Need working facility

[TNtrout23]

So I had planned on hauling all of my calves off today. Man how a good day can turn in a split second.

I have 2 small catch pens split down the middle. There are gates on the same end to release back into the pasture and a gate in the middle to sort the calf's or cows from 1 catch pen from the other. One of the pens also has a gate making it into 2 separates and also has the alley way at the end of it. Everything was going great until the very first calf went in the trailer and the other calves stopped in the alley way giving the first calf enough time to get in the trailer and turn around and come back out of it. That's when everything went south. The other calves started stepping back with the front one pushing them. They ended up back in the catch pen and the calf that was turned backwards ended up jumping up on the gate bending it down allowing it and another to escaped. I ended up getting my wife out to help close the slide door on the trailer when there was a gap of the calves moving.

So I need to come up with something to help since 90% of the time I can't get any help with the wife watching a 5 and 2 year old. I'm wide open to suggestions. My alley way is just built of cattle panels with posts where they join at so they can't push it any wider. I've been on the fence about getting a squeeze chute and possibly a sweep tub but that way before I realized the trailer I just bought won't pull with my truck. These newer trucks with the older style goosenecks aren't a good match. I ended up having to lower the coupler so much that the first axle of the trailer wouldn't even touch the ground so I'm S.O.L. on the trailer.

 

[4hfarms]

I have never loaded without an issue, no matter how small...... always something.

No one ever said ranching was easy.

Maybe time for a cattle prod?

 

[kenny thomas]

I seen lots of bent gates and corral panels before i built my lots. I bought 7 bar super heavy duty galvanized gates. Took 3 people and a loader to hang them but even the cows and bulls never try to jump.
If you have something higher than your head they rarely will try to jump.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Working at the sale barn I didn't see it all, but it was close.
I could tell you story after story about people who got to take ambulance rides or helicopter rides from working cattle in facilities that were designed to just get by.
My kids and retired dad enjoy helping me. I don't have fancy equipment, but the one thing I won't skimp on is SAFE cattle facilities. Tall heavy gates on hinges, tall fences with plenty of posts to hold them.

Lots of good ideas on how to repurpose materials and build reasonably priced safe facilities.

 

[Brute 23]

Any time I have had some thing go south in the chute it was because the cattle stopped moving forward. Keep them moving.

 

[TNtrout23]

I try to save every penny I can since I'm just a 6 momma operation. Try not to spend the big bucks unless it's really needed. Hoping the 4 I took today and the other 2 when I get them up in a week or 2 ( give them time to settle down) will bring pretty decent so I can do some budgeting and purchase something that's really needed. After the first 2 got in the trailer and got the cut gate closed on them. The other 2 started in the chute and was slow going so I jumped behind them pretty much pushing them to keep moving. Not the best idea but they kept moving and as soon as the last one got in my wife slid the gate closed. I tried to 20+ minutes to get the other 2 to come back in the pen with feed and that was a big negative. I'll give them a couple weeks and then try them again. If only they would have all loaded up together to make one trip. It's 150 miles round trip but oh well. Life goes on

 

[Warren Allison]

So I had planned on hauling all of my calves off today. Man how a good day can turn in a split second.

I have 2 small catch pens split down the middle. There are gates on the same end to release back into the pasture and a gate in the middle to sort the calf's or cows from 1 catch pen from the other. One of the pens also has a gate making it into 2 separates and also has the alley way at the end of it. Everything was going great until the very first calf went in the trailer and the other calves stopped in the alley way giving the first calf enough time to get in the trailer and turn around and come back out of it. That's when everything went south. The other calves started stepping back with the front one pushing them. They ended up back in the catch pen and the calf that was turned backwards ended up jumping up on the gate bending it down allowing it and another to escaped. I ended up getting my wife out to help close the slide door on the trailer when there was a gap of the calves moving.

So I need to come up with something to help since 90% of the time I can't get any help with the wife watching a 5 and 2 year old. I'm wide open to suggestions. My alley way is just built of cattle panels with posts where they join at so they can't push it any wider. I've been on the fence about getting a squeeze chute and possibly a sweep tub but that way before I realized the trailer I just bought won't pull with my truck. These newer trucks with the older style goosenecks aren't a good match. I ended up having to lower the coupler so much that the first axle of the trailer wouldn't even touch the ground so I'm S.O.L. on the trailer.

