Looking for opinions Regarding working pens and chutes

[Bryan L]

I have both preifert and a powder river chutes. I greatly prefer the powder river for anything even a notch over dog gentle. I haven't used any panels or gates other than powder river for years but that's for a reason for that and I won't buy anything else. They'll hold whatever you put in them. They're expensive but it's a one time investment.

That's the same thing I hear from folks around here that own Powder River equipment. The local sale barn won't buy any thing else. There's some wild cows that come thru those gates!

I appreciate you sharing your experience. I hope I can make it happen. Like you say, it's $$$$$$!

Bryan

 

[Bryan L]

Priefert is good but some of their sweeps is too light. I have one of their head gates and sweeps--the head gate is good, sweep is ok, but the alley is too light. They some better alley panels, but I cheaped out and regret it. Buy the heaviest stuff your budget allows for.

Greybeard,

That's good to know! Preifert makes the premier, rough stock and sheeted sweep and alley. The premier version does 'look' lighter than the other two. I haven't looked up the weights of each style. Are you referring to that one? Thanks in advance.

Bryan

Yes the Premier. The curved parts and the aley sections that the squeezechute and head gate attach to are heavier than the standard 12' Premier panels, but a regular 12' Premier panel is pretty light. Ok for calves and docile cattle but I wish I had gone with the rough stock panels for the whole pen.
A standard 12' Premier panel weighs 90 lbs and chains together.
A standard 12' Rough Stock panel weighs 122lbs and pins together.
I have not had any wrecks with my pen and sweep/headgate, and to be honest, I do like the chain connections too, better than the pin together panels I've used before--makes it easy to move and set back up in a different way and allows for uneven ground. I don't remember the # on my headgate, but it's the auto catch, which you can also use manually.

Greybeard,

Great info, thank you!

Bryan

 

[Bryan L]

WW is very good stuff.

Thank you sir!

 

[Bryan L]

I recently bought a prefiert, love that thing. Simple to use and sturdy as can be

Jallen,

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated!

Bryan

 

[Bryan L]

It sounds like you have a very nice barn to work under! You also have plenty of space to work with, so I do not blame you for wanting a nice system. I do not know anything about WW. Hopefully someone here will.

Branguscowgirl,

Nice might be a stretch, but it gets the job done. Thank you for your comments!

Bryan

 

[Brute 23]

Not sure your location but there is a company called Ranger Gate. You can walk in and talk right to the owner and design your pens. We put one set up on a lease than pins together with a sweep.

On the next place I went in and had him build custom panels to fit my design. They are heavier panel and they clamp together. It also uses a bud box instead of the sweep. IMO the second set is 10x the pens. When you clamp it together it is stout. Then pin type will start walking on you if you don't attach them to posts. I hade #800 Brahman X bull calves going at it in the bud box while I sat on the top rail and watched. Another one trying to go air born and came down on top the panel. He just fell back in the pen.

This is all just my opinion but its worth a look. Not sure how the other companies are but being able to sit down and design my pens was well worth it. Unless you are moving the panels multiple times a year... go with clamps. Its a lot more stout and is cheaper. After that second set I cant see building permanent pens again.

 

[Bryan L]

Not sure your location but there is a company called Ranger Gate. You can walk in and talk right to the owner and design your pens. We put one set up on a lease than pins together with a sweep.

On the next place I went in and had him build custom panels to fit my design. They are heavier panel and they clamp together. It also uses a bud box instead of the sweep. IMO the second set is 10x the pens. When you clamp it together it is stout. Then pin type will start walking on you if you don't attach them to posts. I hade #800 Brahman X bull calves going at it in the bud box while I sat on the top rail and watched. Another one trying to go air born and came down on top the panel. He just fell back in the pen.

This is all just my opinion but its worth a look. Not sure how the other companies are but being able to sit down and design my pens was well worth it. Unless you are moving the panels multiple times a year... go with clamps. Its a lot more stout and is cheaper. After that second set I cant see building permanent pens again.

Brute 23,

Good info, thanks. I didn't realize my location wasn't under my name. I located in east central Alabama. I'll look them up online.

Bryan

 

[Dave]

The majority of what I have is Powder River. The alley and palp cage I bought used at a farm auction. It came with an older PR chute that I didn't need so I sold it. Ended up with just a couple hundred into the alley and palp cage. Last fall I bought a new PR XL manual squeeze chute. It wasn't cheap, $5200. It is the new ratchet squeeze model. The squeeze handle goes up out of the way, no head knocking. The head gate handle is pretty much vertical when a cow is caught so it is also out of the way and no knocking my head like the old PR chutes. I really like it. I had an old PR Longhorn chute that I bought at an auction. I sold it for what I paid for it. The sweep is a Big Valley it was brand new at an auction. Didn't look like it had ever been set up. I don't know why it was there but it works fine and I only paid half price for it. Other than my new chute everything came from farm auctions at a considerable savings.

