Working pens

[Cross-7]

I've never had a set of pens I really liked.
Anybody have a two pen design with chute that works well ?

 

[Supa Dexta]

It really depends where cows are and where you're trying to get them to, to decide a layout. And the lay of your land.

 

[HDRider]

It really depends where cows are and where you're trying to get them to, to decide a layout. And the lay of your land.

I just wish I knew enough to understand that.

 

[M-5]

It really depends where cows are and where you're trying to get them to, to decide a layout. And the lay of your land.

I just wish I knew enough to understand that.

Its about function. If you have a clean slate build your pen then build your fences to get animals in . if not I then you need the pen situated to make it easy for animals to flow in and out.

 

[Cross-7]

I talking working facilities.
Two pens to separate calves and cows.
Run through chute and sort open and bred.
Work calves, sort and load out area and etc.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I like the looks of some of those portable corrals and pens myself. When you move again, you can take them with you.

 

[TCRanch]

I like the looks of some of those portable corrals and pens myself. When you move again, you can take them with you.

This is what we have. Love it!
http://titanwestinc.com/products/okcorral.html

 

[AdamsCreek]

Try to find a design that you can work by yourself. Mine wasn't built for a one man show and it sucks trying to run around doing it by yourself.

 

[backhoeboogie]

A holding pen with an alley. Cut gates to sort in the alley with openings to pens. Periodic medina gates opening in to a side gate would be ideal. Pretty much just like the sale barn does it.

Once sorted, back in to the alley and down to the working chute such that your calves are not trampled by larger bovine. Sorting pen out of the side of the squeeze to hold the ones going to the sale barn.

I had mine real close on the place I sold last summer.

Then there are my portables. My portables are great, for portable operations. Would want something a bit better for a permanent facility. If I lease a place, I can make do with the portables just fine for around 30 cows.

 

[pdfangus]

i have said it before and will say it again...
I give the cows I am working a cup full of feed every time I put them in the headgate.
enables one man working....
I am breeding cows for a neighbor at my place now...cosync with cidr.
bred the first group saturday....these are not animals that were raised at my place so they are not familiar with my system...
first trip thru the chute was a little slow. second trip better....third trip was a snap...
working by myself...once I had the cows to the barn lot....
my facilities are not fancy or special and wild cows would tear it apart
I penned and caught and fed, preped the semen,bred, gave gnrh, recorded the breeding and did ten head alone in about an hour....
the feeding while in the head chute is the key....once a cow starts up the alley the second time she realizes she might eat and is looking for the feed tub.

one of my cows who calved late last year and went directly to the bull....anyhow she had not been to my barn in over two years...she remembered the system and is the first cow to the barn and auto loaded every time....All I had to do was open gates for her. make the chute a more pleasant experience and you do not have to fight them thru it...

 

[Cross-7]

I'm thinking something similar to this, except a pull thru load out that you don't have to back up to and the load out will also serve as the catch pen that feeds the alley to the chute.
In front of the chute have a gate to sort upon release.
Only problem with that is if you want to sort to the left they have to exit the headgate opposed to side release.
Still thinking of a better system

 

[backhoeboogie]

Cross I like the rounded corner. I don't like that lay-out. Don't know what you would do with 100 head, or even 50.

There are so few in there that there is no need to sort.

 

[Rafter S]

Here's the drawing for one I built at my rent pasture a few years ago. It works very well, though if I was doing it again I'd make the alley 10' wide instead of 12'.

 

[HDRider]

Take a look at these for ideas....

http://www.redriverarenas.com/arena-layouts.html

 

[RanchMan90]

Here's the drawing for one I built at my rent pasture a few years ago. It works very well, though if I was doing it again I'd make the alley 10' wide instead of 12'.

Nice drawing. Very easy to read

 

[Ojp6]

I would like to build one like this someday, might be a little big for what you are talking about though.

 

[Rafter S]

Here's the drawing for one I built at my rent pasture a few years ago. It works very well, though if I was doing it again I'd make the alley 10' wide instead of 12'.

Nice drawing. Very easy to read

Thank you. That's what I do for a living (though usually not working pens.)

 

[backhoeboogie]

I would like to build one like this someday, might be a little big for what you are talking about though.

Now we're talking. :cboy:

 

[greybeard]

Here's the drawing for one I built at my rent pasture a few years ago. It works very well, though if I was doing it again I'd make the alley 10' wide instead of 12'.

Nice drawing. Very easy to read

Thank you. That's what I do for a living (though usually not working pens.)

One of the best drawings I have seen.
Does the 8' (the lower #7) gate at the wide part of the entrance to the chute area swing all the way around to meet the fence on the far left as to make a sweep?

 

[Rafter S]

Nice drawing. Very easy to read

Thank you. That's what I do for a living (though usually not working pens.)

One of the best drawings I have seen.
Does the 8' (the lower #7) gate at the wide part of the entrance to the chute area swing all the way around to meet the fence on the far left as to make a sweep?

I appreciate the compliment. And no, it stops when it gets to the edge of the alley (so it's parallel to the outside fence). I guess I could have mounted it so it did, but then it wouldn't have swung all the way around the other way up against the wing fence when it's open.