not ready yet still have questions

[ar1warren]

ok here goes after reading bez post on getting started -

Have your pens set up and ready. Have a SOLID pen - heavy boards or steel - at least 6 feet high and put the cows in there when you get home - if you do not - and you are unlucky - you WILL be rodeoing all over the country. Those quiet animals you have purchased may be pretty wild for the first few days after you bring them home. Feed and water them in this pen for a week.

how big a pen to bring in 4-5 head at a time?

only plan on couple at a time prob not till next spring at least thx

 

[IluvABbeef]

ok here goes after reading bez post on getting started -

Have your pens set up and ready. Have a SOLID pen - heavy boards or steel - at least 6 feet high and put the cows in there when you get home - if you do not - and you are unlucky - you WILL be rodeoing all over the country. Those quiet animals you have purchased may be pretty wild for the first few days after you bring them home. Feed and water them in this pen for a week.

how big a pen to bring in 4-5 head at a time?

only plan on couple at a time prob not till next spring at least thx

Howdy.
I can't really answer this unless you run it by us again--to be a little more specific. But my guess as to pen size is as big as you want, maybe 30x40 ft to fit 4 to 5 cattle, plus a bale (we use round bales) and a waterer comfortably.

You're planning on a couple of pens :?: at a time? Correct me if I'm wrong, but just my guess.

That's about all I can say, so have a good one.

 

[ar1warren]

ok guess i was 'nt too clear aleady have pasture fenced was trying to decide how big to make holding pen for bringing couple cows in for 1st week or so b4 putting out in pasture.

 

[IluvABbeef]

I think a 30-ft x 40-ft corral would do you good, or you could make it a little larger. Do whatever you're comfortable with, just so long it's not too small that the animals feel too crowded, or too large that you can't catch them.

Good luck and have a good one! :)

 

[msscamp]

how big a pen to bring in 4-5 head at a time?

For 4-5 head, I don't think I would put them in anything bigger than maybe 20-25' X 20'-25', and I would make my holding pen closer to 7' - the reason being is that you want them in a pen small enough that they can't take off for the far corners every time they see you, but not so small as to induce panic when you show up to feed/watch/check/etc., and cause them to try to jump out or go through the fence. I would keep them in the holding pen at least 2 weeks, then determine who is ready for the pasture based on her behaviour when I'm around. If only one is ready, then she stays in the pen with her herdmates until at least one more is ready to be transitioned to the pasture. If you happen to end up with some really wild ones, a bigger corral may be needed for a while, then transition to a smaller corral, and finally to the pasture. I'm probably being overly cautious, but I live a hop, skip and a jump from a major highway and I don't need the liability, plus I really, really dislike chasing down escaped cows - especially new ones who are not familiar with me. My .02 worth.

 

[ar1warren]

well 25x25 sounds ok and if too wild for that well lets jus say they will load back to the next sale..thx

 

[Bama]

12 x 40 - large enough to put a few in with a roll of hay if needed. can clean out with a tractor, norrow enough to move them through into another chute. drawback is it takes more fence to build verses a square.

 

[msscamp]

12 x 40 - large enough to put a few in with a roll of hay if needed. can clean out with a tractor, norrow enough to move them through into another chute. drawback is it takes more fence to build verses a square.

Good points, Bama.

ar1warren, this will probably sound kind of dumb but, be careful where you put your gates. Cattle have natural tendencies and it is hell trying to get them through a gate that does not fit with their tendencies.

 

[dj]

12 x 40 - large enough to put a few in with a roll of hay if needed. can clean out with a tractor, norrow enough to move them through into another chute. drawback is it takes more fence to build verses a square.

with the addition of 3-12' gates you could have 4 12x10 pens if you need to segregate someone. Or squeeze them towards the alley and chute.

 

[Bama]

12 x 40 - large enough to put a few in with a roll of hay if needed. can clean out with a tractor, norrow enough to move them through into another chute. drawback is it takes more fence to build verses a square.

with the addition of 3-12' gates you could have 4 12x10 pens if you need to segregate someone. Or squeeze them towards the alley and chute.

Mine is 16 x 100. on 1 side are 2 50 x 50 feedpens the other side is working corral, alley, and working barn next to this is another 16 x 100 with 2 more feed pens beside it. Along the back and front is another 16' wide lane. This works great as you can use the gates to put them anywhere you need to. The working area is centered between the feed pens so they are easy to sort or work. 12' would be about right for a smaller herd. 16' is good if you have a work dog to get em around. Whatever anybody builds they need to be thinking about the future and expansion and ease of cleaning. Do everthing on paper first as something as simple as which way you hang a gate can make a huge differance in cattle flow.

 

[Caustic Burno]

12 x 40 - large enough to put a few in with a roll of hay if needed. can clean out with a tractor, norrow enough to move them through into another chute. drawback is it takes more fence to build verses a square.

with the addition of 3-12' gates you could have 4 12x10 pens if you need to segregate someone. Or squeeze them towards the alley and chute.

Mine is 16 x 100. on 1 side are 2 50 x 50 feedpens the other side is working corral, alley, and working barn next to this is another 16 x 100 with 2 more feed pens beside it. Along the back and front is another 16' wide lane. This works great as you can use the gates to put them anywhere you need to. The working area is centered between the feed pens so they are easy to sort or work. 12' would be about right for a smaller herd. 16' is good if you have a work dog to get em around. Whatever anybody builds they need to be thinking about the future and expansion and ease of cleaning. Do everthing on paper first as something as simple as which way you hang a gate can make a huge differance in cattle flow.

Good advice as usually Bama, I have always designed my working pens for 50 square feet per cow/calf unit.