creep gate

[Deepsouth]

I want to creep feed some calves pre weaning. I have a 12 foot gate between a pasture and a cow lot. I want to use that gate to give the calves access to the the feed troughs. If I put some lumber across the gate opening to allow the calves in but keep the cows out how high should I put it? The calves will be up to about 500 lbs. Any other suggestions would be welcome also.

 

[dun]

With the head stright out, just at the level so it can walk under. There is also the issue of the width of the opening. I've seen cows shove there way under a crepp bar if they could get their fat bellys through.

 

[Deepsouth]

I was wondering about that Dun. I was thinking about putting a few vertical braces in it. I don't care how heavy it is I'll move it with the tractor. So I was thinking about two horizontal boards up top and one on the ground with one vertical board at each end and three in the middle 4 feet apart.

 

[dun]

4 foot may be a little too far apart.

 

[Deepsouth]

Sorry about that. I meant 3 on the inside 3 foot apart.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sorry about that. I meant 3 on the inside 3 foot apart.

Still too wide. We bought a creep gate 2 years ago at Southern States and the openings are about 2 feet tops.

 

[Deepsouth]

Sorry about that. I meant 3 on the inside 3 foot apart.

Still too wide. We bought a creep gate 2 years ago at Southern States and the openings are about 2 feet tops.

Do you know the hight of the creep bar?

 

[M5farm]

Set you about 6 wood post about 18 to 24" apart. Screw a couple boards across the top to sturdy it. If you make it at an angle the gate will close back to it to close the rest of the gap.

 

[LRTX1]

We just open the gate about 2 foot, set a post to chain the gate to and screw a board to the 2 posts. That way you can still have a functional gate when needed. I would set the board just a few inches above the calves back and no wider than it has to be.

 

[Deepsouth]

Set you about 6 wood post about 18 to 24" apart. Screw a couple boards across the top to sturdy it. If you make it at an angle the gate will close back to it to close the rest of the gap.

Draw me a picture.

 

[Deepsouth]

We just open the gate about 2 foot, set a post to chain the gate to and screw a board to the 2 posts. That way you can still have a functional gate when needed. I would set the board just a few inches above the calves back and no wider than it has to be.

That's an excellent idea! I only doing this with a dozen calves so I think that'll work fine.


Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Bigfoot]

We just open the gate about 2 foot, set a post to chain the gate to and screw a board to the 2 posts. That way you can still have a functional gate when needed. I would set the board just a few inches above the calves back and no wider than it has to be.

Pure genious

 

[LRTX1]

I'll tell dad you like his idea. He is stingier with materials than me. One post and a cut off 2x4. And knowing him probably only 2 nails from a bucket of used nails he had me straighten when I was a kid.

 

[redcowsrule33]

I built a creep gate out of 2x6 and 2x4 material and bolted the 2x4 verticals to the frame using 24" spacing (the plans I used said to go 18" for calves up to 600# bit 24" seemed better). Used bolts so if a cow got herself stuck I could undo it more easily w/o cutting it apart. Yes I had to get one girl out when I first put it up. I used it on a piece of pasture that I keep as a reserve creep pasture for the calves that is adjacent to the feeding area I use during drought. Planning on chaining it this year in a gate opening once the cows are off pasture to creep the calves some better hay.

 

[Gunner]

I had a section from an old metal round bale ring, the kind that has 3 sections that you bolt together to make the ring. I cut the middle rails out of one side to make the opening, left top and bottom rails. I wire it to the gate post and the end of the gate. Light enough to move around easily and works well for me.

 

[greybeard]

I'll tell dad you like his idea. He is stingier with materials than me. One post and a cut off 2x4. And knowing him probably only 2 nails from a bucket of used nails he had me straighten when I was a kid.

Aww man, you HAD to mention straightening nails?? Everytime the weather got bad it was "You boys get to pulllin the nails out of those old boards and pallets and straighten them nails so I can use 'em--and don't you drop any--I don't want to be fixin flat tires all year".

My kids went and spent a week with him when they were young and spent 1/2 their time their doing the same thing.

 

[dun]

I thought I was the only one that spent summers pulling nails from used lumber and straightening nails.

 

[J&D Cattle]

Dad built his barn out of old lumber that we had to pull nails from. He didn't reuse the nails though. I was young but remember being under his and Grandpa's feet as they'd pull coffee can after coffee can full.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

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A creep area can be very simple.