The Evolution of Arrowquip’s Manual Cattle Chutes

Since the beginning in 1988, Arrowquip has come a long way in terms of innovation with it’s cattle equipment. Here is just a brief timeline of the evolution and how Arrowquip has revolutionized the cattle handling industry.

The Concertina

Arrowquip

The Concertina is the predecessor of the well-known Q-Catch Series. Although it may look like a Q-Catch at first glance, there were some design flaws that made it difficult to work with, like the bulkiness of the chute for example. This cattle chute had too many moving parts and unnecessary hinge points, making it difficult to see the animal as it came into the chute. After gathering feedback from ranchers and continuously looking for better solutions, it was clear this was not the solution. What we did learn, however, was the importance of animal accessibility and visibility.

The Immobilizer, The First Q-Catch Style Cattle Chute

After the Concertina came The Immobilizer. This was the first Q-Catch style cattle cute created, and paved the way for all that was to come next. With the now well-known push-pull operation for the head gate and squeeze, operators were able to easily control the chute with one hand, allowing for a quicker and more efficient process.

Though there have been many updates to our equipment since The Immobilizer, it is still considered a good chute as it did what it was designed to: hold and restrain cattle so operators could safely perform necessary procedures.

The Q-Catch 400 Series Cattle Chute

The famous Q-Catch design that many ranchers know today started with the 400 Series. The dark green color paired with yellow handles and red nylon rump fingers that are immediately recognized by many are the first tell-tale signs of an Arrowquip chute. The Q-Catch 400 Series was the first of its kind to use a horizontal parallel squeeze over an upward lifting mechanism. This leads to lower stress levels for cattle, reduces foot traps, and is quieter overall because the sides of the squeeze are not being lifted.

It's important to note that earlier versions of the 400 Series did not have a full-length squeeze but was later updated to include a full-length squeeze and vet cage. This update prevented small calves from turning around, increasing efficiency.

The Q-Catch 500 Series Cattle Chute

In keeping up with innovation and a constantly changing market, Arrowquip released the 500 Series, which is the first cattle chute to be manufactured using high-quality powder-coated steel. This provides equipment with ultimate resistance to weather conditions and exposure to UV rays and gives a long-lasting glossy finish.

One of the biggest upgrades to the Q-Catch 500 Series, which remained the same for the duration of the Q-Catch era, was the length of the chute. By increasing the length of the chute, the vet cage provided more room for handlers to perform their tasks.

The Q-Catch 700 Series

The Q-Catch 700 Series brought Arrowquip to the next level of cattle handling with a focus on improved cattle flow and operator efficiency. This series introduced several features that have since become industry standard.

One of the most notable advancements was the introduction of the 3E (Easy Entry & Exit) components, such as the barred head gate. By using light to draw cattle into the chute, cattle flow was greatly improved while stress levels were greatly reduced, allowing handlers to work cattle more efficiently. The Q-Catch also now incorporated rubber floors for better traction.

The Arrowlock Series

In January 2024, Arrowquip realized that “good enough” was not “good enough” and chose to discontinue the Q-Catch lineup, replacing it with the Arrowlock. The Arrowlock Series is raising the bar throughout the cattle handling industry and is unlike anything Arrowquip has ever done.

Gone are the days of the friction locking mechanism that was all too familiar with the Q-Catch. With the Arrowlock, you now get a ratchet and pawl locking mechanism on the head gate, allowing for up to 8x more strength than what the Q-Catch offered. Additionally, with the Arrowlock 88 Series Cattle Chute, ranchers can now have a chute with more strength than most hydraulic chutes without the hefty price tag.

Arrowquip has long been known for their innovation and desire to constantly raise the bar. By listening to ranchers’ feedback and upgrading equipment, we can ensure we provide the safest and most efficient solutions for ranchers everywhere. If you have any ideas on how we can make our equipment better, please comment below or connect with us here. We'd love to hear from you!