sweep systems

[KNERSIE]

Does anyone have experience with commercial sweep systems with solid sides? How do they compare with those with open sides, likes, dislikes, etc?

I also need comments on solid sided chutes leading up to a headgate or squeeze. I know the theory, I want input based on real life experience.

 

[Bez>]

This is the equipment I use - some of it is interspersed with wood chutes 6 feet high and topped with an 8 inch rail.

http://www.hi-hog.com/

I like this equipment - it is robust - in the 6 years we have used it I have not had to make one repair.

That in itself is important to me - therefore I have no idea on how they are at warranty work - I have never called them.

They will develop your system from scratch if you want them to.

Tub and sweep is good - can be run by a kid. Solid side sweep is the ONLY way to go.

Solid side chutes are great for running into the squeeze - no balking or gawking.

I do not have solid side chutes here - when we upgrade that is the direction we will take. Makes the operation run smoother and faster in my opinion. When we upgrade we will also go to the adjustable chute width - one system for cows - then shrink it up and do the calves - no turn-arounds!

Bez>

 

[KNERSIE]

This is the equipment I use - some of it is interspersed with wood chutes 6 feet high and topped with an 8 inch rail.

http://www.hi-hog.com/

I like this equipment - it is robust - in the 6 years we have used it I have not had to make one repair.

That in itself is important to me - therefore I have no idea on how they are at warranty work - I have never called them.

They will develop your system from scratch if you want them to.

Tub and sweep is good - can be run by a kid. Solid side sweep is the ONLY way to go.

Solid side chutes are great for running into the squeeze - no balking or gawking.

I do not have solid side chutes here - when we upgrade that is the direction we will take. Makes the operation run smoother and faster in my opinion. When we upgrade we will also go to the adjustable chute width - one system for cows - then shrink it up and do the calves - no turn-arounds!

Bez>

Bez, do you have experience with solid side chutes? Is there really no balking before the squeeze or headgate? If you do get one that balks, especially those tame or lazy ones how do you move them forward if tail cranking didn't work? Without the use af a hotshot?

 

[Bez>]

This is the equipment I use - some of it is interspersed with wood chutes 6 feet high and topped with an 8 inch rail.

http://www.hi-hog.com/

I like this equipment - it is robust - in the 6 years we have used it I have not had to make one repair.

That in itself is important to me - therefore I have no idea on how they are at warranty work - I have never called them.

They will develop your system from scratch if you want them to.

Tub and sweep is good - can be run by a kid. Solid side sweep is the ONLY way to go.

Solid side chutes are great for running into the squeeze - no balking or gawking.

I do not have solid side chutes here - when we upgrade that is the direction we will take. Makes the operation run smoother and faster in my opinion. When we upgrade we will also go to the adjustable chute width - one system for cows - then shrink it up and do the calves - no turn-arounds!

Bez>

Bez, do you have experience with solid side chutes? Is there really no balking before the squeeze or headgate? If you do get one that balks, especially those tame or lazy ones how do you move them forward if tail cranking didn't work? Without the use af a hotshot?

I help my neighbour run cattle through his system twice a year - solid sided tub and sweep to solid sided all the way "S" chute - goes to a palp cage and then a squeeze. If we are not preg checking, we just run them straight through the cage into the squeeze and leave the palp cage door wide open.

We generally do not even squeeze them for vaccinations - just fill the chute and run along the gang way hitting them with the gun.

Because the sides are solid he also bought the walkway that goes on the side of the chute - allowing me to stand up and over top of the animal.

That is a real advantage because the cow does not like someone higher than them - places them at a disadvatage.

It is because of this I will go to the solid side on our upgrade - probably in about three years time.

The cows standing behind the animal going into the chute is what pushes the cow into the chute. Remember - the tub and sweep are the pushing force - a full chute is a great thing.

Personally I would never have gone the way I am working animals now if I had seen this done before I bought and built. Prior to this all of my experience was the old fashioned way - a whole bunch of people and some horses. I am too old for that now - plus the people are not available where I now live.

I have a cattle prod with a 4 foot reach - when I walk along the gang way, I generally use it to poke the cow - it is rare that I have to apply the power button.

