Headgate / chute for bulls

[HOSS]

Not sure which board to pose this question so I'll just put it here cause this catagory gets lots of traffic.

I have a squeeze chute / head gate combo set up that works well with cows and calves. Back in April I ran my bull through it for his vaccinations and he barely fit. The set-up held him ok as he is pretty laid back but I held my breath the whole time.

I have another Filson head gate that we have strengthened with extra supports. I am thinking about making a heavy duty chute out of some highway guard rails that I have got. I have two 9 foot long heavy steel pipes (6" diameter with 1/4" wall thickness) that I plan to set 3 feet deep into concrete and bolt the head gate to. The guard rail will be bolted to the pipes at one end and two 9 foot pieces of telephone pole at the other. Should this hold most any bull that I would want to put into it?

 

[Bama]

Braced properly that would hold a bull elephant. When closing the headgate on a big bull squeeze at the same time. If you can keep them from throwing their weight around it will help alot. I know its easier said than done. Limiting movement is the key. If they can't move much they can't tear up as much. Either going through the center or out the side make sure when you turn him loose he is completely loose. Opening a side gate with the head still caught is gonna be rough on the headgate with a big bull.

 

[flaboy-]

I usually have less problems out of my bulls in the chute than I do the stupid cows. My bulls usually just stand there and take their meds. The cows, even the "gentle" ones sometimes just go nuts. My problem is sometimes getting the head catch released with a big bull in it.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

years ago my neighbor hung a head catch on some landscape timbers. his bull went in the catch and proceeded on. carrying the whole works with him it was a circus act getting that thing off in the pasture :cboy:

 

[MikeC]

years ago my neighbor hung a head catch on some landscape timbers. his bull went in the catch and proceeded on. carrying the whole works with him it was a circus act getting that thing off in the pasture :cboy:

That conjures up a GREAT visual!

 

[HOSS]

My thoughts are that overkill on this is better than the alternative :lol:

 

[ALACOWMAN]

My thoughts are that overkill on this is better than the alternative :lol:

DEFINITLY ;-)

 

[Bama]

years ago my neighbor hung a head catch on some landscape timbers. his bull went in the catch and proceeded on. carrying the whole works with him it was a circus act getting that thing off in the pasture :cboy:

Sounds like a simular story that happened to me as a kid. We were working some cattle and was using a homemade head gate. It was made from timbers. The catch piece was pinned in the center and moved from side to side to catch. My job was to catch and hold em. When the big bull came through I had already figured out I wouldn't be able to hold him. As a kid I was a little bitty skinny thing, not near the fat guy I am now. When the bull stuck his head through I pulled the rope and hung on. I was able to get a wrap on him so I had him. Wrong, that sucker broke the hinges and lifted the whole thing off the
post. Then he proceeded off into the pasture with head gate still attached. We were not quite sure what to do in the way of getting it off. Lucky for us he got it off himself about a 1/4 mile from the corral. Things like that you just tend to remember.

 

[alabama]

I recomend that post set for any head gate be at least 4 foot deep and set in concrete. Six by six steel post work well.

 

[Herefordcross]

Ours is bolted on one side to a building on the other side a telephone pole. If anything comes through and moves it then I quit!!