Need working facility

[TCRanch]

Gonna chime in here with an alternative plan. You can always rent a portable corral that has everything you'll need. Safety first, and with not a lot of cattle, may make sense.

That said, our portable corral is essentially permanent in one of the pastures and works great for the weaned calves and replacement heifers. I also use it for the bulls when I move them from another pasture that doesn't have a corral/working facilities.

The corral at the barn is cheaper, portable panels in addition to barbed wire &/or cattle panels but not meant for working the entire herd.

My fave by far is the corral in the central pasture. Portable, heavy-duty panels with support legs that can be moved with a track loader or tractor with forks. Panels and gates are relatively inexpensive (all subjective) but a solid investment.

The easiest way to catch & load cattle (not just calves) is to make them familiar with the corral or whatever you're using as a catch facility (could be just a barnyard or small fenced in area). And make them familiar with you. Slower is generally faster. Know your cattle. I have a few older cows and (especially!) one bull that are a bytch to load if I'm pushing them. Plan B: open the gate to the trap, stand back and do nothing, watch them load because they think it's on their terms. Work smarter, not harder. I'm full of catch phrases today!!! But all legit.

 

[TNtrout23]

True , you close to the log cabin place ?

Very

 

[TNtrout23]

The FX4 Fords are tall. I don't think swapping tires around will get you where you want. You are likely only talking an inch or two movement.

With 6 cows you might look at a nice bumper pull so you don't have to worry about the truck height. They have some nice 16' and 6.6' ones that pull great.

Wouldn't a bumper pull put more strain on your drive train vs a gooseneck? I'm fixing to hook it up and go see what this guy will give me on trade. I posted it on Facebook but no bites so I've gotta do something with it.

 

[Travlr]

Wouldn't a bumper pull put more strain on your drive train vs a gooseneck? I'm fixing to hook it up and go see what this guy will give me on trade. I posted it on Facebook but no bites so I've gotta do something with it.

If you are justifiably worried about strain on a truck pulling any kind of trailer within the designed tow capacity... then you didn't buy a real truck.

 

[Warren Allison]

Wouldn't a bumper pull put more strain on your drive train vs a gooseneck? I'm fixing to hook it up and go see what this guy will give me on trade. I posted it on Facebook but no bites so I've gotta do something with it.

Some advice, I had a trailer dealership for years til the Obama depression hit. Trailers cost the dealer eithe 675% or 70% of MSRP, depending on the manufacturer,. I sold $100k aluminum LQ trailers, They cost me $70k. I would sell you one for $5k over my cost to buy it and get it here ( usually about $800-$1100 ). People would ask me about trading their trailer in on one, I'd say " What do you want for it?": They'd say " About $20k" So, I'd say , : Ok. I will trade for $80k" I would have sold it outright for $77k! Don't carry your trailer, Just go and make the best cash deal you can on one. THEN go back with yours, and ask about trading. You will see what he is REALLY allowing you on yours.

 

[TNtrout23]

Welp I got it traded in. I actually got $100 more than what I paid and am pulling a new one home so I got that off my mind now. I think I will get the other calves loaded up this Sunday. On thing I am going to do different this time is keep pushing not giving the first one enough time to turn around in the trailer.

 

[Brute 23]

Wouldn't a bumper pull put more strain on your drive train vs a gooseneck? I'm fixing to hook it up and go see what this guy will give me on trade. I posted it on Facebook but no bites so I've gotta do something with it.

No

 

[kenny thomas]

Welp I got it traded in. I actually got $100 more than what I paid and am pulling a new one home so I got that off my mind now. I think I will get the other calves loaded up this Sunday. On thing I am going to do different this time is keep pushing not giving the first one enough time to turn around in the trailer.

Good deal. Let us know how you like it.
I have backed a gooseneck trailer more miles than most people have pulled one forwards, but im terrible backing a bumper hitch.

 

[wbvs58]

Welp I got it traded in. I actually got $100 more than what I paid and am pulling a new one home so I got that off my mind now. I think I will get the other calves loaded up this Sunday. On thing I am going to do different this time is keep pushing not giving the first one enough time to turn around in the trailer.

As long as you are happy but I think as @Warren Allison alluded to, I think the dealer would be happier.
Your poor wife, she came out to help you load thinking that the money for these calves might be put to good use, now you have a new trailer to pay for and you haven't even started on the new yards yet.

Ken

 

[Warren Allison]

Good deal. Let us know how you like it.
I have backed a gooseneck trailer more miles than most people have pulled one forwards, but im terrible backing a bumper hitch.

Especially a short one! An 8' utility trailer is twice as hard as a 20' boat or 30' flat bed!

 

[TCRanch]

On thing I am going to do different this time is keep pushing not giving the first one enough time to turn around in the trailer.

Okay, for a little chuckle. My husband has a gazillion health issues, so he's not allowed in the corral. Couple years ago, I was loading calves and he was standing by the headgate /entrance to the trailer. I was pushing four 7 weight steers down the alley when a heifer already in the trailer turned around and decided to break outta prison, which would be back down the alley and a traffic jam. Mr. TC, bless his heart, couldn't really do a darn thing about it, so he yelled STAY at the heifer. Like she's a bigazz dang dog?!? And, of course, she didn't listen. And I had to push all the steers back down the alley, let 'em all out the trap so the little wench could turn around, and load 'em again. And then I had to laugh. Because it was funny, life with cattle is unpredictable, and you just gotta roll with it. That was the first trailer load, and all the others went textbook smooth.

