Post by simplynaturalfarm on Jan 28, 2015 23:07:47 GMT -5
the ONLY caution or concern I would have with the hinged panels (which are an incredible idea BTW) are that when a cow moves and they can swing BOTH ways, you really easily get hurt when a cow moves around and fights because they move the same way Wyo's hay feeder moves - excellent for hay, not so excellent for humans doctoring *G*. Why do I know ? . . . and really, a squeeze is the nicest thing for working on them - they just can't move much and it makes things so less stressful
and if the chain bar ever breaks oy (I thought of this over an dover while fighting Merle who had NO Headgate, just a too wide stanchion and a chain behind her and she would SIT on the chain and I would think if she breaks that chain, the side panel will swing AGAINST me and kill me. . .
I also have these irritating slide in bars that hubby had made for my stanchion that can swing 90 degrees and they don't stick nice and tight the right place, so when a cow moves or dances or fights, you can get knocked out by a swinging bar. . . I am full of how to get hurt ideas arean't I
Having said this, butt bars work excellent and I have never had a cow even bend one - big angus or otherwise even mad as hornets. I am really trying to figure out how to put something in that does not block walking in but is sturdy - I'd sure like one myself
our calving pen I bet is like sd's. it used to be in the clinic and works very well, especially for cows trained to go into aheadgate already (i fyou need to push them up, not so well).
What I would probably do is a simple pin in if you need it extention gate that attaches where the short panel of the stanchion is. You can chain it (yes, I know, I worry about chains breaking, but I and hubby use them behind cows constantly and even in the clinic )and you can squeeze a cow really well with a hinging gate and chain behind them. Pop a chain OVER their back and a couple of extra uprights in your extention panel so you have options for popping a butt bar depending on the length of the cow because butt bars are great for castrating etc. THen the cow can't back, your hinged gate is squeezing their rear ends (they don't like to move backwards into the smaller squeeze area), the squeeze pushes them forward also, the chain holds the panel from swinging, butt bar holds them from moving backwards over you while doctoring. And I would only make it a half panel - only 3 feet wide but attached 2 feet up from the ground. Then you could actually just close it on the cow every single day and chain it into place, and it would still give you full access to the cow to milk.
I actually have a hinge about half way DOWN the panel, so I push them up with the panel itself, and then I just lift up the bottom 2 feet of the panel, tie it UP and I can milk, work on an animal, hubby can castrate from the side etc.
and if the chain bar ever breaks oy (I thought of this over an dover while fighting Merle who had NO Headgate, just a too wide stanchion and a chain behind her and she would SIT on the chain and I would think if she breaks that chain, the side panel will swing AGAINST me and kill me. . .
I also have these irritating slide in bars that hubby had made for my stanchion that can swing 90 degrees and they don't stick nice and tight the right place, so when a cow moves or dances or fights, you can get knocked out by a swinging bar. . . I am full of how to get hurt ideas arean't I
Having said this, butt bars work excellent and I have never had a cow even bend one - big angus or otherwise even mad as hornets. I am really trying to figure out how to put something in that does not block walking in but is sturdy - I'd sure like one myself
our calving pen I bet is like sd's. it used to be in the clinic and works very well, especially for cows trained to go into aheadgate already (i fyou need to push them up, not so well).
What I would probably do is a simple pin in if you need it extention gate that attaches where the short panel of the stanchion is. You can chain it (yes, I know, I worry about chains breaking, but I and hubby use them behind cows constantly and even in the clinic )and you can squeeze a cow really well with a hinging gate and chain behind them. Pop a chain OVER their back and a couple of extra uprights in your extention panel so you have options for popping a butt bar depending on the length of the cow because butt bars are great for castrating etc. THen the cow can't back, your hinged gate is squeezing their rear ends (they don't like to move backwards into the smaller squeeze area), the squeeze pushes them forward also, the chain holds the panel from swinging, butt bar holds them from moving backwards over you while doctoring. And I would only make it a half panel - only 3 feet wide but attached 2 feet up from the ground. Then you could actually just close it on the cow every single day and chain it into place, and it would still give you full access to the cow to milk.
I actually have a hinge about half way DOWN the panel, so I push them up with the panel itself, and then I just lift up the bottom 2 feet of the panel, tie it UP and I can milk, work on an animal, hubby can castrate from the side etc.