Solid Panel Gates

[Stickney94]

I needed to replace an old wooden gate built out of 2x6s. It was effective, but quite heavy. I've rebuilt the main gate frame and I have it hung on the hinges I inherited and I'm wondering about filling in the gaps with some solid OSB board rather than leaving gaps by using 2x6.

My main question is if others think a solid gate is useful for reducing cattle vision or if it just makes them more stressed. The old gate had gaps that led to its demise (cow stuck head through broke cross beam).

The specific gate is indoors and is part of my cattle trailer load out alley.

 

[76 Bar]

Solid is ideal on gates & working areas to reduce visual distractions. Excessive pressure is stressful.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Solid is good, but it can also create a safety hazard for you if you need an emergency escape route you can't get a toe hold.
Tighten your gaps, but leave enough gap for your boot.
The only solid gates we have are on our squeeze tub. It has a ratchet lock, and no one goes on the "cattle" side of the gate when we work cattle .

 

[Stickney94]

Thanks for those replies -- much appreciated. Good reminder of having an escape route.

 

[76 Bar]

Convenient escape routes are wise but more importantly, selection pressure for calm bidable cattle resolves a lot a problems unless you like a rodeo.

 

[Brute 23]

Those heavy wood gates are hard to beat. Sounds like you just need more horizontal boards to cut back on the gaps.

The big thing with escape routes is most people think about going up and over but unless your pretty athletic like a bull fighter your much better going to your belly and under. If you go to your belly and get hit hopefully they will keep pushing you under. If you get hit on the side of a fence you may be going back in the pen. I always like enough gap under fences to slide under if you have to.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I

Those heavy wood gates are hard to beat. Sounds like you just need more horizontal boards to cut back on the gaps.

The big thing with escape routes is most people think about going up and over but unless your pretty athletic like a bull fighter your much better going to your belly and under. If you go to your belly and get hit hopefully they will keep pushing you under. If you get hit on the side of a fence you may be going back in the pen. I always like enough gap under fences to slide under if you have to.

I'd much rather be hit in the legs or get my ankle broke than be under a cow. All the people I know that have been extremely injured by cattle have been on the ground. Broken pelvis, broken ribs, punctured lungs, guys flown our of pastures in hospital helicopters all because they couldn't stay on their feet and get above the cattle when things went south.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Like most of you I base my responses accordingly to my own history. If i have a gate high enough to get under sooner than sooner I will have
a cow or most likely a yearling go under and fold the pipes in the process. I am at the point of bad knees, hips (older than dirt) so an over the
top move is not an option. What I did was use U-bolts and heavy ply wood. I place the plywood about an inch or so above the bottom pipe
so a 4' wide section gives adequate coverage on a 5' 6 pipe gate. The alley runs from around 8' down to single file with the gates only opening
one way. There are also 'side-outs so anything can be sorted by one person. (me) I learned everything I know from a herd of Salers
Seriously if you are working with a larger group of cattle invest in ratchet gates and easy going cattle.

 

[Brute 23]

I

I'd much rather be hit in the legs or get my ankle broke than be under a cow. All the people I know that have been extremely injured by cattle have been on the ground. Broken pelvis, broken ribs, punctured lungs, guys flown our of pastures in hospital helicopters all because they couldn't stay on their feet and get above the cattle when things went south.

A lot of people that still have cattle cant run up pens like others can. Heck, some pens Ive been in aren't good enough to climb. I dont run pens to the dirt for that reason. Why limit myself to only one escape option when I can have two.

 

[SBMF 2015]

A lot of people that still have cattle cant run up pens like others can. Heck, some pens Ive been in aren't good enough to climb. I dont run pens to the dirt for that reason. Why limit myself to only one escape option when I can have two.

Most of the cows that I've played full contact with are more than willing to help me over a gate if I can get above their head.
I'm not saying a second way out is a bad idea. I just wouldn't go low of I could get a hold of the top of a gate.
I've been knocked off my feet before, I'm sure I crawled faster than an Olympic sprinter. Lucky for me she decided to go the other way instead of camp out on me.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have several 2x6 gates in my working facility. You can buy tin here, before the rgoves and ridges have been stamped in it. Really lightens the gate up, and you can space your 2x6 out pretty far...I have one, that I used barbed wire on the spaces. I put gripples in it, so I can tighten it to infinity. I might like them better, but far less atractive.

 

[Silver]

Best thing I did was put salvaged conveyor belting on my round pen gates. It made the cattle a lot calmer in the pen when they can't see out. No more crashing the gates. When you are sorting and when you do open a gate they are much more inclined to see the daylight and exit. Works especially well for calves as they are generally the ones that can wind themselves up.
I am a big believer in covered gates in "high pressure" areas.

 

[Dave]

I use drier felt that comes from a pulp mill. Seven feet wide in big long sheets. It looks like canvas but has metal woven into it. A lot heavier than canvas. It lasts for ever. And it is not too hard to attach where I want it.

 

[76 Bar]

You've mentioned drier felt a number of times Dave. I've ranched in West Coast pulp mill country for ages but came up empty when I googled it. Is there another name for the product?

 

[Stickney94]

The responses on this thread are why I post here. Thanks -- really appreciated. Sometimes its just nice to get (several) second opinions -- haha. Thanks!

 

[Dave]

You've mentioned drier felt a number of times Dave. I've ranched in West Coast pulp mill country for ages but came up empty when I googled it. Is there another name for the product?

I know it was called that years ago. The guy I got mine from said that they didn't use "drier felt" any more and he called it a different name. I don't remember what he called it. It is the same stuff or so close I couldn't tell the difference. They use it a lot on the surface of wood docks down on the Columbia River. It doesn't get slick like the wood does when wet all the time. I would find someone who works at a pulp mill and ask them.

 

[simme]

You've mentioned drier felt a number of times Dave. I've ranched in West Coast pulp mill country for ages but came up empty when I googled it. Is there another name for the product?

Search for paper machine dryer felt or paper machine clothing or paper machine fabrics. These are very specialized woven fabrics that are used on paper machines to form a paper sheet (former fabrics or "wire"), dewater a sheet (press fabrics), or hold the sheet against the dryer cans (dryer felts). Made of poly threads (with metal in some cases) woven together. Think very large fishing lines woven together. Very strong/tough. Continuous loops of fabric that are installed on a paper machine around large rotating metal rolls (like a serpentine belt on an engine) custom manufactured for the width of the paper machine and the length of the fabric run around the rolls. The paper sheet being manufactured runs against/on the fabrics. Could be as much as 30+ feet wide for a large (wide sheet) paper machine. Former fabrics are the most specialized and can cost tens of thousands dollars each for a large machine. Replaced every few months due to wear and buildup of contaminants in the fabric. The discarded fabrics have many uses in their second life. That is a basic explanation - there are many variations, I worked 44 years designing instrument and control systems for pulp and paper mills.

Some examples-

 

[Dave]

This is a couple of rolls I have yet to put up. And a gate and corner that I have installed it. It is 7 feet wide. I wish it was only 6 wide. I have to use a little angle grinder to cut it. That seems to work the best for me.

 

[Silver]

As far as the conveyor belting goes, it really quietens a metal gate. Quiet facilities seem to help keep cattle quiet.