Corral Design

Help Support CattleToday:

Adam Freeman

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 21, 2020
Messages
88
Reaction score
71
Location
Bennington Kansas
Was wondering if anyone could give me their thoughts on this corral I am working on designing. It will be 2 7/8 inch oilfield pipe with a2 7/8 top rail and 5 strands of 7/8 inch sucker rod. Building this at the home place where we will do both fall and spring cattle work as well as winter them. I am attempting to add a picture of my sketch with each square equaling 4 foot. The squeeze chute and future scale will have a concrete foundation to sit on and eventually we would like to cover the area as well to provide shade and protection from the elements while we work. Open to thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Thanks for your help.
 

Attachments

  • 204718747_10159345877335996_6615859505982443196_n.jpg
    204718747_10159345877335996_6615859505982443196_n.jpg
    62.4 KB · Views: 93
I would have at least one more cross rail of 2 7/8 pipe rather then 5 strands of sucker rod.
How are you planning on welding the sucker rod ? It is difficult to weld so that it will hold long term if you directly weld it to the pipe . If you use clips will the be placed on the out side or inside of corral . If on the inside make sure clips are shaped not to cause injury,if on the outside ,a impact will put all stress on the weld rather then the posts .
 
How many cattle at one time?
I made this design 40 years ago and it is quite user and cow friendly. The two big round pens will hold about 140 pairs each. They come in from the left and we push them up the alley to the round pen on the right and work them back to the escape route. Two people can be lots unless we need another to run a second sort gate.
469CD374-1CA4-4085-8853-89CCB3534AC6.jpeg
 
I'm not a big sucker rod fan. I have seen yearling and bulls spread the rods and get their heads between them. By the time you put your posts and runners close enough and run your rods thru the pipe to prevent that kind of stuff I'm not sure you reall saved any thing by using the rods.

We have a set of pens that has a top, middle and bottom runner with 2 rods between each. It's pretty decent but on the same token we just sold off thousands of feet of sucker rod because we wont do any more like that.

A lot of people build them like that with out any problems.

Only other thing that caught my eye is that's a pretty big alley leading to the sweep. Even with volume your sweep is still the pinch point so I'm not sure having that big of pens leading up to it is necessary.

I would maybe consider splitting the top pen or couple pens in half with a fence or even connecting the two alleys with an alley running between two pens. It may be over kill for what you need but I just seem to never regret having enough pens to sort to. It would add quite a few more options.
 
I would have at least one more cross rail of 2 7/8 pipe rather then 5 strands of sucker rod.
How are you planning on welding the sucker rod ? It is difficult to weld so that it will hold long term if you directly weld it to the pipe . If you use clips will the be placed on the out side or inside of corral . If on the inside make sure clips are shaped not to cause injury,if on the outside ,a impact will put all stress on the weld rather then the posts .
I have clips for the sucker rod. the rods will be on the inside and they are shaped to not hurt the cattle. I am planning on having post every 8 feet or less and would have flat stock in between them to help keep the sucker rod from flexing for cattle to get stuck in. Or would it be better to go with a continuous fence style of panel?

I am looking at making my alleys a bit smaller was thinking 10 foot wide instead of 12 and I also have 15 of those free standing corral panels from linn pipe and post as well to use to modify bigger pens if needed. Right now we have 25 pairs but want to grow it up and would like to get the pens figured out for when we are doing 250-300 eventually.
 
Last edited:
Do they make 30' freestanding panels out of the oilfield pipe in your area? We buy the panels and make catch pens/working areas with them as needed. I've never had a cow get through one and chained together they are extremely sturdy. Best things are if you make design mistakes you can change the layout, if you need to clean manure you can move them out of the way and after you use them for the rest of.your farming career you can probably sell them for more than you pay for them.
 
Do they make 30' freestanding panels out of the oilfield pipe in your area? We buy the panels and make catch pens/working areas with them as needed. I've never had a cow get through one and chained together they are extremely sturdy. Best things are if you make design mistakes you can change the layout, if you need to clean manure you can move them out of the way and after you use them for the rest of.your farming career you can probably sell them for more than you pay for them.
We have 24 foot ones and like them alot. very versatile and easy to move around and set up even by myself. Used them when working the cows last fall and they would really flex the sucker rod in the alley leading up to the chute. other than that no issues with them.
 
We have 24 foot ones and like them alot. very versatile and easy to move around and set up even by myself. Used them when working the cows last fall and they would really flex the sucker rod in the alley leading up to the chute. other than that no issues with them.
You can line high pressure areas with plywood.
 
My only suggestion is how you have your exit for your chute. Make sure your headgate will open fully and easily and that you have an easy way to access both sides of the chute so you can doctor from both sides without having to climb a fence (unless you have two people to work). You might want to modify your design so the chute is freestanding in an alley section and you can pass to both sides from the front.
 
Like Brute23 mentioned the alley heading to the crowding tub will be too big for cattle to not turn around some and make them balk at the gate on one side occasionally. Only give them 10-12' total like the alley on the opposite side.

That turn from the load up alley into the 180 degree tub will be tough for them as well. Do you already have the tub? If so it's a mute point if not I'd look at a 90 degree tub or a bud box so the cattle can walk directly into the tub/box instead of having to make a 45 or 90 degree turn to get into it. Having two holding pens before the crowding tub is nice because you can load up one group and have two groups behind ready to load which is nice. We have a similar setup on our farm and it works great.
 

Latest posts

Top