 

[Brute 23]

One of the best things I have ever done for loading cows is one, slide gates on each end of the chute is a must. Seems simple but but so many people don't see it as necessary or they will put one on the end vs the entrance. If I can only have one it's going on the entrance to the chute.

Two, I use hot shots that are like 6'. That addition wing span makes all the difference. It gives you enough distance to trail cattle and not get kicked or run over. It changes their mentality when they know you are coming with it. Plus it doubles as a decent sorting stick.

 

[TNtrout23]

Good reply's. I like seeing the new ideas. I was going to make a pass through on the chute today with a few of the calves cows whatever got in there as I swapped my fence entry gate around and added another panel on it to just make it a big circle and the momma cows they are due couldn't fit in it. I'm looking up more ideas on google images to see if I can tweak anything with what I've got. I'm thinking I somehow need 1 more swinging gate/panel to push them to the chute when they are in the sorting lot or I guess you would call it a bud box. It cont be much larger that a 10x10 area

 

[SBMF 2015]

Plus it doubles as a decent sorting stick.

Hot Shots stay next to the alley. If I carry it away I always seem to break the shaft over a cow's nose. They aren't nearly as tough as the 5/8" sorting sticks we carry.

 

[Brute 23]

Hot Shots stay next to the alley. If I carry it away I always seem to break the shaft over a cow's nose. They aren't nearly as tough as the 5/8" sorting sticks we carry.

I know that feeling.

I've actually gone to a flag now. I went in to buy another stick one day and the guy at the coop gave me a flag with their name on it. He's an older gentleman who has been around it a long time. He told me, learn to use this and you will never go back to the stick. I laughed and said I feel like our cattle will freak out when they see that flag. He laughed and said they will be a little iffy the first time but after that they will get use to it.

He was right. I'm sold on flags now.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I know that feeling.

I've actually gone to a flag now. I went in to buy another stick one day and the guy at the coop gave me a flag with their name on it. He's an older gentleman who has been around it a long time. He told me, learn to use this and you will never go back to the stick. I laughed and said I feel like our cattle will freak out when they see that flag. He laughed and said they will be a little iffy the first time but after that they will get use to it.

He was right. I'm sold on flags now.

I haven't ever liked a flag but I have tied a couple grocery bags to the popper on my stock whip. ( splitting hairs I know ) It worked good for moving calves for lot or lot.
I usually prefer just a plain white 1/2" fiberglass stick with a golf club grip. Not to heavy but enough to get their attention.
When we're sorting bulls or crazy stuff I use a 5/8" by 60" fiberglass stick. But that gets pretty heavy after swinging it all day.

I worked some yearlings yesterday for a guy and didn't carry anything. They were so wound up that anything they saw move caused them to stop and square up.
It's been a long time since I've worked cattle that were so cranked that you couldn't even get in the pen with them.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Wives don't understand as well as animals. My dog beelines to the truck at the phrase "Get in the truck bitch." I don't even finish the sentence and my wife's mad at me....

"Mount up bitch" is what I tell Roy. Then I say "you coming too honey?"
Roy always beats her to the truck.

 

[HatCreekCattleco]

I worked some yearlings yesterday for a guy and didn't carry anything. They were so wound up that anything they saw move caused them to stop and square up.
It's been a long time since I've worked cattle that were so cranked that you couldn't even get in the pen with them.

I've found I like these type better myself than the type you have to prod and whack to get to move. Once you have you facilities right, all you have to do is show those type a hole, they'll move to it. You just have to have good enough gates and pens to stop them when you shut that hole because they're usually coming hard. I'll add I'm not talking about winding them up, I mean just naturally flighty cattle.

 

[Travlr]

I haven't ever liked a flag but I have tied a couple grocery bags to the popper on my stock whip. ( splitting hairs I know ) It worked good for moving calves for lot or lot.
I usually prefer just a plain white 1/2" fiberglass stick with a golf club grip. Not to heavy but enough to get their attention.
When we're sorting bulls or crazy stuff I use a 5/8" by 60" fiberglass stick. But that gets pretty heavy after swinging it all day.

I worked some yearlings yesterday for a guy and didn't carry anything. They were so wound up that anything they saw move caused them to stop and square up.
It's been a long time since I've worked cattle that were so cranked that you couldn't even get in the pen with them.

A plastic grocery bag works very well. The motion is one thing, but the noise is an additional perk. The rustle, and pop when it suddenly catches air. And the visual when a limp bag catches that air and expands suddenly. I use them.

As for flighty cattle... I like them docile enough to be called to a bucket, but flighty enough that they avoid getting within ten feet.

 

[kenny thomas]

I know that feeling.

I've actually gone to a flag now. I went in to buy another stick one day and the guy at the coop gave me a flag with their name on it. He's an older gentleman who has been around it a long time. He told me, learn to use this and you will never go back to the stick. I laughed and said I feel like our cattle will freak out when they see that flag. He laughed and said they will be a little iffy the first time but after that they will get use to it.

He was right. I'm sold on flags now.

I just got my first flag but have been using a rattle paddle for years. Much better than a stick for mine.