We've been carrying our calves to a friends place to ship them for allot of years now. This seems to put allot of extra stress on them so planning on buying or building a Semi load out. I'd like one that can load a semi and a ground load. Has anyone built one? I ordered some plans and they seem pretty straight forward. What are y'all using to load a truck?
Semi Load Out Chute
- Thread starter Lucky
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
redcowsrule33
Well-known member
We have a portable chute for loading semis. Just set it up in front of the loading chutes if needed so we don't need extra space for a permanent one.
I've seen a few they are making that one side is for semis and the other is ground load. that would a nice cheaper option.
Like this.. https://www.rbwag.com/Inventory/?/l...&accountcrmid=18887979&settingscrmid=18887979
for 6500 you can't beat that.
I looked at arrowquip and they were decent b/c you can change height, but they are pretty light and pretty expensive for what you get.
I ended up going with the silencer hydraulic one b/c I have the rest of the system. It's really heavy.. I think it was around 6500 lbs. but its a tank and nice to put it to any trailer height. too much $$$$ though for what you get.
Like this.. https://www.rbwag.com/Inventory/?/l...&accountcrmid=18887979&settingscrmid=18887979
for 6500 you can't beat that.
I looked at arrowquip and they were decent b/c you can change height, but they are pretty light and pretty expensive for what you get.
I ended up going with the silencer hydraulic one b/c I have the rest of the system. It's really heavy.. I think it was around 6500 lbs. but its a tank and nice to put it to any trailer height. too much $$$$ though for what you get.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
I built one back in'08 for the farm I used to herdsmen for.
16' railroad ties for the posts. Treated 2x8's for the sides, two 1/2" bolts at every overlap.
Rail road ties for the floor with 2x2x1/4 angle iron for the cleats.
The floor rotted out and I replaced it with 3x12's
It was only about 8' long. Seemed really short, but the fat cattle never hesitated.
16' railroad ties for the posts. Treated 2x8's for the sides, two 1/2" bolts at every overlap.
Rail road ties for the floor with 2x2x1/4 angle iron for the cleats.
The floor rotted out and I replaced it with 3x12's
It was only about 8' long. Seemed really short, but the fat cattle never hesitated.
farmerjan
Well-known member
There is an old "combination" type chute at the farm where we work the cattle. The previous owner built it. Same idea as the one @cowman82 referenced. Side by side to the ground level one we load the stock trailers... gate at the end where the animals can be directed to go up the ramp for loading a semi trailer, or swung the other way to go down the alley for the ground loading into the stock trailer. Floor is rotted out, but the uprights are part of the alley so just leave it there for now.
I found some plans online from some university I used to build one out of wood. I'm pretty sure it was 12' long. It worked out really good and was really stiff. They loaded very well with it. I used a nail gun and put about 1,000 nails in it to make sure it was tight.
Silver
Well-known member
We just have ours built so you can ground load by opening a gate at the bottom of the chute and backing in on an angle. The open trailer door then blocks access to the ramp.
No separate load out required, just make the alley panel that joins the ramp into a gate.
No separate load out required, just make the alley panel that joins the ramp into a gate.
Lucky
Well-known member
I've looked at the one in the link and it seems like the best overall deal. I'm debating on buying that one or building one. The cost to build one is about half of that asking price. The plans I ordered are nearly identical but use square tubing instead of pipe. The square tubing is a little more $$ but much easier to work with.
Do y'all think sheeting the sides helps enough to justify the extra cost? I'll only use one a few times a year.
I think it will help the animals flow better. Animals in a confined space will go towards the exit (or light) and the trailer will look more enticing than the box they are in at the time.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Growing up all we had were 6 locust posts, 3 on each side, heavy 2x6 lining the inside, and filled it with rock picked up off the farm with big rocks at the bottom and smaller rocks on top. Sloped it however high we needed it. All it cost was the 2x6's and labor. To my dad labor was free.
Dave
Well-known member
This is the one at B's corral it gets thousands of head loaded out through it every year. This set up sure isn't new and has seen better days but functions just fine. If you had posted this last Wednesday I could have taken a picture with a semi at that loading dock and me backing my trailer in along side it. The trailer load is to the left of the post with the red reflector. Between that and the gate into the scale. The man gate to the right of that reflector only swings in. No matter how hard a cow were to hit it the gate ain't coming open.
More of a close up of the trailer load. The gate attached to the post at the end of the scale is used to crowd them into which ever way they are going.
The gate to the left can be swung like it is to head critters to the trailer. Or swung the other way to head them to the semi ramp. Or if the man gate is left closed on the ramp cattle are pushed down the crowd alley on the far left which leads to the squeeze chute.
The front posts look to be bridge timers. 8 by 12 or 16. The other posts are RR ties. The cross supports for the decking are 3 by 10's that are bolted to the posts.
More of a close up of the trailer load. The gate attached to the post at the end of the scale is used to crowd them into which ever way they are going.
The gate to the left can be swung like it is to head critters to the trailer. Or swung the other way to head them to the semi ramp. Or if the man gate is left closed on the ramp cattle are pushed down the crowd alley on the far left which leads to the squeeze chute.
The front posts look to be bridge timers. 8 by 12 or 16. The other posts are RR ties. The cross supports for the decking are 3 by 10's that are bolted to the posts.
Dave
Well-known member
I got to thinking if RR ties and bridge timbers aren't available in your area, old power poles would certainly work.
Silver
Well-known member
2 7/8" pipe would work just fine as well.
Lucky
Well-known member
I've been looking at the Arrowquip load out chutes and like their design. The ramp pivots up or down at about the 4' mark so you can load a ground load trailer or a Semi from the same spot. The thing I don't like about them is the truck driver has to walk up the ramp to sort the cattle once they get in the truck. The others we looked at have a platform and a door at the top of the ramp.
Ours was all wood, and built on top of some sort of really heavy horse-drawn axle - would have loved to see the team that pulled whatever was originally on top of that axle and steel wheels. I remember helping my Dad and Grandpa rebuild it the last time and replace the worn out floor, it was one of the last things I remember working on with my Grandfather before he passed.
Silver
Well-known member
Starting to see some of these pop up in local auction sales. I would assume they are Hutterite made. Look good enough but I'd like the ramp to be treated. Not positive but I believe the ramp is adjustable to allow for ground loading.
Dave
Well-known member
The idea of adjustable got me remembering one I took pictures of when my daughter went to work on a ranch in Montana. You can see they used a winch to raise and lower the ramp. I am not sure how they locked it in position. I would want more than that cable and the dog on the winch to hold it.
Silver
Well-known member
Most times the ramp is lowered onto a bar to support the ramp.
midTN_Brangusman
Well-known member
Lucky, that is the same chute that i have. I took the pictures and drawings to a local welding shop and they made it for me for $3500 including painting. After words he said if i wanted another one it would be a lot higher lol. The cattle load so much better than on my old portable chute and the gooseneck loadout works great as well. I highly recommend. One thing i like about the one in the post you listed, the gate to switch from gooseneck to semi is longer. A big frame cow would have a hard time going to the gooseneck side loadout of mine.
Lucky
Well-known member
After allot of thought I think I'm going to go with one like this. I'll probably build it myself since I won't need it for a good while. I like the idea of being able to load out a semi or ground load easily and that we can drag it on a trailer and move it to a different location.
