Cattle Handling Systems

[pickarock]

What is the best brand of cattle handling system. Pros and cons ........ Thanks for any advice

[SADIE]

I will be the first to wade into this one for you.

First of all where are you located for product availability in case of future expansion. Approx how many head of cows?

I will give you my preference and also working as a veterinarian for 20 years in practice.

Hi-Hog---Made in Calgary. Many distributors across Alberta/Saskatchewan and Manitoba for the chute, palpation cage, tub and alleys with sliding doors at both the front and back end.

To move cattle into the S shaped tub and alley you need a 10ft or 12 foot gate in frame set up to move groups of cattle along into the tub.

Hi-HOg has that but I use Two-W panels, gate in frame, hi pole gates with spreader bars.

Two W. I see this set up at auction markets, calving barns. It is the grey steel with the Red posts (2 way, 3 way or 4 -way posts.

Two Double is made in Nanton Alberta and Peavy Markets are distributors across Saskatchewan.

Tw0 W ---for 15 years our clinic was the distributor in East Central Alberta.
The chute,crowding alley was IMHO inferior to Hi Hog.

THE BROWN STEEL OF ROUND-UP, Tried to imitate two W was sold by the pool. It is lower gauge steel and was Junk. Many problems with this set up in Chute, Alley. Seen people get hurt, seen cattle get hurt. In our practice we would ask what kind of chute we had to work in. If the rancher said Round-up we would refuse to go out to that set up.

Stampede steel I have seen at trade shows and some ranches ---Help me out isn't it made around Calgary area.

I hear it is reliable and good.

Pearson Chute---Worked in that chute. It appears fine. Where is it made? Does it have the complete facility set up?

Morland---Where is it built. Not familiar with it.

Others ?

[grassfarmer]

The Hi-Hog stuff is certainly built heavy but I think they are missing out by not building portable set ups. We just bought an Arrow portable with tub, 8 foot alley and chute and like it a lot. Arrow also builds these for Lakeland - Manitoba built. It has the Q catch manual headgate instead of the self-catch the Hi Hog has. Only ran a few through it so far but am getting used to it pretty quick. It's a smoother, quieter operation than the crash and bang of a self-catch. Spoke to my vet here and he loves this system - has one himself and says the cows are happier to come through the system on future trips with not having the self-catch.

Used some Real equipment too - it was lighter built but adequate but "Real" noisy.

[15444]

Tuff Equipment from Notre-Dame, Manitoba and Stampede Steel are the only two I would consider. They are the equivalent of a 2016 model truck. Using tha same analogy, every other manufacturer's products ranges from 2000 to 1970.

Many created their system designs 20-30 years ago and evolution is not a very strong concept.

Biggest factor is you have to physically use them in dealer's yard. I had very high marks for Hi-Hog until I used the squeeze. Rest of system is good, but their squeeze needs major improvements. I will say, their portable loading chute is the best on the market - no one else even comes close.

[smcgrath76]

The Hi-hog stuff is OK. Do not buy a REAL industries chute. Stampede Steel is nice stuff.
We have a Lakeland Group chute (same roughly as Arrow Farmquip) and it is fantastic. Bud box on the end made with Hi-Hog panels. Our chute is straight, but the sides are cut down so you can actually work a flight zone.
If you have lots of cattle, I would recommend staying away from catwalks. They really wear you out if you have to climb up and down them all day.
Our working system is pipe and clamp setup. Completely solid but can take it apart if needed without using a torch. The Real portable panels are good. I like the 2W gates. They are UFA or Peavey Mart Available.
I know a couple of guys that use Morand and like them, but they seem cumbersome to me.

[grassfarmer]

15444, what are the innovative features that put Tuff and Stampede ahead of the rest in your eyes?
I thought the Q-Catch headgate in Arrow and Lakelands was the biggest innovation in chutes since about 1970.
Used a Morand in a public facility and it was incredibly heavy - so much so that the gates were breaking welds to come off the posts.

[15444]

GF, the bifold gate in the back is a major factor. So many mfg's are decades behind with rolling and *guh* the dreaded guillotine gates. Neighbor was so proud of his brand new Hi-Hog and seen the guillotine gate and just had to make remark about how nice shape it was for being built in 1970's. The rear mechanism for operating headgate on SS is nice feature. Very wide opening of sides on Tuff, some of widest in industry, everything on it is reversible to other side if your left or right-handed. A quality self-catching headgate. Excellent butt bar, particularly for calves. Optional covered sides, which Tuff was one of the first to come out with in a manual chute. A standard removable brisket bar. I made a video on for some on Cattle Today about the chute on YouTube, I will try and find a link.

[15444]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SqCIC1-2SHA

[grassfarmer]

I watched your video and it was a public relations nightmare with the blood lol!
The bi-fold gate is interesting but I like the rolling doors on ours too. Agreed the guillotine is horrible.
Our Arrow has the slidable handle for controlling the headgate - from the front right to the back of the palp cage. It has the butt bar you talk about - two actually - one higher and one lower which is something you were wishing for.

I didn't dislike the self catch idea until I tried the Q-Catch and I much prefer the latter. Sounds like extra work to do catching them, but they go so much quieter through it it makes for an easier operation. No adjusting for width - ready to catch biggest bull neck to week old calves. Really like the fact the gate "locks" in any position and unlocks just as easily. The squeeze handle is the same - locks where ever you stop and releases the same way. No other catch or ratchet to release.
A video below of an Arrow chute. This one only has a single row butt bar. Ours has one on the top of the bottom door and one on the bottom of the top door so accommodates different heights as well leaving you with a butt bar if you had either the top or bottom half door open.
We don't have the ugly looking scissor head catcher shown - looks like something you'd bump into. Rather like the sticky out things on the front of your chute.
Compared to the chutes I started out with years ago these new ones are all really nice, safe pieces of machinery and a joy to work with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1PZEJONX0M

[smcgrath76]

I would echo that. The bifold gates are a nice touch, but having looked over the Tuff as an option compared to our qcatch squeeze, not even close. We ran a self catch for 50 years so i was really hesitant to go to the q catch type headgate, but it has been a HUGE improvement, especially with the movable control where you can shut the gate from behind the shoulder of the cow.

[15444]

Something I forgot to mention is that you can buy 2 Tuff chutes for the price of 1 Lakeland. Might even be more than that now, haven't priced Lakeland in a few years.

[perfecho]

Quite often work cattle alone, use the Lakeland squeeze, alley tub config. Like the handle at back of squeeze, alley way a bit narrow for bigger bulls.
Cutting off the tub and adding alley way and bud box style of entry. Used a rough "bud box" type of system and it worked well, so try to mimic that. Pretty happy with chute overall.

[Happytrails]

I've got a comment on using handling systems. We tried putting fresh weaned calves thru the bud box, S alley and chute, free flow in a dry run before processing. The guy who works with me would quit if I tried to stop the practice. I'm not sure why it helps so much but probably something to do with the first impression being the strongest. Anyway in 4 sessions we processed over 500 hd after a dry run and they went up the alley good, into the chute good, and left the chute good.

A couple of days ago we got a late start due to fog and my son suggested we skip the dry run to save time. The rest of us said no, the dry run SAVES time and it sure went smooth.

[grassfarmer]

Thats an interesting idea HT, might try it out - probably doesn't take long to run them through if you aren't catching them anyway?

[Happytrails]

It doesn't take very long at all and definately speeds up processing. Sometimes even have some trouble filling the bud box because the calves start down the crowd alley instead of continuing into the pen.