Sight Barriers In Corral

[Mighty Mouse]

I've heard some folks say/write that solid walls can be helpful in certain places within handling facilities to block the cattle's line of sight and help keep them moving. My corral is constructed entirely of galvanized 8-bar panels, so there are no sight barriers anywhere. I have a stockpile of old ribbed metal roofing/siding panels, and I'm considering cutting them down to size and screwing them to the corral panels to create sight barriers in certain places. I'm thinking it might help to screen off the perimeter of the crowding tub and one side (maybe both sides) of the alley. Those are often the trouble spots where cows get balky and don't want to proceed. Any feedback on the effectiveness of adding sight barriers to a corral? My corral layout is shown below for reference.

 

[simme]

I would be concerned about the possibility of getting cut on the edges of the siding panels. Cows and people. Typically metal roofing/siding has some corrugation/ribs that are going to stick up and be exposed on the ends. I think wood panels or fabric would be safer.

 

[kenny thomas]

I would be concerned about the possibility of getting cut on the edges of the siding panels. Coxs and people> Typically metal roofing/siding has some corrugation/ribs that are going to stick up and be exposed on the ends. I think wood panels or fabric would be safer.

I agree with the fabric. You need a sight barrier not a physical barrier.

 

[Brute 23]

Agreed. Seen some nasty cuts from guard rails too.

 

[Silver]

I use conveyor belting for blocking sight lines. It also has the effect of quieting metal panels and gates.

 

[simme]

Agreed. Seen some nasty cuts from guard rails too.

I have been told by someone who experienced it that if you mount the guardrail with the 90 degree edges to the outside with a certain spacing between rails, a calf can stick his head through between rails and shear ears off on that abrupt edge when they pull their head back out. Never seen that, but sounds like it could happen.

 

[4hfarms]

I use conveyor belting for blocking sight lines. It also has the effect of quieting metal panels and gates.

I thought about this idea. They offer them pretty cheap at Repurpose in Atlanta and ship them free. I assume it would last forever. I have a tarp in the barn that I hang on the outside top rail when I need to use it. Wind is the enemy!

$/necessity.

 

[wbvs58]

I use Polybelt. It is cheap lightweight and durable. I have had it up on my yards for 18 years now and not showing any signs of deteriorating, I could take it down and use it elsewhere for another 18 years. This is an Australian brand name but I am sure you would have a similar product there.
Ken

Poly Belt

Poly Belt

www.polybelt.com.au

 

[Silver]

I use Polybelt. It is cheap lightweight and durable. I have had it up on my yards for 18 years now and not showing any signs of deteriorating, I could take it down and use it elsewhere for another 18 years. This is an Australian brand name but I am sure you would have a similar product there.
Ken

Poly Belt

Poly Belt

www.polybelt.com.au

Looks a lot like conveyor belting. Is it fairly heavy?

 

[bird dog]

Sometimes they have the opposite effect. Think of the cattle handling tricks they teach you at a clinic. You walk past a penned cow to get her to move the opposite way.

Cattle in a alley can be the same if they can see you. . Walk by them and they move towards the chute or trailer. I bought a place that had a sheeted tub that would feed the animals into a sheeted alley leading to the chute. I hated it. I had to build a walkway on it so you could see down in it to try to get them to move or to use a hot shot. With small calves, you had to get someone in the alley push them through.

The current set up I have is open panels with an adjustable alley width and a sliding gate. Its not perfect but works way better with calves.

 

[Lucky]

We have a tub leading to our alley that's build out of pipe and sucker rod. The cattle go in fine but start turning around not wanting to go in the alley. We tried putting some tarping material on it and it made things worse. The cattle wouldn't go in it. The material was bright white, would that cause them not to go in? Thinking about sheeting it with 14g steel sheets this year.

 

[Silver]

I find cattle go down a covered in squeeze alley just fine but it should also be curved.
Best ting I ever did was cover the gates in my round pen that I sort in. No outside distractions means no hitting gates, everyone stays calmer, and when a gate opens they see the light and move out.

 

[Lucky]

How about the blinders on some of the nicer Squeeze chute access doors. Do they work? I'm by myself allot and if I get one moving down the alley she'll stop when she sees me at the chute ready to shut the tailgate. I've got a long rope to pull it with so I can actually get to the back of the chute but it's still a 50/50 chance on catching her the first time.

 

[wbvs58]

Looks a lot like conveyor belting. Is it fairly heavy?

No very light compared to conveyor belt, 3mm thick and easy to handle. It has enough stiffness though.

Ken

 

[cowman82]

I use conveyor belting for blocking sight lines. It also has the effect of quieting metal panels and gates.

when I bought this place they had a pile of old rolled up baler belts. I cut them and hung them up with zip ties on some panels where they were stopping. worked great, durable, and best of all.. free.

 

[cowman82]

How about the blinders on some of the nicer Squeeze chute access doors. Do they work? I'm by myself allot and if I get one moving down the alley she'll stop when she sees me at the chute ready to shut the tailgate. I've got a long rope to pull it with so I can actually get to the back of the chute but it's still a 50/50 chance on catching her the first time.

yes, they work very good. I have blinders on my alley and chute and they make quite the difference.

 

[Ebenezer]

Shadows and broken rays of light is what you need to control in working pens and chutes.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

For those suggesting fabric, do you have a specific recommendation for a fabric that can withstand continuous exposure to sun/wind/rain (and the occasional cow brushing up against it)?

Metal paneling was my first thought because I already have a bunch of it onhand and I have no doubts about its longevity. Sharp edges are a valid concern though. I think I could get the vertical edges of the paneling butted up close to the vertical corral bars and mitigate the risk of cuts. I could run the bottom edge all the way to the dirt and put rubber safety trim along the top edge to prevent cuts if someone were to grab the top.

Rubber belting seems like a good solution if I could find some for a reasonable price.

 

[chaded]

I have been looking into this a little. I wonder if something like this would work good?

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[BRYANT]

I have been told by someone who experienced it that if you mount the guardrail with the 90 degree edges to the outside with a certain spacing between rails, a calf can stick his head through between rails and shear ears off on that abrupt edge when they pull their head back out. Never seen that, but sounds like it could happen.

I was going to go with guardrail but did not for that simple reason