Pouring footer for livestock scale weigh bars?

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Lucky_P

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Finally looking at installing a set of weigh bars so we can get accurate weights on cows/calves. Looking at a set that will weigh up to 5000 lb, and will be installing them under the working chute - not really a good place to put them in the alley leading up to the chute.
Bar dimensions are 4" wide by 40" long.

Chute is currently sitting on creosoted 4x4s on top of the ground. Figure I'll need to dig trenches and pour concrete/rebar footers to accomodate the weigh bars. Anybody got recommendations on how wide/thick to pour these footers?
 
hooknline":271pvucf said:
8" wide, 6" thick, and the length of the chute. Double rebar 3" apart

I have already bought the scales and was wondering if 4" was enough or if I needed 6". I am going to concrete 10X16 so it is solid for the area I walk around when working them.
 
4" thick is plenty if you're pouring a full pad and rebar but if someone is just pouring footers go the 6" and rebar and twice the width of the load bars. At least that's what's neighbor who has a concrete business suggested
 
4" with a piece of scrap wire or cattle panel will work fine for pad but thicker for just footers. 4" holds trucks fine it better hold your cows. But then again some guys wean some monsters on here. 6" is just overkill for a pad and not small footers SKY.
 
Really depends on your soil.....would be different for sandy soil as opposed to clay soil or even the rocks some have to work on....Just saying.
 
1982vett":3rtnt9ar said:
Really depends on your soil.....would be different for sandy soil as opposed to clay soil or even the rocks some have to work on....Just saying.
Mine is inside the barn but very solid soil.
 
shadyhollownj":1pw7kfu5 said:
4" with a piece of scrap wire or cattle panel will work fine for pad but thicker for just footers. 4" holds trucks fine it better hold your cows. But then again some guys wean some monsters on here. 6" is just overkill for a pad and not small footers SKY.
This is what I mean about location.....4 inch wire mesh would last a couple years around here. If I were doing one It would be 6 inch slab with 3/8 bar with a 12 in beam around the slab.... and the 12 inch beam would have about 4 #6 bar. That might hold it all together for a while.
 
We just put in scales this year. We started to do just strips but poured a slab about 4' x 8', borrowed a mixer and me and my daughter did it, not too bad of a project.

Which scales you looking at? We did concrete and scales for les than a $1,000.
 
Your location,weather,and soil must call for a lot different engineering from the northeast and the freeze and thaw weather here. The commercial 60 yard storage slabs I poured last week are only 4" with wire with two pieces of #5 bar in the haunch footer. I have to say I havent poured something with that much steel in it since tank crossing pads at an army base or industrial work. I mean it is for cows and a working area not heavy equipment. But then again what do I know since that my business trade. If my recommendation for a working and scale area would only last a few years in texas then you guys must make concrete without cement or something. Its just a waste of money after 4" with wire for 10x16 pad cut into 4 blocks.
 
I think if you are just pouring a pad for working on and the chute to set on your will be fine with 4" thick with wire. 6" thick with wire would be fine if you want the extra piece of mind. Rebar is overkill unless you plan on driving on it with something heavy. Are you pouring it your self or hiring it out?
 

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