• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

New working chute...

R

RSL

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2008
Messages
1,837
Location
48 5W4
We were waiting on an oilfield outfit for a few days. They did a poor job of lease fencing and in return they filled and graded our corral so we could set up our new chute. Set up took about 4 hours (significantly less than the last time I rebuilt our wood setup).
558416_400962866633127_1209911448_n.jpg

This replaces a long ago and well used wood system that was approaching being dangerous.
The headgate on this squeeze can be operated from behind the animal
425121_400962893299791_1998576682_n.jpg

The bud box at the other end
529659_400962929966454_1059556602_n.jpg

Looking up the double alley from the back (one gate open)
575767_400962939966453_970617291_n.jpg

Three way sorting gate ahead of the double alley
396093_400962963299784_655199751_n.jpg

Other reasons we bought this setup were that they had a 26 foot alley that is not sheeted all the way (can vaccinate in the chute) and the rolling gates roll from the top (the bottom is clear of the ground)
602613_400962986633115_501944913_n.jpg

Looking down the business end...
535040_400962999966447_890487788_n.jpg

The head pusher over (also shows the solid roller behind the palp cage)
283729_400963019966445_1113120445_n.jpg

Three reasons why a manual chute is a great idea in just a few years
539854_400963053299775_474137908_n.jpg

(The rump bar is readily accessible and stores in the pocket ahead of the kid in shorts and cowboy boots)

All the alleys and double alley are adjustable width and the squeeze goes down to about 12". Will know how happy we are once we do our pre-breeding vaccinations. It is basically identical to the wood setup we used to use without the posts behind the cows and the danger of boards falling off. Still have to do some figuring on gates etc. ahead of the chute, but am considering building an air operated sorting gate.
 
We have always used a bud box and had this set up before we got the chute in front of it. I have a personal hatred of crowding tubs, unless they are used in a place with lack of skilled help. They are slow, dangerous, and cows don't like them. We have a portable setup with a tub and I hate using it. We weaned 150 calves up our old chute and the bud box last year (no processing) in just under 5 minutes. When we process cows out of it, you have to step in to slow the flow. I am hoping the new replica works at least as well. :D
 
Looks like a good setup. We have the Qcatch headgate and love it. Its like a day off compared to the automatic headgates. Quiet too. One thing I did learn early though is that when you go to let an animal out, you gotta commit yourself to opening the headgate all the way. If you change your mind in midstream the animal will hang up and it's a helluva job to get the headgate open the rest of the way.
I'm just a bit jealous.
 
RSL said:
All the alleys and double alley are adjustable width and the squeeze goes down to about 12". Will know how happy we are once we do our pre-breeding vaccinations. It is basically identical to the wood setup we used to use without the posts behind the cows and the danger of boards falling off. Still have to do some figuring on gates etc. ahead of the chute, but am considering building an air operated sorting gate.
Click to expand...

Nice set-up, RSL. It looks very user-friendly and quiet. As to the gates ahead of the chute, just use portable panels until you see if they are where you want them. We have a chute where we use portable panels at times to sort two directions, but it is nice to be able to move the panels out and have the area open the rest of the time.
 
Looks really good. Could you post some more pics of the bud box? Showing the way they come in from the big alley. For some reason I have a hard time understanding how they work. I've looked at pics on website and stuff but maybe seeing a real life setup will make me understand it better. We're getting ready to do some major corral overhaul too.
 
I'm interested in seeing the Bud Box too.

As for the tub, the main reason people don't like them,
is cuz they put too many cattle in there at once. We put about
6 in and they go right through the alley. More than 7 and they
ball up.

Your chute looks some like a Real-Tuf and the rest works similar
to our Moran chute. Looks like yours is really well-designed. Good
luck with it.
 
Nicky said:
Looks really good. Could you post some more pics of the bud box? Showing the way they come in from the big alley. For some reason I have a hard time understanding how they work. I've looked at pics on website and stuff but maybe seeing a real life setup will make me understand it better. We're getting ready to do some major corral overhaul too.
Click to expand...

Dittos.....
 
Faster horses said:
I'm interested in seeing the Bud Box too.

As for the tub, the main reason people don't like them,
is cuz they put too many cattle in there at once. We put about
6 in and they go right through the alley. More than 7 and they
ball up.

Your chute looks some like a Real-Tuf and the rest works similar
to our Moran chute. Looks like yours is really well-designed. Good
luck with it.
Click to expand...


:nod:
 
4Diamond said:
Operator error causes 99% of problems working cattle, doesn't matter the set up.
Click to expand...

No! Really?! :wink:

Some people can work cattle and some can only work them up. Sometimes one is better off working cattle alone than having the wrong kind of help.

Saw a chute and setup like that at the Outdoor Farm Show last fall. Really liked it, especially the slide gates for shutting off the alley.

I guess I inadvertently built a "bud box" when we set up the new barn a few years ago. It's a 10' x35' pen at right angles to the alley that leads to the chute. It's got a series of gates that swing up behind them as they go. The last gate swings across the end of the alley, holding them in there.

And like Faster Horses said, it's better to take a couple less and they move better. But too few doesn't work well either.
 
Setup looks nice and stout.

Seems like there's always something you really like and something you don't.

I seldom miss a chance to hit my head on levers or trip on low stuff---'head pusher over' linkeage looks aggravating.
 
I REALLY like it. I am still digging in posts and hanging gates to make it more one person friendly. We are using 2 7/8 pipe posts and 7/8 sucker rod held on with clamps our neighbour builds for the long fence. Still have to dig a couple of big 6 x 6 in so we can build a roof in the near future.
I will get pics when it is all done, but so far it is great. Without gates this summer I did lots of cutting with the horse and running bulls up the chute, etc.
The setup is actually nearly identical to the one we had for 90 years, just a bit more sophisticated and WAY safer. I don't actually miss picking posts out of the cow manure so you can stop cows from backing up. The best parts are...
The double alley, sliding gates and the headgate with control at the rear of the squeeze.

Like I said, I will get pics, but it has been a project among many others that we have picked at over the summer. Our neighbour keeps finding stuff for us to cut and bale and since it was wet here we wound up moving cows a lot more than usual so we spent a fair bit of time doing that this summer instead of working on corrals. Will pick up gates and water trough in the next couple of weeks, and hope to have clay/gravel/cement for the trough and scale in place before end of Sept (we'll see).
 
Has anyone seen a tub with the crowd gate hinged at the alley instead of at the center of the tub? The gate had the same curve as the tub.

Looks like it would keep calves from going into the wedge created by the center post & gate.

I dod not see it in use.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top