Cattle chutes are one of the most important pieces of equipment for any cattle operation. Cattle chutes are essential for handling cattle in an efficient, safe, and productive manner. If you need to equip your agricultural operation with the appropriate cattle chute equipment, there are numerous issues you'll need to consider in choosing the right equipment models for your needs.
The following are six major issues to consider when selecting squeeze chutes for your cattle operation.
Controls for squeeze mechanisms and headgates
It's important to consider the accessibility of the controls. The primary controls for cattle chute equipment are squeeze mechanisms and headgates. Controls should be adjustable. Ideally, a cattle chute design should include an added lower squeeze adjustment for a higher level of control while handling cattle.
Cattle size capacity
Cattle chute equipment comes in a variety of different sizes. Factors that impact the size of the chute you need include the breed of cattle you're working with and whether you need to work with bulls, heifers, calves, or all of the above with your chute equipment.
Although chutes are designed to handle a variety of cattle sizes, it's difficult to handle such size variation in one chute model. This is especially true considering the fact that straight-sided chutes are most appropriate for handling cows and calves while they may not be adequate to handle a full-grown bull. You might want to invest in more than one chute if you need to handle cattle of widely varying sizes at your agricultural facility.
Need for use with other livestock
If you raise other livestock, such as sheep, at your agricultural facility, you may be able to choose a cattle chute designed for heifers and calves that can accommodate smaller livestock as well.
There also may be some chute models available that you can use to handle horses in addition to cattle if you work with horses at your facility.
Design
When it comes to cattle chutes, two of the most common designs available on the market are solid-sided, or curved, chutes and bud box chutes.
It's generally recommended that solid-sided chutes are used at facilities where staff members might be less experienced. That's because solid-sided chutes allow more room for error during cattle handling. On the other hand, bud box chutes maximize efficiency when used by more efficient cattle handlers.
Safety features
Safety features are important on cattle chutes as cattle handling can go along with certain hazards. Important safety features to consider include safety release mechanisms as well as crash gates.
Pricing
It's important to consider the price issue and set a budget for purchasing cattle chute equipment. Investing in higher-quality cattle chutes will lead to improved durability.
More expensive chutes are generally constructed from steel that is heavier and sturdier. Also, more expensive chutes are likely to offer more effective locks, adjustments, and features that make cattle handling more productive and simple.
For more information on cattle equipment for sale, contact a company like Ackermans online.
Share22 October 2021
Growing up, I absolutely adored living in the country. I liked to take long walks down the dirt road adjacent to my home. I also enjoyed collecting eggs from my grandmother’s chicken coop each day. Are you thinking about moving to a rural location? Consider taking up farming as a new hobby. To begin your agricultural adventure, you’ll likely need to invest in some necessary equipment and supplies. For example, you might wish to purchase a small tractor. You may also want to install an irrigation system on your property. On this blog, I hope you will discover the most common types of agricultural equipment and supplies small scale farmers invest in. Enjoy!