Tell me more about your truck and trailer. What model truck do you have that a GN trailer's axels ae off the ground? What make and year model trailer do you have? You mentioned lowering the coupler? Is it a pickup that you are using, and the bed is too deep ( sides are too high)?

 

[Brute 23]

I like the hot shots that are about 6' long. It gives me a longer wing span and a good buffer. When running cattle up a chute like that I like to hold it right off their butt and just keep pace with them. If they stop it will touch them and I can bump the button or do what I need to do to keep them moving.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I've had the best luck with nice calm mama cows and a good gentle bull. They produce calves for me that I can move easily by myself. I don't whoop and hollar and go slow n easy. Most times I load em by myself. Cows too. They are always easy going for me. Anything that's stupid left a long time ago.

My pen/loading area is laughable to most folks. My buddy helped a bit last time. He's always amazed. Only guy he knows that pets his animals while loading them.

 

[StrojanHerefords]

If you have to use a hot shot you are doing things too fast. First it is important to get in the right frame of mind. Turn off the Chris Ledoux and put on some Conway Twitty : Lay you down, Slow hand you've never been this far before.... A half dozen panels and a few flakes of hay is that is needed.

 

[kenny thomas]

I try to save every penny I can since I'm just a 6 momma operation. Try not to spend the big bucks unless it's really needed. Hoping the 4 I took today and the other 2 when I get them up in a week or 2 ( give them time to settle down) will bring pretty decent so I can do some budgeting and purchase something that's really needed. After the first 2 got in the trailer and got the cut gate closed on them. The other 2 started in the chute and was slow going so I jumped behind them pretty much pushing them to keep moving. Not the best idea but they kept moving and as soon as the last one got in my wife slid the gate closed. I tried to 20+ minutes to get the other 2 to come back in the pen with feed and that was a big negative. I'll give them a couple weeks and then try them again. If only they would have all loaded up together to make one trip. It's 150 miles round trip but oh well. Life goes on

You dont have to spend a lot to help it work better. If it don't make sense to spend on gates then add something above them that will block the view. If they cant see through or over a gate they arent as likely to try to jump.
Where are you in TN that its so far to sell, or is it because you need to sell on Saturdays.

 

[sstterry]

I try to save every penny I can since I'm just a 6 momma operation. Try not to spend the big bucks unless it's really needed. Hoping the 4 I took today and the other 2 when I get them up in a week or 2 ( give them time to settle down) will bring pretty decent so I can do some budgeting and purchase something that's really needed. After the first 2 got in the trailer and got the cut gate closed on them. The other 2 started in the chute and was slow going so I jumped behind them pretty much pushing them to keep moving. Not the best idea but they kept moving and as soon as the last one got in my wife slid the gate closed. I tried to 20+ minutes to get the other 2 to come back in the pen with feed and that was a big negative. I'll give them a couple weeks and then try them again. If only they would have all loaded up together to make one trip. It's 150 miles round trip but oh well. Life goes on

You should read some of the work by Dr. Temple Grandin. She explains a lot about cattle behavior and building facilities. It does not have to be expensive to be safe and effective.

 

[ClinchValley86]

My setup gives me two options for loading the trailer. I can do a straight shot next to the alley way leading to the chute, or I can run them down the alley way and through the side door on the chute and into the trailer.

Seems to me they do much better when they cannot see the trailer til they are right there at it. Gives them no time to think about it. Once they start going, don't let up. Keep that pressure on them.

I've been poked at for it, but I make the trailer inviting to them too. Put a little fresh hay and sprinkle some corn to make it smell good. Might put a couple small piles at the front so they stay when the get on. I don't have a cut gate so have to get them all the first go.

Mine also load much much better with someone other than myself behind them.

 

[BFE]

Since you're on a budget, get old electric poles or railroad ties. They're cheap/free and are stout. Go to the sawmill and get some oak 2x8's at the smallest and build it tall, like Kenny said. You can still use your panels, just put a 2x about waist high to stiffen them up. Use timber tite's or something similar, not those little screws. Treat your wood with used oil a couple times a year, and coat the top of your posts with roof tar. Use only the butt end of the posts. This recipe won't break the bank, and will do the job, and last for years with a little maintenance.