He runs about 700 head of cattle if you include calves and yearlings - so this system gets used a lot.

Back at you - will be out of the house soon - chores are behind - I slept in.

Bez>

 

[MikeC]

My sweep has solid sides. Works better on calves than with cows because of the height. Cows tend to want to go out the same way they came in.

Needs to be taller by about a foot.

Neighbor has a Powder River open pipe sweep and it's a nighmare when working calves and/or cows.

If I had it go do over..... all my pens, chutes, and alleys would be solid.

 

[S&S Farms]

We have a W W system and we have added sides to make it solid in the alley with metal. On the tub we used plastic sheeting from Sandhills plastic in Nebraska come in 4' x 8' sheets and is bendable. So I would say solid is the way to go and the more curves the better they seem to move.

Lazy herefords in the system can try your patience. We dont flight score them when they leave we go with a coffee score, how many cups before they leave :lol: :lol:

Jeff

 

[KNERSIE]

We have a W W system and we have added sides to make it solid in the alley with metal. On the tub we used plastic sheeting from Sandhills plastic in Nebraska come in 4' x 8' sheets and is bendable. So I would say solid is the way to go and the more curves the better they seem to move.

Lazy herefords in the system can try your patience. We dont flight score them when they leave we go with a coffee score, how many cups before they leave :lol: :lol:

Jeff

That is my concern with the solid sides.

 

[KNERSIE]

all this leads to another question, which of the three possible exits out of the sweep works the best? On the Hi Hog site that Bez posted there is under Tubs three photographs of the three options.

 

[Bez>]

all this leads to another question, which of the three possible exits out of the sweep works the best? On the Hi Hog site that Bez posted there is under Tubs three photographs of the three options.

IMO there is no best way - it is the set up that matters - what fits you and your yard - fits you. Every setup is a custom job.

Regards

Bez>

 

[Texas Gal]

Several years ago we got a WW tub, sweep and chute. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread. We went with the open pipe set-up due to the cost factor but would have liked to had the solid sweep. However the pipe on our WW is spaced pretty close together and our gals are pretty gentle ( knock on wood at this time) so there haven't been any trainwrecks. I've only had two try to climb their way out - both were standing in line for 1 way tickets to town anyway. I've doctored cows, worked calves and loaded by myself with no problem. Overall, it has been some of the best money we spent on infrastructure over the years. Plus the vet will actually like to come to your place with a set-up like that.

 

[atcjets]

I also went with the WW system I spent alot of money and I hate to say it but it was worth it. I have solid sides on the alleys and plastic on the sweep and catch pens. I never have a problem with the cows in the squeeze with the palp cage but sometimes theres to much room for the calves. I know you always here the older guys on hear preaching safety and proper facilities but folks its the truth. I have seen to many accidents with poor or bad and old equipment. The best cows I have seen turn into idiots when you close that last gate. I wanted to mention something I dont think is said enough is to work your animals thru these systems to get them use to em I have seen a big change in our animals in a year with alittle bit of work when it comes to shots, denutting and weighing. SAFETY IS KEY and by the way my best helpers are my 6 year old twin boys, 8 year old daughter and my grouchy 67 year old father.

 

[dun]

I've used the sweeps that have the exit at the hinge end of the gate and ours with the exit at the outside of the gate. Freq2uently, seems more often then not, the cows and calves are worse, will turn and come back towards the gate. With the exit like ours we have to turn them around and point them towards the outside. With the exit by the hinge end, since they're laready facing that way they seem to go rough a lot faster and easier.
Just my observations

 

[Outrigger2]

we put solid sides from the palp cage to the sweep tube, and it works great with angus cattle. ran out of siding for the sweep tube. the solid sides were put on riverrode equipment

 

[twabscs]

Dun is right as he must have the Priefert sweep that has the exit on the outside - Cows/calves always seem to face the opposite direction. Anyway, I'm very happy with my open Preifert sweep, chute, preg cage, and alleyway. The longer the alleyway (with turns), the better it works. I have about 35' of alley and use Prieferts 45 degree turns. I'd like to have a solid-side system, maybe someday.

