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Brisket bars?

S

Shortgrass

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Sep 25, 2006
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Eastern Colorado
I know this topic gets beat to death sometimes, but I would like to ask someone who uses the parallel squeeze with a brisket bar if they like it better or as well as the tapered squeeze. Does the brisket bar impede the flow of cattle, or cause injury? Is it effective? Then, do the self catch gates with straight bars catch big cows and smaller heifers without someone there to close it? I am in the market for a new one. My old self catch head gate had a U in the center somewhat like a milliron, and I had a 1st calf heifer get her shoulders thru and hang up on the hips. If it was set smaller, the cows would have their heads too high, and could not close it. This was the second or third time it has happened, and the last. I did get her out without injury. I would like a manual headgate because it will catch all sizes, but often need to catch something when working alone. Hydraulic would be great, but I would need a grant for it! Anyone have some input?
 
We have a removeable brisket bar in the new chute. We don't like for cows, it does impede the flow of cattle. However it is priceless for semen testing bulls, especially the neighbors (who are a different color than ours :wink: ) Our cows are quiet and tend to behave well in the chute. Some friends who we help alot, almost all their cows immediately go down on their knees in the chute, if my cows were like that I would love the brisket bar.

Our old chute had a self headcatch with straight bars. You had to adjust if for sizes of cattle. It was a Behlin and we hated it. It looks like the Qcatch are making people very happy. If you get a cow hiplocked in a self catch, a square bale in the loader works very well for gently pushing them back it without hurting them. :?
 
Here is a link to a selection from Stampede Steel. I have a older hydraulic squeeze but i see they have self catches and the manual operates from the back. I really like their Bi-fold rear door.
http://stampedesteel.com/stampedesteel/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=2:squeezes&Itemid=9&layout=default
 
I have a Pearson, parrallel squeeze, self catch straight bar head gate that is also adjustable, aluminum tailgate, no palp cage, because chute is long enough to preg from the side. And Pearsons new chutes are all made to convert part or all to hydraulic. The brisket bar is half the length of the chute and round pipe.

Does the brisket bar impede the flow of cattle, or cause injury?
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No, have not noticed, and if it does it is ok because i hate when they try to rip the headgate off going 100 mph. When we give calves booster vaccinations we just line them up in our 60 ft. alley way and then let out thru chute and have never had any touble with the calves walking thru with the brisket bar in.

Is it effective?
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Yes, first used chute and took it out because i didnt think i would like, it, but then put it back in and love it and we probably run 1500 head thru it per year. Keeps the old ones from crawling into the head gate and the young fiesty ones from going down. My vet loves it for pregging. And i love it for vaccinating calves at weaning.

Then, do the self catch gates with straight bars catch big cows and smaller heifers without someone there to close it?
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Yes if you have the head gate set right and keep the cables adjusted correctly. Only time i have had to adjust my width of headgate was on 250 lbs calves i had to narrow it up, but now have a calf cradle. Otherwise there is one more hole to adjust wider but have never needed it becasue on side of headgate is spring loaded.

I would sure recommend a Pearson!
 
We too have a Pearson and love it. Same set up as Eatbeef's. I ditto everything they said about it and would highly recommend it to anyone. The brisket bar is a little in the way when cows walk over it but it is great when working on cattle and they want to get down on their knees and can't.
 
formost chutes have an automatic head catch that's great for polled cows. Not so much for horns. They also have a removable brisket bar that is removable by pulling one pin. They also squeeze better than a pearson.
 
Just purchased a Pearson squeeze chute this summer and have pregged about 1000 head through it and so far, and the brisket bar has worked great. Ran yearling heifers through it first, then the cowherd, and the brisket bar didn't seem to slow the flow down much at all. The preg checkers liked the fact that the old cows especially, weren't standing on their heads :D , and the chute is long enough for them to test through the side of the chute. We have 3 Pearson self catch headgates on the place, but this chute has a manual catch, and I don't know yet which I prefer. The cattle go into this one a little easier, but sure is tougher to run. The self catchers are nice, but you have to really be careful to keep the cables adjusted right, and if one slips a shoulder through, they stretch the cable, or can also break it. I will have to use this one a little more before I give it my complete seal of approval, but I sure seem to like it so far.
 
I have a Pearson and I have a slightly different opinion about the brisket bar. We put it in for AIing and pregging, otherwise it is out. Our calves won't feed over it, they try to walk beside it and I am afraid that I am going to end up with an injured calf. The cows don't seem to mind it or even pay much attention to it. It is great for the few times a year I need it, the rest of the time it is out.
 
rancherfred said:
I have a Pearson and I have a slightly different opinion about the brisket bar. We put it in for AIing and pregging, otherwise it is out. Our calves won't feed over it, they try to walk beside it and I am afraid that I am going to end up with an injured calf. The cows don't seem to mind it or even pay much attention to it. It is great for the few times a year I need it, the rest of the time it is out.
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I would say that's right, although we did run 400 head of 600-700 lbs. bull calves through it and it didn't seem to bother them much at all.
 
