Which cattle chute

[Bcompton53]

I have a split operation, the home place has a tub and chute setup, my place,3 hours away, has nothing. I usually have between 7-10 head at my place, and I need a headgate or chute. I do some a.i. here. I'm only 32, so I don't mind investing a little beyond my current needs. So, what kind of setup do you all have for that small of a herd? Or you recommend something like a priefert s0191?

 

[bird dog]

I used an old priefert head gate attached to a home made stand for a number of years on a small group of cows. I had a bunch of medium weight panels that I used for my catch pen as well as my chute. They worked well on a couple different places where I did not want to build permanent pens. I made some lightweight 1 1/2 pipe frames that the panels would slide into for the chute. The panels were the old style that had chains so they were easy to chain to the frames.

 

[Brute 23]

A lot is going to depend on how gentle your cattle are. The AI class I went to had auction barn cattle line up in stall type deals that were just wide and long enough for them to fit. There was nothing more than a chain across the back holding them in. People poked and prauded on them for hours like that.

If a person was handy I think you could make a basic box with a palp cage type acces for cheaper than a full on squeeze and it work just as well.

With that said, I love our Preifert S04 and after having it cant see going back to not having one handy.

 

[Dixie2542]

Definitely an S04. Same here. We have two. One for each operation with preg cage. Money well spent because it cut down on time from using just the head catch and a wooden frame.

 

[Bcompton53]

I understand the idea of building something. Our chute back home was an old squeeze chute made for smaller cattle. I spent some time making it taller and wider along with other features such as a lever in the back to close the head gate which works awesome when you are by yourself.
that being said the exact same old junky chute now is like $1200 to buy. So I can buy that and put $500 into it and I still have an old squeeze chute. They seem to hold value pretty well so I'm not opposed to spending a little more for a new one if it works just as good or better.

 

[Walking W]

Unless you are planning to increase your herd size, I can't see spending nearly $2,000 for an old used squeeze and head gate. I only have a few at any one time myself. What I did was build a tub and chute from 2-3/8 drill stem. I found a used manual head gate for $75 that works smoothly. If you can weld, you could build a chute with rear access and a used head gate for less than $500.

 

[Bcompton53]

Unless you are planning to increase your herd size, I can't see spending nearly $2,000 for an old used squeeze and head gate. I only have a few at any one time myself. What I did was build a tub and chute from 2-3/8 drill stem. I found a used manual head gate for $75 that works smoothly. If you can weld, you could build a chute with rear access and a used head gate for less than $500.

I did look for a headgate with that exact idea in mind. I couldn't find anything less than about $300 and almost all of them were in pretty bad shape. I considered buying a new one and then building a chute. Another factor in wanting a decent set up is a few years ago my dad broke both bones in his leg when a cow defeated our poor handling equipment.

 

[Bcompton53]

Another Factor is a lot of the used squeeze chutes and head gates are the automatic catch kind. I have used those in the past and I will never own one. So that does decrease my options when looking at used.

 

[Brute 23]

Another Factor is a lot of the used squeeze chutes and head gates are the automatic catch kind. I have used those in the past and I will never own one. So that does decrease my options when looking at used.

Have you used Prieferts auto catch? It's REAL handy, especially if you are by yourself.

 

[Bcompton53]

Only used it once. Doesn't concern me like the normal "self catching" ones. They can't push through it, and if I don't want to use it, I just don't.

 

[Bcompton53]

Well, I ended up with a priefert s0191, found it for $2850. Got it set up, and lubed, and ran a few head through it. It seems to work fairly well, although the auto function of the headgate needs some tweaking. I just set it up with panels, and this really made me miss my crowding tub back home. I have plans to tear down a building and put a catch pen and working area in, so the tub will soon follow. I like the idea of a bud box, but I've had success with a tub working them alone, so probably will go back with that.

 

[Brute 23]

I use both a sweep and a bud box. They both have their pros and cons.

The sweep is probably a little easier with one person because you can stay on the left side and work up and down from your squeeze to bringing cattle in.

With a bud box you end up taking more steps getting around thru it or on the other side.

With stupid cattle or flighty cattle that can be harder to work I prefer the bud box.

Last I checked the bud box could be out in a little cheaper. The people building the ready made sweeps are awfully proud of them.

When I'm trying to save a buck I do a modified bud box deal. Basically I dont run them past the chute. I just put a lane with two compartments that feed the chute from one side. You just moving them toward the chute by closing down the area. Most of the time on a smaller place with cattle you will be keeping for years its plenty.

I'm retrofitting an old pen right now that was the standard two section pen. It has a chute down the middle with a funnel box feeding it in line with the chute. I'm taking out the funnel box and putting a bud box in the middle that you can feed from either side. Making the chute longer where the funnel box use to be so it has a cut gate you can go left or right to cut or forward to load out. To one side it will be set up for a squeeze. In that instance where you want to feed cattle from two sides. I like the bud box. A sweep would have required a lot more money to make that work.

Basically, either gets it done really nice. I tend to go with what is cheaper to get in... in that application. Many times I'm retrofitting existing pens trying to salvage what I can.

The auto catch on the Priefert works good once you learn how to work with it. Only down side, if it is one, is eventually they get smart to it, which is ok. They usually just stand in front of it which gives you time to get on the handle and do it manually. For those that want to hit it 90mph... the harder they hit it the better it works.