 

[Big Cheese]

I've been reading all these posts and thought I would ask this....What is wrong with Tarter panels? My dad and I just bought some Tarter panels and built a small corral for one of our pastures. They are pretty lightweight don't get me wrong and I don't know how well they will hold up with a crazy cow but most of our cows are very tame so.... but I am very satisfied with how they look and set up. I know they wont last forever and aren't the best in the world but We saved about $2000 by getting them so I was just wondering what everyone's opinions were with them since they were mentioned earlier.

 

[Bryan L]

I've been reading all these posts and thought I would ask this....What is wrong with Tarter panels? My dad and I just bought some Tarter panels and built a small corral for one of our pastures. They are pretty lightweight don't get me wrong and I don't know how well they will hold up with a crazy cow but most of our cows are very tame so.... but I am very satisfied with how they look and set up. I know they wont last forever and aren't the best in the world but We saved about $2000 by getting them so I was just wondering what everyone's opinions were with them since they were mentioned earlier.

Big Cheese,

This is strictly my opinion! Most of the welds are only 'tacks', not welded over the entire joint. The diameter of the tube is as important as the thickness. The bigger the tube the easier it can be bent. I think it's ok to use if your not putting pressure on the animal, but nothing more. There is a distinct difference in appearance and weight with the other brands. My cows are not wild, but roughly 1500 lbs and my bull is less than 2 1/2 years old and he's 1800 lbs. when they're scared or having a calf, all bets are off. After what happened to me personally this past weekend, I want Fort Knox between them and me! Again, my opinion....

Bryan

 

[Chainsaw Driver]

We purchased a WW Beefmaster squeeze chute and love it! It was pricey but heavily constructed and large enough for our big girls. I built my own alley and palpation cage. Our squeeze has the vaccination doors on it and they are super handy. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Priefert is also nice but seemed a bit small for our needs. I'm very happy with our choice.

 

[jedstivers]

WW is what one of the barns we by from use.

 

[Bryan L]

We purchased a WW Beefmaster squeeze chute and love it! It was pricey but heavily constructed and large enough for our big girls. I built my own alley and palpation cage. Our squeeze has the vaccination doors on it and they are super handy. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Priefert is also nice but seemed a bit small for our needs. I'm very happy with our choice.

I am very impressed with th WW chute as well as the sweep and alley equipment. Thanks for the info.

Bryan

 

[Bryan L]

WW is what one of the barns we by from use.

No doubt it's a excellent product. Thank you.

Bryan

 

[Caustic Burno]

Neighbor has one it is nice, I am just tighter than a crabs asss that is waterproof and built mine.

 

[Bryan L]

Neighbor has one it is nice, I am just tighter than a crabs asss that is waterproof and built mine.

No argument from me, there are very expensive. My problem is I need a working pen yesterday, It rains on my off days and this time of year my paying job keeps me very busy. It's just easier for me cough up the $$$. I'd prefer not too because I'd rather buy a couple of 3 in 1's with the same cash...

Bryan

 

[BigBear]

I know this is an old topic but I'm a pretty small time operation and the Rural King near me has the Tarter squeeze chutes with auto head gate for under $2k and the cheapest Prefert is close to $4k. Has anyone used the Tarter chutes? I would be running 10 head through the chute twice a year probably. Comments welcome!

 

[RanchMan90]

I know this is an old topic but I'm a pretty small time operation and the Rural King near me has the Tarter squeeze chutes with auto head gate for under $2k and the cheapest Prefert is close to $4k. Has anyone used the Tarter chutes? I would be running 10 head through the chute twice a year probably. Comments welcome!

Would a headgate work for your needs? More economical and let the cows pay for the squeeze chute after a couple calf crops.

 

[Anonymous]

:welcome: any thing beats nothing if you have the money you can get anything you want main thing you need first is pens to hold them ordinary pipe gate work but trust me they bend .yes bent my share i started out with friend power an old guy telling me an few buddies where to push an hold then we fixed a hing deal in a seperate pen in the barn some of us would squeze them up aginst the wall an hold on ! .no one got killed. but you really need pens then you can make ally along side it drive some post in to mount a head gate on just head gate for now is much cheaper to start with 10 what you got simple set up comeing out of a pen with head gate will get you by if it in the barn you will need plenty of light if cows arent to wild you will be fine with some oak boards for your ally up to your head gate heave piece of pipe aginst a post aprox 6 to 7 ft behind headgate will keep them from backing up put your post at least 4 ft in ground there are some simple set ups if you check university web sites or do a search on this site and others. dont be afraid to ask there a lot great cow people here

 

[Anonymous]

in fact you may want to start a new post so it gets noticed