Pics of bull catch in chute (I hope)!

[tcolvin]

Final improvements are finishing up with my chute. Monday morning at breakfast I was thinking about a latch for my side gate in my chute. It needed to be fast open and closing and has to be strong so when pushed against it doesn't budge. Do I took the time to draw out what I wanted so I could drive to pieces of one inch galvanized pipe attached to gate and would slide into and out of the post at the same time. I scrapped up my metal from my scrap pile and fired up the torch and welder. If I can get the video to post, this is how it turned out. I have a few last minute things to do and then it becomes "Bull " time on TKC Farms.

I hope you could see the video I loaded on u-tube of the side gate latch. Today was the day for Mr Bull 45. He got his 2nd round of shots today day and everything clicked in palace. Bull came into chute, back gate activated, he proceed to his chest stop where some cotton seed waited for him. Slid butt board In place to hold him still. I rub him and talk to him. (From outside chute of course) and he calm down. I gave him his shots and opened the side gate and out he stepped. I got on my knees and thank GOD for prayers answered. Hope I can attach ice of chute and pen upgrades. I'm happy
I didn't get pics of him in chute but he was there.

 

[tcolvin]

@tcolvin , Ken has a point. Are they attached with screws, or bolts that go through with a nut and washer on the back?

Yes, they are being replaced with carriage head bolts and nuts. I was a week behind schedule with his shots so the ones holding the straps on the pipes are 3" decking screws but after today's use they will be replaced tomorrow with carriage head bolts.

 

[wbvs58]

Well done, sounds like it was very routine, that is the key, not making an issue out of it, Had he been through before with that ply on the side?

Ken

 

[tcolvin]

Well done, sounds like it was very routine, that is the key, not making an issue out of it, Had he been through before with that ply on the side?

Ken

No, it was his first time with that, when first got to the chest stop he was blowing and snorting. I have to step on a foot stool to see him. I just talk to him and rubbed his neck a nd patties a little and he settle down and quit blowing. I started his shots and kept talking with him until I was finished. Then I opened u the side gate and he stepped out into pasture and slowly walked off about 26 feet and turned around and watched me, I had a little cotton and oats mixed in a 5 gallon bucket so I walked over about 10 feet from him and poured it out on the ground and I walked off. When I left pasture he was munching down. Boy was I happy.

 

[tcolvin]

Yes, they are being replaced with carriage head bolts and nuts. I was a week behind schedule with his shots so the ones holding the straps on the pipes are 3" decking screws but after today's use they will be replaced tomorrow with carriage head bolts.

I changed out the temporary deck screws today and replaced with carriage head bolts, nuts and washers. A couple of minor things and I'm through. And I am glad.

 

[kenny thomas]

Great job getting it all fixed. I bet now you are happy with yourself for doing it.

 

[tcolvin]

Great job getting it all fixed. I bet now you are happy with yourself for doing it.

Yes I am. When I built this chute and coral, I had looked at another guys setup and kinda went from his specs. It was a first for me and the bull was much smaller. I knew to use large posts set deep in ground but in my mind we could just open open the chute and say get in there. With the cows it's pretty much that way, but as the bull grew, he got smarter and more resistant to being in confined places, plus he found I was not high enough for him and he could jump up on top and crawl over. Thankfully the two time he did this he had jumped back in pasture and was unharmed. With all the changes and improvements, it makes life easier. I find if we can crowd him a little to get him in the crowding pen and gate closed and just let the cows with him come on thru the chute and exit the side gate, eventually with a little flag flapping ) flag on a finer glass rod) he will move a little until he decides to make the walk. I carried my hotshot but I ask my helper to lets do this with out using it and making him upset. It worked great. I gave him a CD & T (with tetanus) this time because I didn't give him anything before that had tetanus in it. In 3 weeks he gets the follow up. Before that time I will feed him and some cows in the corral and leave them until they exit the chute to the side gate. Next year I hope to get him back on covexin 8 or Calvary 9. I know he will have to have it twice again but after that round it will be once yearly again. He is not a violent bull, he just don't like being closed in and crowed. Thanks for all of y'all who had good advice as I learn a lot, if I ever have to build another ( which I'm not planning on at 76 years old) but if some body else around me needs help, I can help give some safe advise in the layout. I would have loved to had one of the metal systems but it was out of my league. This corral cost more than I'll ever get out of it maybe but I built and paid for it as I built. When I completed it, it was paid for. I was bless enough to get light poles from my power company and a guy I bought some cows from was changing out his head gate and I ask him what he would take for it. He said it didn't work right and you couldn't keep a cow in it. I again ask what he would take for it because I was a junk repairer and welder so I might could use it until I could buy one. He said he would give it to me. When I went to pickup the cows he had it ready to go. It took 3 of us to load it on to my trailer tongue. I strapped it down and haul it and the cows about 75 miles. I took it to my chute and set it up, oiled and worked it a few times and had my helper to send me a cow down. First cow came and when I tried to close it she push right on thru it. I said something is not right, this thing should open into the chute or you can't hold the cow. While I was playing with it and pushed the lever up and pushed the lever the opposite way it went into the chute. I left it that way and went in coral to get another cow loaded and she went in non stop. I ran to the other end of the shoot to try and catch the cow. She got there before I did and I heard a loud metal clang. The cow had caught her self. The gate was a self catching headgate. Then it hit me, the guy had mounted the gate correctly but he added a 2x6 header turned up edge ways and the gate would only open out. When I installed it I did not put a header over it because I deemed it didn't need it. It works perfect and when I just catching one or 2 cows I do it by myself. It really works good if the cow can be kept moving so when her head goes thru her shoulder will push it closed. It's a Prifert (automatic) brand. (spelling maybe wrong)
I looked up on line and found it's about 30 years old but it works. The only one I don't put thru the head gate now is the bull. His neck is bigger than it will open out. It will open out I think 9 or 9-1/2 inches (neck space) last year it choked him and it choked him and was cutting off his air. The gate closed on him and it took and my helper to prize it open. Scared me, He got his shots I needed but no more going thru the head gate for him.

 

[tcolvin]

Nothing to make a bovine to hate the chute on the rest of the trips in it than a pair of nose holds. I thought that all of them were in a museum somewhere along with other torture devices. No thanks.

And make-do chutes are a bad choice. Just load them up, sell out and find some fun way to hurt yourself. Life is too short.

Bull 35 has received all his shots now and nobody hurt, thank GOD. I finished the follow up tetanus shot yesterday. He tried to jump corral wall in two places but my raising of all the walls held him. After getting him into the crowding pen, he finally after some encouragement, went into chute, helper trip backstop gate and pushed him on up to chest stop where groceries (feed) was waiting for him. I stepped up on the platform and gave him the last tetanus booster. I open the side gate and out he stepped. Nobody in chute or crowding pen with him. Now he is good until the fall when yearly vaccines are ready to give again. It was a lot of work and cost a pretty penny to do it all but if I ever build another corral and chute, I will know what not to do. Thanks for all of the ones that had advice to what I needed and the safety info given. It sure help me getting it done right. Thanks.

 

[mwj]

Thanks for your update.