 

[novatech]

We have a W W system and we have added sides to make it solid in the alley with metal. On the tub we used plastic sheeting from Sandhills plastic in Nebraska come in 4' x 8' sheets and is bendable. So I would say solid is the way to go and the more curves the better they seem to move.

Lazy herefords in the system can try your patience. We dont flight score them when they leave we go with a coffee score, how many cups before they leave :lol: :lol:

Jeff

I have done some research on this over the last few days. There is no dought that the solid sides work better. They keep the cattle moveing forward and there are fewer injuries.
The problem is when they end at the squeeze. Docile cattle just come to a dead halt. They realize that nothing that feels good is going to happen in there. It is sometimes the same with the wilder type of cattle. So what is the solution. Well I would like to built a motorized treadmill. :lol: Since that will never happen I have found that training works very well for me. I get the cattle in the chute and they can stand there all day for all I care. The only way out is the squeeze. Eventually they all walk through and nothing happens. When I do need to use the squeeze it is a lot easer. When they are in the squeeze the work should be done in the least tramatic way possible. I think it was Dun that said he started this training process when they are calves.

 

[KNERSIE]

We have a W W system and we have added sides to make it solid in the alley with metal. On the tub we used plastic sheeting from Sandhills plastic in Nebraska come in 4' x 8' sheets and is bendable. So I would say solid is the way to go and the more curves the better they seem to move.

Lazy herefords in the system can try your patience. We dont flight score them when they leave we go with a coffee score, how many cups before they leave :lol: :lol:

Jeff

I have done some research on this over the last few days. There is no dought that the solid sides work better. They keep the cattle moveing forward and there are fewer injuries.
The problem is when they end at the squeeze. Docile cattle just come to a dead halt. They realize that nothing that feels good is going to happen in there. It is sometimes the same with the wilder type of cattle. So what is the solution. Well I would like to built a motorized treadmill. :lol: Since that will never happen I have found that training works very well for me. I get the cattle in the chute and they can stand there all day for all I care. The only way out is the squeeze. Eventually they all walk through and nothing happens. When I do need to use the squeeze it is a lot easer. When they are in the squeeze the work should be done in the least tramatic way possible. I think it was Dun that said he started this training process when they are calves.

the problem arises when farming with cattle extensively off the veld, they graze a very large area and spending time training them is more complicated. They often have to be moved long distances to get to the working facilities and can't stay there for long periods. My problem is more with too docile cattle than with jumpers. That initiated the looking into solid sides in the first place, but over here no one has solid sides and I needed to hear experienced opinions.

 

[dun]

We have a W W system and we have added sides to make it solid in the alley with metal. On the tub we used plastic sheeting from Sandhills plastic in Nebraska come in 4' x 8' sheets and is bendable. So I would say solid is the way to go and the more curves the better they seem to move.

Lazy herefords in the system can try your patience. We dont flight score them when they leave we go with a coffee score, how many cups before they leave :lol: :lol:

Jeff

I have done some research on this over the last few days. There is no dought that the solid sides work better. They keep the cattle moveing forward and there are fewer injuries.
The problem is when they end at the squeeze. Docile cattle just come to a dead halt. They realize that nothing that feels good is going to happen in there. It is sometimes the same with the wilder type of cattle. So what is the solution. Well I would like to built a motorized treadmill. :lol: Since that will never happen I have found that training works very well for me. I get the cattle in the chute and they can stand there all day for all I care. The only way out is the squeeze. Eventually they all walk through and nothing happens. When I do need to use the squeeze it is a lot easer. When they are in the squeeze the work should be done in the least tramatic way possible. I think it was Dun that said he started this training process when they are calves.

the problem arises when farming with cattle extensively off the veld, they graze a very large area and spending time training them is more complicated. They often have to be moved long distances to get to the working facilities and can't stay there for long periods. My problem is more with too docile cattle than with jumpers. That initiated the looking into solid sides in the first place, but over here no one has solid sides and I needed to hear experienced opinions.

The training deal, actually it's moe of a getting them accusotmed to it deal, isa lla done during the weaning phase. They have to go through the cach pens through the sweep and down the alley and out through the chute to get to their grain ration.