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New corral. Any ideas?

B

Big Swede

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Joined
Jan 21, 2008
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1,179
Location
South Dakota
I am going to build a new working facility out in the pasture mainly for sorting and vaccinating calves as well as a branding location. Is there any specific features in your facilities that you wouldn't be without? Are there any surefire designs that will help the flow of cattle? Any blueprints or websites that might be helpful? What I'm thinking is a large holding pen, a sorting alley, working alley and some smaller pens.
 
The last issue of 'BEEF' magazine has the plans for a 'Bud Box' a corral system designed by Bud Williams-it's pretty basic and common sense and alot cheaper than tubs and alleys. We use the concept and it works really well.
 
Wow! Been around these since '93. BEEF finally picked it up??

Check this out.

http://beefmagazine.com/beef-quality/cattle-handling/1001-crowd-pen-stockmanship/


Badlands
 
Yes NR I saw that and have even seen video of the box in action. It works like a charm from what I've seen. I bought a portable tub and alley a few years back but I think I am going to sell it, never worked a good as I thought it would.

I saw a presentation that a veternarian put on that used all Bud William's ideas and corral designs. Maybe Bud has a website.
 
We made our 'box' a bit bigger so you can load it and unload it from horseback-tubs work not bad if you don't overfill them and can walk around them-they suck if your from the cram full and push the ratchet gate school of thought. Ours is made with six foot high Morand panels-they work great for cows but aren't great for broncs-where they join there's a gap-a horse can catch a leg. I saw a pretty decent quarter horse stud snap a leg in them at a friends this winter.
 
Went to Temple Grandin's site last night and she is big into circular pens and alleys. I'm not going that route, just need a backup facility that is about 5 miles from my home place, so I don't have to bring the whole herd home to precondition.
 
Big Swede I started explaining our system that we set up for the same reason as you are and found it was difficult to describe. I realized that it is fantastic for us but we work our cattle on foot in the system. Our neighbors have used it on horses and didn't like it as well. If you are working on horseback I won't bother explaining it. If not then I will scan in a picture for your pleasure. How many cows do you expect to use in it? Ours was set up for 500 head.
 
That's the number I had in mind, 500 pairs. When I first posted this topic the phrase, a picture is worth a 1000 words came to mind but I didn't know how anyone was going to post a picture or sketch. Anyway, I am interested to see what you've got for me. Fire away.
 
Another Link _ Better:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/newsreleases/2008/march-27-2008/ndsu-center-staff-design-livestock-handling-system/2008-03-27.2733421901/image&imgrefurl=http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/newsreleases/2008/march-27-2008/ndsu-center-staff-design-livestock-handling-system/&h=2448&w=3264&sz=2396&hl=en&start=15&um=1&usg=__Cx3tKSpjko-izdu4sJ_M1VOWtwo=&tbnid=UPowDkbE2O__3M:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCattle%2BBud%2BBox%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN
 
Well Big Swede, this task is harder than I thought. Not sure how to paste something on here. I don't think I have an aerial photo either. The basic premise is a big square 6 wire pen that has a six wire alley down the centre and 4 smaller pens off to the side leading to the tub (used to be a Bud Williams type square that worked well) and chute. I am loading out some cows on Friday so will try to take some pictures as I know how to get them up on here. We are also thinking of doing another one of these on the other end of the ranch.
 
per said:
Well Big Swede, this task is harder than I thought. Not sure how to paste something on here. I don't think I have an aerial photo either. The basic premise is a big square 6 wire pen that has a six wire alley down the centre and 4 smaller pens off to the side leading to the tub (used to be a Bud Williams type square that worked well) and chute. I am loading out some cows on Friday so will try to take some pictures as I know how to get them up on here. We are also thinking of doing another one of these on the other end of the ranch.
Click to expand...

You could draw out a simple sketch on a piece of paper, then take a photo of the piece of paper and post it on this thread. :wink: It might work.
 
Soapweed said:
per said:
Well Big Swede, this task is harder than I thought. Not sure how to paste something on here. I don't think I have an aerial photo either. The basic premise is a big square 6 wire pen that has a six wire alley down the centre and 4 smaller pens off to the side leading to the tub (used to be a Bud Williams type square that worked well) and chute. I am loading out some cows on Friday so will try to take some pictures as I know how to get them up on here. We are also thinking of doing another one of these on the other end of the ranch.
Click to expand...

You could draw out a simple sketch on a piece of paper, then take a photo of the piece of paper and post it on this thread. :wink: It might work.
Click to expand...

Google Earth
 
Here's the article that it seemed that everyone was talking about or referring to. Better than the one that ODNT posted that the mods edited out (thanks btw).

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/carringt/livestock/AS-1389%20Low%20Stress%20Cattle%20Working%20Faciilities.pdf

A pdf file worth saving for future reference. :)
 
When I saw it, I liked it a lot realizing that it takes someone who has been around cattle to make it work right...Basically, cattle file back past you and can "Get Away" single file.

NR is right about overloading sweep Tubs. If that is a guys "sin" then I do not think the Bud Box will solve the issue,

PPRM
 
LOL, i was just about to ask if anyone has used it witha double alley and then i clicked on the NDSU link...

I will say in many cases is requires you to be in there with the cattle... So, not for a novixe,

PPRM
 

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