Priefert Automatic Headgate

[Farmer Z]

Folks - This topic has probably been covered before but I can't seem to access it so please bear with me. I'm looking at replacing my homemade headgate with the Priefert 91 automatic. I ain't quite as quick as I once was and would love to have an auto catch. Can anybody tell me about your experiences with these? Are they truly automatic? What problems have you encountered? Any other brand automatics that I might need to consider?

 

[dun]

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=41311&p=457080
It's not rocket science but it isn;t intuitive how the auto works. I've got pictures and I think a narrative somewhere about how to set them

 

[backhoeboogie]

Mine is not a priefert but it is an auto catch and very similar. The cattle catch it with their shoulders as they try to exit and close it onto their necks. I am getting accustom to it and like it more now than I used to.

Here are the negatives to mine:

1) With smaller heifers or steers, I have to set it a little more closed or it will miss. Once you experience it a few times, you get better at judging the gap. Luckily I have the ability to recirculate the cattle back through with the way the pen is set up. So if it doesn't go right, I don't panic. Now that I am used to it, I don't miss.

2) If the cattle are not moving hard into it, it will not latch and they can back out. It is hard to get them to go back into it once they back out and they are in the chute holding up things. I don't use a hot shot but there are times in this scenario I would have. I have learned to get them moving hard into it and to help push the sides closed such that it latches. Plus grease it up really well and keep all foreign items out of the way such as dry droppings that might get kicked into the bottom side.

 

[pdfangus]

I have used quite a few headgates over the last 40 years.
Manual, automatics and home mades.

I would not own an automatic. My WW can be used as a self catch but like someone said , about a third of the cows have figured that they can pull back and open it wide.

I once worked at a place that had a spring loaded self catch. when a cow bumped it it relaesed and slammed shut. You could not get a cow to stick her head in that thing a second time. I took it down and cut it up for scrap steel.

None of them can not be defeated by cows. by defeated I mean some cows will figure out how to avoid being caught by any of them.

I have posted before that the smartest thing I ever did to facilitate working cows by myself is to feed the cows in the headgate every time I work them. Most of my herd will now go to the headgate and bang on it for me to open it so they can get the little taste of feed I give them.

cheap, easy and saves time. saves time cause I don't have to prod every cow up the alley and worry about how to catch her and prod her at the same time.

 

[novatech]

World's biggest nightmare. Miss them at the neck and catch them in the loin. Been there, done that. Now I always have an extra person when working them through.

 

[dun]

World's biggest nightmare. Miss them at the neck and catch them in the loin. Been there, done that. Now I always have an extra person when working them through.

Biggest problem I have with the self catch is the cows walk up and stick there head through and not bump it to close it. Then I have to walk up and trip it myself. They'ld probably just stand there anyway, but if I'm putting them in the chute it's either for a shot or I'm going to be standing directly behind them.

 

[novatech]

I have posted before that the smartest thing I ever did to facilitate working cows by myself is to feed the cows in the headgate every time I work them. Most of my herd will now go to the headgate and bang on it for me to open it so they can get the little taste of feed I give them.

cheap, easy and saves time. saves time cause I don't have to prod every cow up the alley and worry about how to catch her and prod her at the same time.

This might work pretty good once my cattle forget they have been dehorned and branded at that same location. That usually takes about 2 yrs.
Thought I would add another note. I usually don,t even use the head gate unless I need to work on the head. I find that the cattle are much calmer if I don,t use it. When working on the working end I just stick a pipe behind them. For shots or wormer I have never found the need.

 

[pdfangus]

Novatech,

I see from your avatar that you dont appear to have angus.

Yal have not found a polled bull yet?

that would eliminate the dehorning. Other thing you might consider is using dehorning past when they are babies. works if done right.

If you are hot branding I can see where they might be a bit skittish. One operation I worked for did that and once I discovered freeze branding I never looked back. but the feed overcomes a lot of things. I know it is the single biggest positive managment change that I have made in 30 years. It only takes a bit of feed every time they are in the chute and the changes are miraculous.

 

[Farmer Z]

Jim Tate - The feed suggestion looks like a simple but thoughtful solution. I might give that a try. It's funny, 30 years ago as a teenager I worked on a small dairy farm that used that technique to calm cows when milking. After milking they fed them in a head-lock bunk to get a little more nutrition...we could then doctor/AI/etc. the cows as they just stood there eating (no squeeze or other assistance to hold). Of course, those ol' dairy cows were very docile due to daily handling. Anyway, thanks for the info.

 

[Farmer Z]

I appreciate all the information. After listening to what y'all have to say, I've about talked myself out of an auto. Frankly, I wanted to be able to handle cows alone but that really calls for a reliable process. I've got good help (neighbor) now but he's getting along in years so I need to be figuring something out. You know, the best plan might be (as one of you pointed out) to bunch them up for doctoring. A good heavy chute would take care of most problems...then just headlock the special cases. Folks, this is a great site and I appreciate each and every one of you!

 

[novatech]

Novatech,

I see from your avatar that you dont appear to have angus.

Yal have not found a polled bull yet?

that would eliminate the dehorning. Other thing you might consider is using dehorning past when they are babies. works if done right.

If you are hot branding I can see where they might be a bit skittish. One operation I worked for did that and once I discovered freeze branding I never looked back. but the feed overcomes a lot of things. I know it is the single biggest positive management change that I have made in 30 years. It only takes a bit of feed every time they are in the chute and the changes are miraculous.

I give mine some candy about once month in the coral. If they want to leave they have to go through the chute. The ones that don't like it will usually follow the older ones. I have had those that I would have to drive through.
As far as the paste is concerned I have tried it. Worked most of the time but have others come back as scurs.
Some of the buttons on brahmans can be larger than silver dollars. As far as polls are concerned there are just not enough good genetics. If I was only branding it is not as tramatic on them.
I have gone to dehorning much earlier and that has helped a awful lot.

 

[dun]

Most years as part of the weaning process they are required to pass through the alley and through the squeeze to get to the grain. It has really made heifers a lot easier to work.

 

[dieselbeef]

ive got some pics i will pm you that dun sent me yrs ago if the transition here didnt lose em. ive got the prifert auto yer talkin about and rarely ever use the auto part. seems like it would be a great big help but usually by myself i still dont end up usin it...check yer pm's

 

[TexasBred]

IThought I would add another note. I usually don,t even use the head gate unless I need to work on the head. I find that the cattle are much calmer if I don,t use it. When working on the working end I just stick a pipe behind them. For shots or wormer I have never found the need.

Glad to see this post. I thought I was the only one that never caught a cows head but rather just ran her up to the headgate and put a pipe behind her. Thanks Nova :tiphat: