Cattle Pen.

zetor 4911

I will be renting a parcel of land next year and there is no cattle pen. I may have the same lands again in 2012 but not sure. Any suggestions on what is the simpliest way to construct a pen as cheaply as possible. Don't need a crush as I have one on the home farm.

pakalasa

If you mean a pen where you can hold them to load onto a trailer, then;

Get some steel railway girders and set them in cement in the ground. On these you can hang heavy duty gates (12' should do). You can get brackets for hanging these in all the Coops. They're handy in that you can adjust them up and down the girder, no problem. Have a look at the brackets before you decide as they may need some alterations to fit the heavy side of the girder.
You'll need some gravel for the base, as it will turn to mud quickly.
You can take away the gates in the winter and use them in sheds etc. Less likely do be stolen too. I do this with a pen I have on land away from the house.

The girders can be pulled up too, if you want to remove the whole thing in the end.

dar31

don't go to to much bother and expense, if it is only for a year or two.
gather up the gates from the sheds that aren't being used after cattle are turned out. make a pen using these gates. drive down a decent sized steak at the start and end of every gate, and then tie up well with baler twine.
the steake can be left in place at the end of the year and if you dont get the land again, and hours work or less will reclaim your steaks. this will do grand for loading and unloading cattle. if you have a mobile crush, it can be set up to catch and treat sick animals. when the animals are taken off in the autumn pack up the gates and bring back to the sheds for housing the cattle. fair enough it will get muddy, but for the odd time it is used, who cares. at the end of the day it only cost the time to set up, which is very little

pakalasa

....agree with Dar31, I should have read the post. Didn't realise you only had it for a year.

Sami23

I've just taken some land on a 5 year lease but unfortunately it has no pen to collect cattle to bring them home for dosing/winter etc. or even god forbid one of them gets sick. The most I'd have in this land would be 15 yearling stores each year.
Just looking for opinions/advice on the following:

1. what size pen would it need to be to get them in easily - was thinking approx. 20' x 14' ?
2 what would be the handiest material to make it with - I'm thinking a gate at either end (14') and 20' crush bars on the sides mounted on uprights ?
I don't have any access to esb poles or crash barriers etc.
3. should I concrete the uprights into the ground or put them down into sleeves ?

Any advice would be appreciated as the cattle are in the land now and I've no way of penning them until I get something in place so under a bit of pressure

_Brian

Sami23 wrote: »

I've just taken some land on a 5 year lease but unfortunately it has no pen to collect cattle to bring them home for dosing/winter etc. or even god forbid one of them gets sick. The most I'd have in this land would be 15 yearling stores each year.
Just looking for opinions/advice on the following:

1. what size pen would it need to be to get them in easily - was thinking approx. 20' x 14' ?
2 what would be the handiest material to make it with - I'm thinking a gate at either end (14') and 20' crush bars on the sides mounted on uprights ?
I don't have any access to esb poles or crash barriers etc.
3. should I concrete the uprights into the ground or put them down into sleeves ?

Any advice would be appreciated as the cattle are in the land now and I've no way of penning them until I get something in place so under a bit of pressure

Would you need to bother digging and concreting.

I’d be getting a fencing contractor in and have them drive stout posts in appropriate places, surely that would be easiest way. Once posts are driven deep surely they would be sturdy enough.

Limestone Cowboy

Look up the clipex mobile crush panels. I know a fella that bought one reasonably enough, it's like giant sheep hurdles but would be awful handy for rented ground. Easy bring it away too if you get the boot after a few years.

lakill Farm

very easy for someone else to bring away when your not about

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Look up the clipex mobile crush panels. I know a fella that bought one reasonably enough, it's like giant sheep hurdles but would be awful handy for rented ground. Easy bring it away too if you get the boot after a few years.

MfMan

A number of the engineering firms offer portable pen solutions, including RoCo in Galway;
https://www.facebook.com/ROCOManufacturing/

A portable solution like this may be more suitable as you could bring home the gates when finished, instead of leaving them at the mercy of being stolen. Part of your problem is situating it in the most advantageous location to herd the cattle into - a factor believe me.

Cavanjack

MfMan wrote: »

A number of the engineering firms offer portable pen solutions, including RoCo in Galway;
https://www.facebook.com/ROCOManufacturing/

A portable solution like this may be more suitable as you could bring home the gates when finished, instead of leaving them at the mercy of being stolen. Part of your problem is situating it in the most advantageous location to herd the cattle into - a factor believe me.

That’s where a reel comes in handy. If cattle know what an electric fence is it’s no bother getting cattle to go wherever you want

148multi

Sami23 wrote: »

I've just taken some land on a 5 year lease but unfortunately it has no pen to collect cattle to bring them home for dosing/winter etc. or even god forbid one of them gets sick. The most I'd have in this land would be 15 yearling stores each year.
Just looking for opinions/advice on the following:

1. what size pen would it need to be to get them in easily - was thinking approx. 20' x 14' ?
2 what would be the handiest material to make it with - I'm thinking a gate at either end (14') and 20' crush bars on the sides mounted on uprights ?
I don't have any access to esb poles or crash barriers etc.
3. should I concrete the uprights into the ground or put them down into sleeves ?

Any advice would be appreciated as the cattle are in the land now and I've no way of penning them until I get something in place so under a bit of pressure

Had land rented years ago and I got fencing contractor to drive heavy posts, then put 2" tubing onto them by drilling the tubes and driving a 6"nail or a couch bolt into the post.
If you can get 2" fridge panels cheap and cheerful, some are over 20' and great strength.

Sami23

Thanks for the replies and suggestions folks.

Just on the size would ye think 20' x 14' would be big enough to pen15 yearlings stores ?

Suggesting 20' as that's the length of crush bars.

Water John

Plenty room, if you feed a bit of meal at any time, do it in the pen. They'll walk in when they see the bag.

Sami23

Water John wrote: »

Plenty room, if you feed a bit of meal at any time, do it in the pen. They'll walk in when they see the bag.

Thanks John.
Yes I plan to give them some meal in the week or 2 leading up to when I need to gather them for dosing etc.

Hopefully that size will be enough so I can comfortably close the gate behind them before 1 bolts

cute geoge

148multi wrote: »

Had land rented years ago and I got fencing contractor to drive heavy posts, then put 2" tubing onto them by drilling the tubes and driving a 6"nail or a couch bolt into the post.
If you can get 2" fridge panels cheap and cheerful, some are over 20' and great strength.

just iut of curosity what are fridge panels

148multi

Sami23 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies and suggestions folks.

Just on the size would ye think 20' x 14' would be big enough to pen15 yearlings stores ?

Suggesting 20' as that's the length of crush bars.

Perfect