I have worked around a Pearson without the brisket bar, and cattle will sure kneel. Also have seen the need to keep a set of cables on hand for it. Otherwise it is tops. That Q catch has caught my eye also, and the Powder River Maverick model with two head gates. I like the rear head control like Q Catch and Stampede Steel have. One of those four? Will likely see what I can do at the Stock Show. Thanks for all the input.
 
I would vote for the Qcatch with rear control. We processed cows yesterday and the only problem is our chute is not long enough to hold all the cows that want to go up it out of the bud box. could use another 75' on the front of our 60' or so. We poured 50 cows in less than 10 minutes.
We have a straight sided self catch (Real Industries) that is OK I guess, and a curved self catch that is 30 years old and works well, but this qcatch deal is really slick and works with just the flick of a wrist. The cows don't stop and back out like they sometimes do on a self catch. I am not sure how well just the headgate would work as you would have to be at the animal's head to run the controls.
Chute has a spot for a brisket bar but it is not really needed with the way the headgate is set up.
 
Today we vaccinated 231 heifer calves through a nice Sioux Steel tub, alleyway, and squeeze chute. It belongs to the people who are wintering these heifer calves, and I sure like it. It does have a self-catching headgate, which worked fine, but the veterianarian had an interesting perspective on self-catching headgates. He said that by using them all the time, it teaches ("imprints") cattle to act in the wrong way. He says the cattle must push the gate to get caught, and then push to get back out. These pushing lessons might cause cattle to push on fences where the grass appears to be greener on the other side. I think he has a point. My personal preference has always been for the "scissor"-type headgate, and now he has given me a good reason to know why. :wink:
 
Soapweed said:
Today we vaccinated 231 heifer calves through a nice Sioux Steel tub, alleyway, and squeeze chute. It belongs to the people who are wintering these heifer calves, and I sure like it. It does have a self-catching headgate, which worked fine, but the veterianarian had an interesting perspective on self-catching headgates. He said that by using them all the time, it teaches ("imprints") cattle to act in the wrong way. He says the cattle must push the gate to get caught, and then push to get back out. These pushing lessons might cause cattle to push on fences where the grass appears to be greener on the other side. I think he has a point. My personal preference has always been for the "scissor"-type headgate, and now he has given me a good reason to know why. :wink:
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I have the Sioux Steel chute and hi-tensile electric fences...so I don't know what your vet is talking about. :lol:
 
Soapweed said:
Today we vaccinated 231 heifer calves through a nice Sioux Steel tub, alleyway, and squeeze chute. It belongs to the people who are wintering these heifer calves, and I sure like it. It does have a self-catching headgate, which worked fine, but the veterianarian had an interesting perspective on self-catching headgates. He said that by using them all the time, it teaches ("imprints") cattle to act in the wrong way. He says the cattle must push the gate to get caught, and then push to get back out. These pushing lessons might cause cattle to push on fences where the grass appears to be greener on the other side. I think he has a point. My personal preference has always been for the "scissor"-type headgate, and now he has given me a good reason to know why. :wink:
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i totally agree---maybe not about the fences, but cows that been run thru seems they all want to take a run at them---even yesterday, gave calves that had never been in a chute shots with portable WW---had both sides chained to alley, had to get a bar to loosen chains up enuf to get unhooked--

we own thorsens---scissor headcatch and split tailgate---never liked the overhead tailgates---if heavy enuf to stand up, get tired of pulling them and cows can pick them up---our chutes are long enuf that if by yourself, leave headcatch closed, can flip the tailgate shut from either side it's spring loaded and kinda offcenter--then catch the head
 
New Rancher shut at Pearson's is the standard shut setup with hydraulics. So you can convert any part or all your shut to hydraulic really easy. The hydraulic head catch is the manual head catch with hydraulics, it is also the rear gate. The other thing that is really nice is the head sweep, it will sure save your teeth in tagging and mouthing cows. Just my 2 cents. SB
 
got a old powder river that had a hydralic kit put on the squeeze and head catch. Roof over chute and alley, a drop no back at end alley. (Can't get into photobucket tonight) but we read tattos and bangs tags, vaccinated and ivomeced, the vet preg tested then drew blood for bangs (heard plan for servalance area). we were averaging 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 mintues to cow out and next cow in.
 

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