trailer suggestions

[WalnutCrest]

As some of you know, my trailer was totaled when I was rear-ended by an 18 wheeler a couple of months ago. It was 7' x 20' with one interior gate. I loved that trailer.

... however ... it seemed like it was either too big or too small for most of the things I was wanting to do.

I have been considering getting a 24' trailer with two interior gates (especially if one of the interior gates is pushed closer to the front for calves or a single bull, leaving two other compartments for cows) ... or ... getting a smaller trailer that may or may not have an interior gate, and hiring someone if/when we need to move a group that's bigger than a small handful of critters (or, running more than one trip).

If you had to choose between having one trailer that was big enough to do everything you wanted (even if it was too big for most of your moves) ... or ... a trailer that would handle 80+% of your hauling needs (where the other hauls could be covered by hiring someone else or making multiple trips) ... what would you do?

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Relatedly, anyone know of a good trailer (floor, wiring, welds, minimal rust, pulls straight, brakes, etc.) in/near the SW corner of Kansas City? I've been pounding CL for the last month or so ... no luck yet.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

I have a 6.8x16ft, it will hold 10 good sized cows (barely). I would like a 6x24 just so I could haul more, but really when I take a load off its only a handful and not worth the trouble for a big trailer. Everyone's situation is different, but where I load out at and the distance I am from our barn I'll probably keep what I have. A wide 16ft is hard to beat if you're only dealing with a small herd. If you buy a lot of cattle one time a year it would probably be cheaper and easier to hire your hauling done that one time.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I have a 24ft by 6.8 with 2 cut gates and I really believe it's the best all around size if a person is only gonna have 1 trailer. I would reccomend that for you.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Might be to far for you, but There's a 1998 24ft gooseneck brand in Oklahoma for 4000$ on truck paper. Looks like a alright trailer.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

I wished I lived out there where you boys do. Trailers are cheap. An old rusted out 16ft here costs 2500 or more and people pay it.

 

[John SD]

If you had to choose between having one trailer that was big enough to do everything you wanted (even if it was too big for most of your moves) ... or ... a trailer that would handle 80+% of your hauling needs (where the other hauls could be covered by hiring someone else or making multiple trips) ... what would you do?

If I had to make that choice, I would probably go with the "bigger is better" plan. Just like tractors. You can do a lot of little jobs with a bigger tractor, but it's tough/impossible to do many big jobs with a smaller tractor.

I guess my solution has been to have 2 trailers. Bought a used WW 6x16 bumper pull at a sale to pull behind a 3/4T pickup I had at the time.

Later I got a 1 ton 4x4 with a ball in it, so I started looking for gooseneck. Bought a nice used Titan 7x20. So all I needed was an extra driver and I had pretty good cattle hauling capacity using both trailers at the same time. For smaller jobs, I used whichever trailer was more suited to the task.

 

[J&D Cattle]

If you are going to own one anyway I would go with the bigger trailer. We have a 7X20 and a 6X16. Don't have much money in the smaller one so we kept it. We can't get a 24' in one of the rent farms so we shopped for a 20'.

 

[bigbull338]

we hire all our cattle hauled to and from sales since 95.this works out rteal good for us.sometimes i do have trouble finding a hauler at reg sales.but ive been pretty lucky to have friends with trailers there to haul for me.if i was going to buy a gooseneck cattle trailer id be between a 20ft or 24ft 6`8 trailer.butif i was going todo alot of pulling id step up to a f450 or 4500 or 5500 dodge.because the 1 tons cant hold up to the daily grind of pulling the trailer.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

If you had to choose between having one trailer that was big enough to do everything you wanted (even if it was too big for most of your moves) ... or ... a trailer that would handle 80+% of your hauling needs (where the other hauls could be covered by hiring someone else or making multiple trips) ... what would you do?

If I had to make that choice, I would probably go with the "bigger is better" plan. Just like tractors. You can do a lot of little jobs with a bigger tractor, but it's tough/impossible to do many big jobs with a smaller tractor.

I guess my solution has been to have 2 trailers. Bought a used WW 6x16 bumper pull at a sale to pull behind a 3/4T pickup I had at the time.

Later I got a 1 ton 4x4 with a ball in it, so I started looking for gooseneck. Bought a nice used Titan 7x20. So all I needed was an extra driver and I had pretty good cattle hauling capacity using both trailers at the same time. For smaller jobs, I used whichever trailer was more suited to the task.

Best advice I've heard in quite some time.

 

[shaz]

Only problem is those tiny parking lots at the slaughter house.

 

[John SD]

Only problem is those tiny parking lots at the slaughter house.

It's usually a clear shot to park directly across the street from the office next to the car wash "here". If not, Pizza Hut next door usually has plenty of parking. 8)

 

[John SD]

we hire all our cattle hauled to and from sales since 95.this works out rteal good for us.sometimes i do have trouble finding a hauler at reg sales.but ive been pretty lucky to have friends with trailers there to haul for me.if i was going to buy a gooseneck cattle trailer id be between a 20ft or 24ft 6`8 trailer.butif i was going todo alot of pulling id step up to a f450 or 4500 or 5500 dodge.because the 1 tons cant hold up to the daily grind of pulling the trailer.

A lot of guys here use a single axle day cab tractor on big trailers. A used medium or heavy truck is better and in most cases cheaper than any "wanna be" pickup of any kind for pulling large trailers.

 

[jltrent]

Here is a good looking 32'

 

[TexasBred]

I have a 6.8x16ft, it will hold 10 good sized cows (barely). I would like a 6x24 just so I could haul more, but really when I take a load off its only a handful and not worth the trouble for a big trailer. Everyone's situation is different, but where I load out at and the distance I am from our barn I'll probably keep what I have. A wide 16ft is hard to beat if you're only dealing with a small herd. If you buy a lot of cattle one time a year it would probably be cheaper and easier to hire your hauling done that one time.

Ok now buddy...those are some skinny cows....even if you put them in there perfectly that's only abot 18-19 inches per cow....or 5 per section...It's a stretch for me to get 6 in mine.

I'd probably go for the 24 especially if you can get the 4 ft. section in the front.

 

[WalnutCrest]

I've got a line on a nice and well-maintained 24' trailer w/ a 4' cut in the front ... but ... it's more than I was hoping to spend on a trailer.

So, I was thinking about "slumming it" with a crappy ol' 16' trailer until either it died or I won the lottery (which, come to think of it, may be pretty close to the same thing).

...hmmm...

 

[Aaron]

20' trailers can go into most small spaces, but no bigger. But if you have 40' gates and wide lanes, then by all means, go big.

 

[Cowboy 2.0]

I run out of room quite often....and tires, run out of tires all the time.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I run out of room quite often....and tires, run out of tires all the time.

Is that a 32ft or 36?

 

[circlew]

Looks like a 32'.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I'm thinking about getting a new 32ft, but I'm wanting one with tandem duals instead of 3 axles.