What is this? Plus, some random pics

[TCRanch]

Extra-long hike with the pups today and I had forgotten about this - whatever it is. To me, it looks like the equivalent of a creep feeder for calves (or goats?), except using small, square bales of hay instead of grain/cubes. And there are a few homemade creep feeders still around. Mr. TC thought it was some sort of livestock hauler that fit on the back of a truck. But it'd have to be a pretty big truck and the logistics just don't work out for me. How would you load them?



And just for fun while I was out, this is the old hay barn. Most of the structures were built in the early 30's but have no clue how old this one is. A local Historian told me this is where the Dalton Gang hung out after they robbed the bank in Dexter. Currently using it to store the SS Lester (which is a piece of junk, held together primarily with Bondo) and the water tank.

An old stone livestock shelter with a rock wall behind it

And just a way cool tree

 

[puzzled in oregon]

What I can't figure out is how they got it over the top of that tree !

 

[TCRanch]

View attachment 39050
What I can't figure out is how they got it over the top of that tree !

It's been there so long, the tree grew inside! Actually, there are 2 trees inside the structure, but one is considerably smaller.

 

[kenny thomas]

Before days of cattle trailers everyone had some type of cattle racks on their trucks. And a loading chute at the barn or corral. Im betting that's what it is.

 

[TCRanch]

Before days of cattle trailers everyone had some type of cattle racks on their trucks. And a loading chute at the barn or corral. Im betting that's what it is.

But how in the world would the cattle fit? That opening isn't very high. Unless it was just when they loaded/sold calves?

 

[kenny thomas]

But how in the world would the cattle fit? That opening isn't very high. Unless it was just when they loaded/sold calves?

Might have been for sheep or goats..

 

[Travlr]

But how in the world would the cattle fit? That opening isn't very high. Unless it was just when they loaded/sold calves?

Too light duty for cows. Probably sheep...

Any bones around? When I bought my place in SD there were sheep skeletons all over the place. I bet I picked up fifty skeletons in the corral.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

I like the stone shelter. What type of stone is it?
The old wood barns were nice, usually warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer
than the metal structures of today.

 

[TCRanch]

Too light duty for cows. Probably sheep...

Any bones around? When I bought my place in SD there were sheep skeletons all over the place. I bet I picked up fifty skeletons in the corral.

Lots of graveyards around. Plus, there was an Indian burial ground on the property.

 

[TCRanch]

I like the stone shelter. What type of stone is it?
The old wood barns were nice, usually warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer
than the metal structures of today.

Limestone.

We have a livestock shelter in the east 80 built out of giant cement blocks that link together (think Legos). Cooler in the summer (like a basement) and warmer in the winter because in addition to protection, we put out bedding.

 

[bird dog]

I thought it was a hog carrier that fit on a stake bed truck. Sheep or goat carrier might be a better answer though.

 

[farmerjan]

Looks to me like the center section in the back with the grating on the bottom was a separate section... opened up for the cattle/calves to be loaded on the back of a bigger truck... like our old 2 ton GMC truck or something... that was on the "back of the truck part... the sides probably were against solid sides and front of a combination type grain truck that had shorter sides... then they made some trucks with "fold up sides" for hauling cattle.....there were alot of them around years ago. Backed the truck up to a big mound of dirt for easier loading or up to a chute made for loading... like @kenny thomas said... it was common years ago that most all trucks had beds that cattle could be hauled in... and they would "jump up" a foot or so to load in..... then the "cattle racks" were taken off so the truck could be used for stuff like hauling hay or grain or manure or something....

 

[ClinchValley86]

My Papaw claims we are kin to the dalton gang.

 

[jltrent]

I remember seeing racks like that the guy used on his bales that came out of a baler like this (Hesston 30B Stack hand). Huge big square bales. It has been a few years ago, but the guy used it several years. It beat stacking with a pitchfork. Hay would not stick together to good out of these, but they worked good stacking corn stalk bales.

If the boards on that old barn are chestnut it is worth a lot.

 

[TCRanch]

Might have been for sheep or goats..

Texted them to Skyhigh (don't think he's even on here anymore) and he said most likely hogs. He would know!

 

[Allenw]

It's a set of homemade steel stock racks for a wheat truck. The center section at the back, where the expanded metal is would slide up to load at a chute.

 

[wbvs58]

We mostly haul cattle on the back of trucks using loading ramps. It certainly looked like something for the back of a truck to me. It may well have had the cladding on the sides removed and had been repurposed as a creep feeder as you originally mentioned TC. Measure the width of it, most beds on reasonable size trucks are 2.4m or 8' in your speak.

Ken

 

[TCRanch]

Measure the width of it, most beds on reasonable size trucks are 2.4m or 8' in your speak.

I'll do that - once the snow melts. Best guess is 10' x 14'. Got probably 3" so far and another round coming in Mon & Tues.

 

[sstterry]

Before days of cattle trailers everyone had some type of cattle racks on their trucks. And a loading chute at the barn or corral. Im betting that's what it is.

I was about to say the same thing, but it is enclosed all the way around.

 

[sstterry]

Texted them to Skyhigh (don't think he's even on here anymore) and he said most likely hogs. He would know!

He has a new baby so his days are pretty full.