ft in the ground 5 ft above ground. Rough cut locus boards spiked to them. Then I use the strong hold panels on the inside for sorting. Some times thoes 12ft panel gates get to kicking my butt when I'm all by myself!
