Hoof Trimming Chute instead of a Squeeze Chute?

[tikkasniper]

Good Morning,

We have sold off our Dairy herd but we kept the heifers and we have also added a small herd of Angus (<15). When we ran the Dairy, I never had a reason for the chute as we worked with the animals every day and they were very easy to doctor in a stall. Now that we have animals outside, I need to purchase a facility to allow me to treat/deworm the animals without putting myself or the animals in danger.

Since we will never have more than 50 animals, I am struggling with the price of a new squeeze chute. I am currently on a waiting list to purchase a new Real-Tuff chute from Dave but since we are in Pennsylvania, there is an unknown delivery date. $6K for a chute to fun 50 animals through is hard to swallow.

I have looked for used chutes but they are hard to come by. There is a Zimmerman Hoof Trimming chute available in our area that is used but is in near new condition. I would like having the ability to do hoof care as we currently outsource that to a custom guy that comes twice a year to do hoof care on all of the animals. My only concern is the hoof chute would not be strong enough for the beef animals. Also, I will use the chute to get the calves nursing on the first time mom's if there is an issue. The access to the underside of an animal is much tighter in a hoof trimming chute versus the Real-Tuff squeeze chute.

Does anyone have experience using a hoof chute for dual purposes? If I can save the $3500 on a chute, I can add more animals to the herd posting.php?mode=post&f=8#

 

[Aaron]

The hoof trimming chute from Dave is good, but I would only use it for relatively docile cows as a squeeze chute, so they aren't trying to ram their heads through the sides, or climb the walls. Calves would be a no-no as there are to many openings for them to get heads caught or to try and squeeze through. The Zimmerman chute has the same problem, cows-ok, calves-no.

 

[Gators Rule]

Look at a Prefeirt S04 squeeze. Less than $6000, and is about as good a chute as they come. It's not a hoof trimmer, but is what it is....a very good squeeze chute. There are others that are probably as good, based upon preferences, but I doubt they come much better. You could also just look for a head catch, and place it at the end of your pen's alleyway.

 

[TexasBred]

Good Morning,

We have sold off our Dairy herd but we kept the heifers and we have also added a small herd of Angus (<15). When we ran the Dairy, I never had a reason for the chute as we worked with the animals every day and they were very easy to doctor in a stall. Now that we have animals outside, I need to purchase a facility to allow me to treat/deworm the animals without putting myself or the animals in danger.

Since we will never have more than 50 animals, I am struggling with the price of a new squeeze chute. I am currently on a waiting list to purchase a new Real-Tuff chute from Dave but since we are in Pennsylvania, there is an unknown delivery date. $6K for a chute to fun 50 animals through is hard to swallow.

I have looked for used chutes but they are hard to come by. There is a Zimmerman Hoof Trimming chute available in our area that is used but is in near new condition. I would like having the ability to do hoof care as we currently outsource that to a custom guy that comes twice a year to do hoof care on all of the animals. My only concern is the hoof chute would not be strong enough for the beef animals. Also, I will use the chute to get the calves nursing on the first time mom's if there is an issue. The access to the underside of an animal is much tighter in a hoof trimming chute versus the Real-Tuff squeeze chute.

Does anyone have experience using a hoof chute for dual purposes? If I can save the $3500 on a chute, I can add more animals to the herd posting.php?mode=post&f=8#

Get a headgate...you don't have to have a squeeze or hoof trimming chute.