greybeard
Well-known member
coming out of a sweep, is it feasible to place a sorting gate right at the end of the sweep? Can a big cow or bull make that tight of a turn--and will they---even with that sweep gate right behind them?
cow pen. sweep and sorting gate ?
- Thread starter greybeard
- Start date
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Ours is set up so that when they come out of the sweep they can continue straight to the scale/chute or make a 90 degree left to go to the loading chute/ I had some doubts about the ability to make that turn but even with bulls that can't get through the chute they've had no problems making that turn
novatech
Well-known member
Mine comes off in a "Y" about the same angle either way.dun":1johnc5s said:
Wouldn't that be tough to regulate. If you have a group of mixed head and you want to sort them, it seems like it would be tough for the guy working the sorting gate.
We just put a set of portable pens up at a lease place and out of the sweep we have like 20', a slide gate, then 8' and then the sorting gates. The idea was you could sweep several cows in to the long part and secure them. Then you could regulate what you sent to the sorting gate with the slide gate. If you are by youself you can see whats on deck. Set the sorting gate. Let that 1 or 2 go thru with the slide gate. Close it back. Switch your sorting gate. Let the next one go. So on and so on. If you have several helpers every one mans a stations and get after it. The person on the sorthing gate has some one regulating with the slide gate what is coming at them. They also have an 8' buffer.
We just put a set of portable pens up at a lease place and out of the sweep we have like 20', a slide gate, then 8' and then the sorting gates. The idea was you could sweep several cows in to the long part and secure them. Then you could regulate what you sent to the sorting gate with the slide gate. If you are by youself you can see whats on deck. Set the sorting gate. Let that 1 or 2 go thru with the slide gate. Close it back. Switch your sorting gate. Let the next one go. So on and so on. If you have several helpers every one mans a stations and get after it. The person on the sorthing gate has some one regulating with the slide gate what is coming at them. They also have an 8' buffer.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
If they see daylight, they'll make the turn. Prefer a tapered Y pattern but they'll do amazing stuff even when you don't want them too.
I got a 6 month old heifer that could probably slam dunk a basketball.
I got a 6 month old heifer that could probably slam dunk a basketball.
OP
OP
greybeard
Well-known member
Brute--that's the way I wanted to do mine, but I am determined to keep everything within confinement except the exit out the load chute, and I ran out of room, meaning I have a very short run between sweep and the head gate. I don't like it, but it's going to have to do for now.
I've never had more than 30 hd here at any one time and don't plan on it.
I had to put a 45 deg segment in right after the sorting gate just to kick the short working alley and head off at an angle to keep it inside the outer panel walls, so if I miss one at the head gate he/she ain't running off out in the open pasture. This way I can run her back into the holding pen and back thru the sweep again. Sorry for the poor drawing, but it's set up like this for now, with nothing written in stone except the holding pen:
One of the reasons I did it this way, is I use the outside wall panels of the sweep alley to form one wall of the load chute. Saved some panels. It also sends the animals right back in the same general direction they came from, which I find helps things along.
Looking down the sweep alley, the exit is on the far end right. Sort gate (the 2 tall bow frames) is right there after the exit. They either make a 90 to the right and go to load--straight leads to the headgate, and left would take them back out to holding area.
Biggest thing I don't like about that sort gate, is if I want to just return one to the holding pen (not go thru load chute or headgate chute), is when you open that sort gate, better be ready to get out of the way, or they'll run right over ya. I may have to put some kind of long handle on that gate or build a little barrier so the gate operator isn't looking right into the gate when he opens it.
Dun,
I ran a smallish bull thru the sorting gate and out the load chute a couple days ago as a test, and he made the turn ok, but he did balk when his hooves hit the bottom frame of the sorting gate. Spooked him I guess.
I still have to build a sliding blocking gate at the end of the load chute and tie everything down with t-posts and put a walk in gate on the far right. I know I do need to make the area around the hd gate bigger so I'll have room for a squeeze and palp cage. Hate to spend the $$ on more panels right now, and I can't hardly see to weld anymore.
Ideas and criticisms welcome.
I've never had more than 30 hd here at any one time and don't plan on it.
I had to put a 45 deg segment in right after the sorting gate just to kick the short working alley and head off at an angle to keep it inside the outer panel walls, so if I miss one at the head gate he/she ain't running off out in the open pasture. This way I can run her back into the holding pen and back thru the sweep again. Sorry for the poor drawing, but it's set up like this for now, with nothing written in stone except the holding pen:
One of the reasons I did it this way, is I use the outside wall panels of the sweep alley to form one wall of the load chute. Saved some panels. It also sends the animals right back in the same general direction they came from, which I find helps things along.
Looking down the sweep alley, the exit is on the far end right. Sort gate (the 2 tall bow frames) is right there after the exit. They either make a 90 to the right and go to load--straight leads to the headgate, and left would take them back out to holding area.
