Loading thru a headgate?

[greybeard]

I need to load a smallish frame 1500lb bull and the area leading to my usual load chutet is still pretty soggy from rain earlier in the week. The ground where my headgate and alley are is lots better, but I've never loaded anything there but calves and I'm concerned about getting him up on the trailer at the headgate. Trailer floor is about 18" off the ground, so that's not going to leave a lot of room between his back and the top of the headgate once he starts to step or jump up on the trailer. IOW, he might hit his back hard on the top part of the headgate before he can squeeze thru/under the top bar of the gate and into the trailer. Am I just over thinking and imagining this as a problem? Last thing I need is to injure him right before he goes to the barn. I don't really want to unbolt the headgate, but that's an option if I have to. :frowns:
Preifert auto/manual headgate and this bull. Picture is from 2013, but he isn't much bigger now.

 

[hurleyjd]

What kind of trailer. Can you swing the tailgate open to give him more room and clear the head gate. Surely you have a gate laying around to close the other side opposite the tail gate. Also he looks gentle just put a feed bucket in the trailer and see if he will go in and load.

 

[J&D Cattle]

He'll definitely hit his back. I've done it with cows around the 1200lb mark and most of them would hit when jumping. I'd put two panels out front and tie them to the trailer if you have a sliding rear gate. If he's pretty rank might have to drive some T-posts and tie the panels to those.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I agree with what was said. A bucket of grain and/or some hay. I have never had to load anything from a chute or head gate. If there's feed in there, I bet he will get in.

 

[greybeard]

An older 20' x 6'-8" Gooseneck brand trailer with swinging (not sliding) rear gate. Yeah, he's pretty calm and docile in open areas and in the holding pen, but stand offish if you know what I mean--right up till he goes into an alley or chute. Gets pretty feisty then. One of the reasons I'm getting rid of him. Yeah, I can also extend the area out in front of the headgate with some 12' long portable panels if I can get them tied off to something on both ends, but by the time he gets thru the sweep, and down 36' feet of alleyway, I'm pretty sure he's going to be ripping and snortin and I'm going to be doing it alone--I can't be on both sides at the same time if he tries to go over the top of the panels.
I might better just plan on having to pull the truck and trailer in and out with the tractor and use the loading chute..this will be weekend #3 for planning to load him--weather rain and lightning have not cooperated.

 

[M-5]

Does head gate door swing open. If they do then you will be fine. You can also dig a small hole for your trailer tires to set in to lower rear of trailer.

 

[M-5]

Can also hook trailer to a drawbar on tractor and lift it to lower rear of trailer to ground level

 

[highgrit]

Can also hook trailer to a drawbar on tractor and lift it to lower rear of trailer to ground level

Now your talking.

 

[jltrent]

Where I load mine I took a tractor and dug out were the trailer wheels set and it is almost level with the ground now. The cattle walk in before they know it.

 

[greybeard]

Good suggestions, but if I do any digging, that hole will fill with water immediately from ground water under the surface. My whole place is floating. I do like the tractor drawbar idea.
If weather holds everything shuld go pretty good.
I'll sure be glad when he's gone--he has good sperm count and motility but low libido--just a lazy bull that missed about 1/3 of the heifers and 1 calf cows he was with. I've seen the girls climbing all over each other and too often he didn't even get up to take a sniff. Shulda sent him off a long time ago.

 

[greybeard]

Good suggestions, but if I do any digging, that hole will fill with water immediately from ground water under the surface. My whole place is floating. I do like the tractor drawbar idea.
If weather holds everything shuld go pretty good.
I'll sure be glad when he's gone--

 

[MudHog]

I'm assuming the headgate is mounted permanently? If not, could you remove the headgate and then chain a temporary door?

Do you have any portable panels? Could you add a couple portable panels to the headgate and extend the chute? Secure one end to your existing chute and the other end to the trailer?

 

[dieselbeef]

i only load from the headgate. i back right to it and they just walk thru and step right up. i get it within 2 ft of the gate and when he goes in almost always its far enough to catch him with a the divider. a panel to make things sfaer if ya need to close up any gaps but ive loaded some crazy ones and it works for me. i have used a rope to pull the divider shut so i dont go inside the trlr

 

[slick4591]

snip...

Do you have any portable panels? Could you add a couple portable panels to the headgate and extend the chute? Secure one end to your existing chute and the other end to the trailer?

That's exactly the way I have to load. My chute is permanent and sits 3' inside of the main barn door. I have 6' panels that I have fashioned hooks to hang on the trailer and chain the other end to the headgate. Works great for my animals, but it's never been tested on anything salty.

 

[Hook]

Chain a portable panel to each side of the Headgate exit and then chain the other end to the trailer.
We loaded out hogs, cows and steers through the Headgate this way.