Thanks for starting this thread Marksmu, lots of good info and I've had many of the same questions as you.
Portable Corrals
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marksmu
Well-known member
KMacGinley":1qnm9tq9 said:
I don't think that a bud box will work. The bud box needs a pretty deep throat so that the cows will go in willingly...the way the alley is set between the two pens its only about 3' wide and 20' long.....they have to go into a 6 or 8' gate that is swung open....when you close the gate, it is the other wall of the alley....(I dont know if I am really explaining that well) Basically they hate making that turn into the alley....but it can be done, it is just slower.
Don't let me throw you off on the Rawhide though - It is great if you have multiple pastures - since you do - I think they are a good buy. Just do not expect a pen full of the same features and ease of workability as a permanent one...you sacrifice a bit of functionality for portability.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
marksmu":3q1redih said:
I don't make that sacrafice. Medina gates, cut gates, chutes, and have even had a hydraulic working pen hooked up to my portables a few times. It was actually better than any permanent facility I have ever used with the portable hydraulic unit.
I do have to have a front bucket to load and unload the main components off of a trailer.
I bought some cows from a guy one time that used the o. K. Corral system .. his had a compartment that he put his horse and dogs in while hauling it down the road... Mark can you bring and extra panel and sorta make a swing gate or wing to guide them into that alley..
marksmu
Well-known member
We have quite a few extra panels....were usually not in a big hurry when we are working them so we just walk them calmly until they go into the alley....we only had one cow get really worked up and she was hard to get in, the others will eventually go.
The smaller pen is 4 panels and the gate swings inside, so you "should" be able to just walk them along the outsider perimeter and they would be funneled into the alley...that is basically true for the first few cows...the gate can swing to close on them like a half sweep, but the alley can only hold about 3 cows and what happens is the fist gets to the head gate and tries to back up...then the others start backing up....and it can be difficult to get the gate closed since you are closing on their sides.
Its not hard, its just slower. There is nothing wrong with it except that it is slower....if you stay calm, they stay calm...It just takes about 5 or so hours to work 100-110 cows, when we could do that in much less time in a permanent facility.
The smaller pen is 4 panels and the gate swings inside, so you "should" be able to just walk them along the outsider perimeter and they would be funneled into the alley...that is basically true for the first few cows...the gate can swing to close on them like a half sweep, but the alley can only hold about 3 cows and what happens is the fist gets to the head gate and tries to back up...then the others start backing up....and it can be difficult to get the gate closed since you are closing on their sides.
Its not hard, its just slower. There is nothing wrong with it except that it is slower....if you stay calm, they stay calm...It just takes about 5 or so hours to work 100-110 cows, when we could do that in much less time in a permanent facility.