Biggest thing I don't like about that sort gate, is if I want to just return one to the holding pen (not go thru load chute or headgate chute), is when you open that sort gate, better be ready to get out of the way, or they'll run right over ya. I may have to put some kind of long handle on that gate or build a little barrier so the gate operator isn't looking right into the gate when he opens it.
Dun,
I ran a smallish bull thru the sorting gate and out the load chute a couple days ago as a test, and he made the turn ok, but he did balk when his hooves hit the bottom frame of the sorting gate. Spooked him I guess.
I still have to build a sliding blocking gate at the end of the load chute and tie everything down with t-posts and put a walk in gate on the far right. I know I do need to make the area around the hd gate bigger so I'll have room for a squeeze and palp cage. Hate to spend the $$ on more panels right now, and I can't hardly see to weld anymore.
Ideas and criticisms welcome.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
greybeard":20i0xrb7 said:
What I did I bring everything down the chute and have a cut gate's in the chute, they can be cut back into the pen, onto the trailer or out in the pasture.
I see what you are doing now. I would put another sorting gate in you loading ally where you could cut in to the holding pens left or right. Letting the come back out the sweep is a bad idea IMO. Like you said, if you get a couple head with one you are trying to catch you need another way to sort them out. With that other sorting gate you run every thing up the chute and you can circle back what ever you want thru the sweep or cut the others off in the holding pen with you head gate.
Just my thoughts... In sure there are multiple ways to accomplish what you need.
Just my thoughts... In sure there are multiple ways to accomplish what you need.
OP
OP
greybeard
Well-known member
Cutting them out of the load chute to their right as they move down toward the exit would put them right back into the sweep alley. There is no direct panel wall between load chute and the holding pen at the top of the drawing--the sweep alley is there.Brute 23":13k89m4s said:
I sure don't want a sort gate at the very end of the load chute. Got a broke down old wooden chute like that at the front of the property and I hate it. Works ok for pulling calves out of the line, but is a pain to cut big yearlings or mature cows out.
I could tho, put a 2 way sort gate mid way down the load chute and cut back into the area just to the left of the hd gate chute, then back around to the holding pen. Something to think about for sure.
CB, I saw your cowpen thread, and I like your setup, and from what I could tell, it's what I call a funnel. My old one has that too, and I was trying to get away from that, which is why I went ahead and got the sweep gate and sweep alley. I had lots of trouble with them turning back on me in that funnel as it narrows down, and I don't run and climb as fast as I used to.
greybeard":jqwrz3ni said:
That is what I was trying to say. You can kick them out of the system to the head gate pen or in to the sweep gate ally and run them back thru again.
OP
OP
greybeard
Well-known member
Taken from the trailer endof the load chute--the sweep alley is to the left. I used it's right panel wall to form the left panel wall of the load chute. That saved 3 panels instead of erecting a complete separate load chute consisting of 6 panels. Sorting gate is at the far end with the gate configured to send them down the load chute..
Sorting gate with sweep on the right of it. Sorting gate is configure (both gates closed) to send 'em to head gate. the 45* offset is visible here, between the sorting gate frame and the long tube gate.
This, is my concern. The sorting gate is open back to the holding pen, but for me to open it, I have to be standing right in front of the sort gate. They'll either run over me, or see me standing there and balk at exiting the gate. If I go to the right and goad one out the sort gate, I'd have to run to shut the sort gate before the next one reached it. I need to do something about that...
Sort gate viewed from sweep--both gates closed, meaning animals go to headgate. You can see the bottom tubes of the sortgate frame that made the bull balk at entering the gate when his hooves hit it. Dunno what to do about those without digging out a trench and lowering the whole gate assembly. Rust will follow that tho.
Same viewpoint, right gate open, sending 'em to load chute.
Again, from same vantage point. Left sort gate open to cut one out and back to holding pen.
Thoughts?
Sorting gate with sweep on the right of it. Sorting gate is configure (both gates closed) to send 'em to head gate. the 45* offset is visible here, between the sorting gate frame and the long tube gate.
This, is my concern. The sorting gate is open back to the holding pen, but for me to open it, I have to be standing right in front of the sort gate. They'll either run over me, or see me standing there and balk at exiting the gate. If I go to the right and goad one out the sort gate, I'd have to run to shut the sort gate before the next one reached it. I need to do something about that...
Sort gate viewed from sweep--both gates closed, meaning animals go to headgate. You can see the bottom tubes of the sortgate frame that made the bull balk at entering the gate when his hooves hit it. Dunno what to do about those without digging out a trench and lowering the whole gate assembly. Rust will follow that tho.
Same viewpoint, right gate open, sending 'em to load chute.
Again, from same vantage point. Left sort gate open to cut one out and back to holding pen.
Thoughts?
