Mat in the bottom of a chute or no?

[Hpacres440p]

What is the general opinion…I have an old metal-base Priefert chute. It works ok but I've noticed that if an animal gets startled or tries to scramble, they are slipping and sliding a lot, especially if they've peed in the chute. I have a feeling a restrained head with scrambling body doesn't improve handling for future chute use.
Does anyone use thin stall mats or any other liner for better animal traction, or does that defeat the "upper hand" capability and give the cow too much security in the chute?

 

[bird dog]

What is the general opinion…I have an old metal-base Priefert chute. It works ok but I've noticed that if an animal gets startled or tries to scramble, they are slipping and sliding a lot, especially if they've peed in the chute. I have a feeling a restrained head with scrambling body doesn't improve handling for future chute use.
Does anyone use thin stall mats or any other liner for better animal traction, or does that defeat the "upper hand" capability and give the cow too much security in the chute?

It will trap moisture and speed up the rusting out of your chute. Weld a few round bars on the bottom if you don't have some already.

 

[Hpacres440p]

It will trap moisture and speed up the rusting out of your chute. Weld a few round bars on the bottom if you don't have some already.

Good point. There are crossbars already, just seems to still be slick

 

[50/50Farms]

Never dealt with a chute with a metal floor, and this may sound dumb as hell, but maybe try some sand or dirt or something and then just sweep it off after you're done. Feel free to tell me if that's a dumb idea.

 

[Warren Allison]

It will trap moisture and speed up the rusting out of your chute. Weld a few round bars on the bottom if you don't have some already.

You can use horse trailer mats, or those thick rubber mats that you put down where people have to stand on concrete at work, and pull them out after you use the chute each time.

 

[Buck Randall]

Thi

You can use horse trailer mats, or those thick rubber mats that you put down where people have to stand on concrete at work, and pull them out after you use the chute each time.

My experience is that those don't provide enough traction when wet to make a difference in a chute, unless they are very deeply grooved and anchored to the floor, which gets back around to the problem of moisture and rust.

 

[Hpacres440p]

You can use horse trailer mats, or those thick rubber mats that you put down where people have to stand on concrete at work, and pull them out after you use the chute each time.

I think that may be a possibility

 

[alacowman1]

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-6562/Outdoor-Entry-Mats/Tire-Link-Mat-2-x-3. Something made like this will drain, plus grip good..take them out and spray them off

 

[Travlr]

I like solid footing for my animals. The upsides outweigh the down...

I've never used equipment with a solid floor, but it seems like if you used a truck bed mat or some other kind of solid rubber and it was bolted down well so it couldn't move... and done when it was dry... the mat might keep moisture and manure away from the metal floor.

 

[alacowman1]

Could put a textured paint down like gator grip..this would be cheaper and not let it hold moisture..plus some has the rust proofer in it

 

[Son of Butch]

What is the general opinion….
Does anyone use thin stall mats or any other liner for better animal traction, or does that defeat the "upper hand" capability and give the cow too much security in the chute?

My opinion is no.
Suggest keeping a bucket of sand or a bag of barn lime handy for the times you might need it in the chute.
No such thing as a cow feeling too secure in the chute.

 

[Dave]

Squeeze them tighter. I have always noted that once squeezed tight they quit scrambling. I always squeeze them as tight as possible.

 

[Warren Allison]

I think that may be a possibility

How often do you work cattle? And usually how many at a time? Is this chute in the open or under a covered shed? Is there water for a water hose close by?

 

[Hpacres440p]

How often do you work cattle? And usually how many at a time? Is this chute in the open or under a covered shed? Is there water for a water hose close by?

Very few-2-3 max, maybe every 6 months max. Chute is half covered (rear half). No hose nearby.

 

[bird dog]

I rarely clean my Priefert. It seems senseless. Life's to short for that. It gets used often and I'm time constrained. Like a livestock trailer, the manure dries up quickly and provides grit for traction. Also like a trailer, it somewhat cleans itself with the cows kicking the dried manure out the slots under the bottom section and out the rear. I'm confident the chute will outlast me and if not, Priefert will rebuild it for their cost of material.

 

[Warren Allison]

Very few-2-3 max, maybe every 6 months max. Chute is half covered (rear half). No hose nearby.

If that's all you gonna work at a time, then I'd cut a mat to fit tight, maybe even a piece of carpet, and just put it in when I went to work the cows. You cut it tight, and it won;t slip much. Heck, with just 2 -3 cows twice a year, you could even screw it down with a portable frill each time. And as some have said, squeeze them as tight as you can.

 

[gcreekrch]

I rarely clean my Priefert. It seems senseless. Life's to short for that. It gets used often and I'm time constrained. Like a livestock trailer, the manure dries up quickly and provides grit for traction. Also like a trailer, it somewhat cleans itself with the cows kicking the dried manure out the slots under the bottom section and out the rear. I'm confident the chute will outlast me and if not, Priefert will rebuild it for their cost of material.

Consider yourself fortunate you have never had to chop frozen $h!+ out of a chute because it wasn't shovelled out the last time it was used……

 

[Silver]

Consider yourself fortunate you have never had to chop frozen $h!+ out of a chute because it wasn't shovelled out the last time it was used……

Yep, good times……

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

Our Arrowquip chute has a factory rubber mat in it and it works great. It is definitely the best chute we have ever used.

 

[chaded]

I have never had slipping issues with my Priefert but my cows walk through pretty calm. Calves that go through for the first time can be a different story sometimes. Lol.