Cattle Industry Questions

Calves weigh between 85 and 90 pounds when they are born. From there, they continue growing, and at maturity will weigh around 1,200 pounds. Average weights vary depending on the breed of cattle.

Squeeze chutes are used in agriculture to restrain an animal for inspection or a veterinary procedure. The squeeze chute gently applies pressure to the sides of the animal and keeps the animal from injuring the handler or itself.

Cattle chutes are made using a process that involves science and engineering to adhere to the best practices of animal science and low stress cattle handling. A well-made chute can withstand the pressure that animals place on it, while keeping the animal and handler safe. The squeeze chute needs to give the handler safe access to the animal, without the risk of injury to cattle and humans.

The best cattle squeeze chute is one that is easy and efficient for the handler to use, while prioritizing control, versatility, and safety. The Arrowlock cattle chutes are consistently ranked the best in class for manual chutes, while the Powerlock tops the class for hydraulic squeeze chutes.

The origin of cattle chutes is unknown. A common misconception is that the cattle chute was invented by Dr. Temple Grandin. While Dr. Grandin's research has been highly impactful on the cattle industry, Dr. Grandin did not originally invent the squeeze chute. In reality, her "hug box" was inspired by the cattle chutes she saw on her Aunt and Uncle's ranch.

The width of a cattle alley depends on the size of the cattle you are working. The Easy Flow Adjustable Alley ranges from 18 inches to 29.5 inches. This gives you the ability to work any size cattle without worrying about having them turn back.

A cattle tub is a piece of handling equipment that brings a small group of cattle into an enclosure and works them towards a chute, holding pen, or trailer loading dock using a circular motion and gates.

Loading and hauling cattle is commonly done when moving them from one grazing area or pen to another or to different operations. Load cattle in a trailer by backing the trailer up to the loading chute. Then, open the gate from the holding pen and methodically move the cattle into the trailer using low-stress handling principles, including the flight zone and point of balance. Close the gate to prevent overcrowding in the trailer after an adequate number of animals have loaded. It is important that trailers and semis do not have too many or too few animals in them. Both scenarios lead to injuries.

Making a cattle loading chute requires materials and some engineering experience. The chute needs to be built out of steel or other materials that withstand the weather and wear and tear from cattle. The ramp should not be too steep and have traction included to prevent falls. Use gates to control the fllow of animals into the trailer.

Cattle handling systems are unique on each operation. Start by identifying an area on your operation for the cattle handling system. It should be convenient to access with vehicles and trailers and close to cattle. Gates and panels are used to create holding pens. Alleys allow handlers to work cattle to a chute. Additional gates within the alley system allow handlers to control the flow of cattle or pause the process.

To set up a cattle yard, start by determining the number of cattle the operation will have. Use this as an estimate for the size of the cattle yard. Leave room for later expansion by adding extra panels and gates. The cattle yard connects the holding pen to the chute system with a series of alleys and gates - depending on the size of the operation - and then moves cattle out of the chute and into another pen, separate from those animals that still need to be worked.

A cattle feed yard is an area where cattle are fed and raised. Cattle feed yards can be set up in many different formats. There can be one or two large pens, or multiple pens where animals are grouped based on their age or the operation that they came from. Cattle feed yards include cattle handling systems with a chute for animal husbandry practices and a loading chute for animals that need to be transported elsewhere.

Head catches or head gates for cattle are seen on every operation and can be built using steel, wood, or other materials. It is important to use a design that ensures safe and secure cattle handling. Additionally, you can also purchase a head gate from your local cattle equipment dealer.

A palpation cage is located at the back of your cattle chute and gives the handler or veterinarian access to the rear of the animal to check pregnancy status or for artificial insemination. The doors on the palpation cage provide safety measures for handlers and allows for easy entry and exit in case of emergency.