 

[cowman82]

my first corral I built some small doors in the alley . once you opened them they hit against the other side at about a 45 degree angle. that kept them from backing up and I could be in there pushing them. It worked pretty good and might be what you need.

I'd get some pipe and build them, i built them out of wood and it lasted but pipe with a solid sheet welded in would be ideal.

corral panels with a few posts are not going to last. Those are expensive to replace. Try to find some heavy duty pipe panels. put some posts in the middle. once they know they can't do nothing but what you want.. thats when its a lot easier to move them.

 

[Stonewall Joe]

I've had the best luck with nice calm mama cows and a good gentle bull. They produce calves for me that I can move easily by myself. I don't whoop and hollar and go slow n easy. Most times I load em by myself. Cows too. They are always easy going for me. Anything that's stupid left a long time ago.

My pen/loading area is laughable to most folks. My buddy helped a bit last time. He's always amazed. Only guy he knows that pets his animals while loading them.

I think a big mistake a lot of people make is they only put cattle in a pen or send them down an alley when it's time to doctor or load. I understand that if you have a lot of cattle. We will usually top out at about 40 or 50 head so it's easier for me but I try to make a point of feeding the cattle in the catch pen a time or 2 a month and quietly move from one sorting pen to the other, then push them into the bud box and let them walk down the chute slowly and not try to catch one. I find that when we do that they're usually not hard to pen and they will head down the chute. I try to get rid of the crazies early on. I have the tall 24' long "portable" panels now instead of our old makeshift catch system and that makes it easier too but even our old set up was 6' tall to discourage most jumping. I understand also it's abit of a pain to do it this way but just penning them up every once in a while makes it to catch them

 

[SBMF 2015]

I think a big mistake a lot of people make is they only put cattle in a pen or send them down an alley when it's time to doctor or load. I understand that if you have a lot of cattle. We will usually top out at about 40 or 50 head so it's easier for me but I try to make a point of feeding the cattle in the catch pen a time or 2 a month and quietly move from one sorting pen to the other, then push them into the bud box and let them walk down the chute slowly and not try to catch one. I find that when we do that they're usually not hard to pen and they will head down the chute. I try to get rid of the crazies early on. I have the tall 24' long "portable" panels now instead of our old makeshift catch system and that makes it easier too but even our old set up was 6' tall to discourage most jumping. I understand also it's abit of a pain to do it this way but just penning them up every once in a while makes it to catch them

Just because of where my pastures are in comparison to my wintering spot and the farm with the good facilities my cows get loaded/hauled/worked 3-4 times a year. They know when I say load it's time to get on. It's easy.

 

[TexasRancher]

You should read some of the work by Dr. Temple Grandin. She explains a lot about cattle behavior and building facilities. It does not have to be expensive to be safe and effective.

That would be my inexpensive 1930's facility. Sortation: Two bags of cattle cubes in barn...let all come in to eat....long pole tapping on the smaller calves for them to run out back into the corral...close back barn gate....and the real magic trick is running around the barn quickly...to open the front barn gate before the cattle finish their cubes (seamless). Loading cattle is easy, walk behind them slowly, patiently "U walkway" loader. that narrows. I might have one or two that are in the back corral that don't belong....then I'll get help from a buddy on the remaining sort. Sometimes I can literally point and wave the bigger ones to come out...(they're that aware)...and slam the gate on the little ones.

 

[gcreekrch]

Since you're on a budget, get old electric poles or railroad ties. They're cheap/free and are stout. Go to the sawmill and get some oak 2x8's at the smallest and build it tall, like Kenny said. You can still use your panels, just put a 2x about waist high to stiffen them up. Use timber tite's or something similar, not those little screws. Treat your wood with used oil a couple times a year, and coat the top of your posts with roof tar. Use only the butt end of the posts. This recipe won't break the bank, and will do the job, and last for years with a little maintenance.

Yes, build right and stout the first time. Cheaper and safer in the long run. Thinking two round trips of 300 miles for six calves. Just the fuel on one trip and the price of a cheap gate would have bought you a good gate to begin with.

 

[sstterry]

They know when I say load it's time to get on. It's easy.

I may try that with my wife.