Corral Rebuild 2014 - Lots of pictures

[Aaron]

I hate working in muddy slop-holes for corrals and those made out of wood. Never know if the board is going to break when I try to heave myself over. So, been waiting about 10 years to do this, have had lots of time to think about it.

Digging the trenches for the tile. Went about 4' down.

Four side-lines feed into main tile. Three to be under the corral and one behind machine shed - always has been a wet hole.

Each of these side trenches is about 80' long, spaced 50' from the next.

I had to try and catch up on rolling out and placing tile, so I had some demolition work done. Old building from the 40's. Dragged from almost a mile away to be placed beside barn as a calf shed in the 60's. Tractor got stuck in a wet hole and it never went any further. Just an eyesore, so time to go.

Final death blow.

Building made a good bonfire.

Main trench from yard. About 300' long.

Everything buried and tramped.

The mainline from the yard and corral meets at a T to connect to another mainline that runs the entire length of the calving pasture. Stagnant, dirty water would sit in the draw and calves would occasionally drink it and get sick - no more!

The tile ends at the bush edge. All told, laid down about 1200' of tile.

First load of fill.

After about 360 yards later and 6-8" minimum coverage.

Leveled out.

Mix of old and new corral pictures from same angles.

Eventually put many more gates and panels in to make proper pens and sorting alley.

Bud box. About the biggest one you'll ever see. 16'x38' I like it. Very easy to narrow it up to 12' wide, if I want to in the future. I want to replace the main entrance gate with a larger 12' gate, as opposed to the 6' I have there, but time crunched and had to put something in place.

View from splitter gate going to load out.

Load out.

View from splitter into 17' alley. Really like the no-back.

I like the adjustment for the alley and splitter sides. Simple and smooth - no grunt work.

Went to liquidation sale and picked up a heavy duty Rubbermaid cart for $20 to keep all tools and paperwork up high and dry.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Really really nice Aaron. I have not seen tile under a corral before but I know you have wet clay. Do the board screen for wind or handling or both?

 

[A.J.]

Man, you have been busy. That's a huge job to have behind you. That's a really nice set up you have.

 

[Kingfisher]

What did you do the rest of the day Aaron? . What did you use for tile pipe?

 

[wbvs58]

Very nice, I bet the earthworks cost a pretty penny. I always get nervous making alterations or pulling down parts of my yards in case I am going to need them again before they are ready,
Ken

 

[jltrent]

As big as that lot is you must work a lot of cattle. Looks like you have a nice setup.

 

[plumber_greg]

Three dollar calves sure make life fun, don't it?????? gs

 

[Cabo]

Very good looking setup, obviously a lot of planning went into it. That should save you lots of time and bruises.

 

[skyhightree1]

Very Nice :clap:

 

[Aaron]

Really really nice Aaron. I have not seen tile under a corral before but I know you have wet clay. Do the board screen for wind or handling or both?

In the draw in the pasture, the water was dripping out of the clay as I was laying pipe. Hoe man said he never saw clay around here hold so much water. Was a good 10" in the trench by morning.

What did you do the rest of the day Aaron? . What did you use for tile pipe?

. Tear-down and clean-up (including manure spreading) was about 2 full weeks. The digging and fill was 3 full days. Set-up was 3 full days. So at least 3 weeks to do this project again.

Prinsco Goldline 4" perforated pipe for the tile. Menards had very good sale on it - 250' for $70.

http://www.prinsco.com/prinsco-markets/products/goldline-agriculture/

 

[KNERSIE]

Good job, I like it that you have space to add on as neccesary, something I seldom think of beforehand.

 

[Aaron]

Very nice, I bet the earthworks cost a pretty penny. I always get nervous making alterations or pulling down parts of my yards in case I am going to need them again before they are ready,
Ken

Bill for the hoe and fill was $5,250 plus tax. With fuel he had to up the per hour rate to $130 from $115 (rate when I had him dig the pond 2 years ago).

I had a basic corral in place with simple catch pen, alley and headgate in nearby field to cover calving out the fall cows while the ground area was being readied.

As big as that lot is you must work a lot of cattle. Looks like you have a nice setup.

I never really paid attention to how big it was going to be. I like lots of space to work and move around. Apparently, according to the square footage, the main catch pen is good to hold 400 cows.

 

[Aaron]

Three dollar calves sure make life fun, don't it?????? gs

This was in the plans when calves were barely $2, so $3 calves means I might have to find another project before winter sets in. Although the dozer is coming to clear some land this winter, so that might help take care of it.

Aaron, really nice...and great pictures! One question, I keep hearing about a bud box...what exactly is this?

Tim

Square box before the alley to take the place of a crowding tub, using the instincts and flight zones of the animals to load them into the alley, rather than the crowding action of a tub.

[youtube]aniUeugrm8Y[/youtube]

 

[Stocker Steve]

Bud box. About the biggest one you'll ever see. 16'x38'

Mine is bigger ;-)

but I have a V shaped double width exit where they tend to spin around. A divider helps. Time to try some tarps

 

[Aaron]

Thanks Aaron, I learned something today LOL. I watched a few videos as well. Do you prefer the Bud box to other systems?

Tim

Time will tell. If it works well, it will have been done for 1/4 the price of a crowding tub. If not, the space is there to throw a tub in.

Preg-checking cows on Wednesday, so shall see what their take on the system is.

 

[Aaron]

Bud box. About the biggest one you'll ever see. 16'x38'

Mine is bigger ;-)

but I have a V shaped double width exit where they tend to spin around. A divider helps. Time to try some tarps

Damn. Here I thought I had something.

Forgot to answer you about the wind boards. For both wind and shade. I want to put some more in once a have some spare cash kicking around for decent boards. $2 a board for 1x6x8 Red Pine and Spruce, # 3 grade. Each panel has 47 slots for boards, so it starts to add up quick.

 

[HOSS]

Have you been renting out that headgate to ISIS? There is enough blood on it to be used as a prop in a haunted house :mrgreen: :lol:

Very nice set up. :clap: :tiphat:

 

[bbirder]

Aaron, Sure did a great job. Most of us are envious. What type of fill did you use around your drain lines before covering? Also, did you use fabric first?

 

[sim.-ang.king]

When I first saw that trench I thought "is he going to run his cattle underground?"

 

[slick4591]

Really nice job.