How High?

[Big Muddy rancher]

At the end of my sorting alley at the top corner where the cows "jam up" while sorting I put a 8 ft gate that opens into the pen my calves go into. I thought I could put a couple pipes across the opening so the calves could duck under into the pen while sorting the cows down the alley.
How High do you think the pipe should be to let the calves under and keep the cows out?

 

[DejaVu]

I like this video. It shows the height of the sorting gate for calves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4FUE-OrXRw

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

That looks like about 40 inches high should work, Guess I will have to try and find out.

I'll let you know how it works.

 

[littlejoe]

A point this guy makes is that often only a small movement is needed.
That is so true and it seems people either get it or they don't.
Often my wife --or I==will say 'lets get sorted before the help gets here....'
Knowing your cattle and pardner makes things so much easier....
Altho I like to be at chute when working cows, it's sure easy and quiet if I'm the one bringing them up.

 

[badroute]

I agree littlejoe, as much as we appreciate and depend upon neighbors for help working cattle we find ourselves doing a lot of things by ourselves more and more. Take yesterday for example we bangs vaccinated 150 heifers calves just the two of us and the vet, and it took two hours and was smooth as can be. I love my neighbors but they are of the older generation around here that were taught to work cattle by putting a "scare" into them rather than working with the animal.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Well we set the pipe a 39-40 inches at that was too high so lowered it 4 inches and still had a cow go under but she was a special kind of miserable so it might work fine tomorrow. Time will tell as we have about 300 to run by it.

 

[Silver]

Well we set the pipe a 39-40 inches at that was too high so lowered it 4 inches and still had a cow go under but she was a special kind of miserable so it might work fine tomorrow. Time will tell as we have about 300 to run by it.

That's good to know because I have been considering doing the same thing. We are getting more than a few calves over the 700# mark so setting the pipe at the right elevation could be tricky but my thoughts are that as long as I had it close to the right height if a guy were careful to move them through playing on the different handling traits calves exhibit compared to cows I might get away with it. Still trying to screw up the courage to try it lol.
Keep us posted on how it works.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Maybe you could make your pipe moveable so you don't have to pull spikes to change the height

 

[Silver]

Maybe you could make your pipe moveable so you don't have to pull spikes to change the height

Lol, great idea! I was considering making an adjustable gate from pipe, but now that you mention it I bet as long as I left the spikes a little proud it would be pretty easy to adjust too! :lol:

 

[Traveler]

I'm just impressed to see Canadians using pounds and inches. :lol:

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Old school, I live right on the 49th and get USA news and weather.

 

[Hayguy]

so..have you determined the optimum height yet ??

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

It seems the 36 inches is about right for our calves, some did hesitate a bit going under. Could be a bit higher if the cows weren't pressured around it. If making a creep panel where the calves wandered back and forth for grain or shelter 40 inches would probably work.

 

[DejaVu]

Sorry you were hurt yesterday. Hope you're better today

 

[PPRM]

so..have you determined the optimum height yet ??

I think it's going to depend upon the cows and calves. Powder River makes a Calf Pass Panel that I use for creep feeding or sometimes so the calves can get to shelter. The Bars are vertical (Somewhat like a feeder panel) with an adjustable Horizontal bar. I find that adjustability handy at times.

 

[Silver]

So what is your final thoughts on the method, did it work well enough to sort calves off the cows in the future? Was it much faster for you that what you had been doing previously? I wondered if it would also leave all cattle involved in a little calmer state of mind, especially the calves as we know how easily they can be stirred up.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Well we had a bit more crew that usual so more pairs got split down the alley.Seemed to work but probably could be improved upon.

 

[Nicky]

So when you use a gate like that at weaning, do you just sort the calves off then resort heifer, steers etc? I know a person could sure sort the cows off fast.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

We winter everything together so since not shipping calves they run together.

 

[Nicky]

Wondering if anyone has any new input, and if you do it with baby calves too, like at branding