the quiet fella wrote: » Hi All, looking to install a new cattle crush and looking for advice. Basically a set up to suit a part time farmer with small numbers - about 20 sucklers. Selling weanlings at approx 9-12 months. Ideally looking for ideas that will help and aid a one person job. Budget would be fairly tight and would aim to do all work myself. What width, height length headgate etc would you recommend. the location i have picked out would require a new wall to be constructed along one side which i plan to use as part of a shed/house in the future and would be restricked to approx 20-25ft in length. Would this hold many cows? would i be better off closer to the 20ft and pack them in or 25 and there may be too much play? Looking at cashel website i could get post with holes drilled for approx 50mm horizontal pipes. should i go with 3 or 4 vertical bars? also looking at a semi auto gate similar to the cashel website - any opinions? i see i could get panels to fix to upright but i dont think my budget would streach to that. Anyone any idea of price on these panels Anyone be kind enough to throw up a few pictures of their set up so i could get a few ideas any thing else i should be wary off TIA
Zr105 wrote: » Just saw these and they may be useful for cheap uprights!https://www.donedeal.ie/view/14701707 Galvanised Steel poles
the quiet fella wrote: » How would you fix the uprights to the sleeves? is there not a danger i an animal put their head through the bars they would lift the whole lot
MfMan wrote: » Bump. Anyone know of reputable contractors capable of building (and maybe designing) a new cattle crush in Galway (south Mayo) area? Might soon bite the bullet on this...
KatyMac wrote: » I got end gates from Arivo and found them awful light. First escape attempt buckled (would you call it) the hinges. Had to get lad with welder to put in strengthening supports. Maybe it my imagination but round bars seem to be stronger than square.
bogman_bass wrote: » Try and have the gate hinge of the end of the crush so you can funnel and animal in easily. Make the job easier and safer
dunlopwellies wrote: » You can buy 80x80x3 galvanised box section in 6m lengths. Cut up can make 3 or 4 uprights depending on the length you need. Can also buy 90x90x4 box plain cut this into sleeves to concrete into ground and concrete them in about 450mm long then the 80mm box slides down into this there you have removable crush stansions. Alternatively concrete in the 80mm box directly. A 52mm diameter hole saw and good drill cordless or otherwise and bore the stansions for the horizontal bars which will be inch an a half medium agri or a 48mm OD with 3.2 wall. That has got to be the cheapest way to do it have two done like this.
bogman_bass wrote: » I help my vet out with a few big tests every month so worked with a fair few crushes. 3 things: A decent head gate is worth the money Have enough points along the crush to slide in a bar Most important have the pen angle intowads the crus so it makes a funnel. Infinitely easier to load
tancoman wrote: » Lads, as a matter of interest, what size of a holding pen (area) would be required to hold 20 bullocks (400 - 500kg) before they go into the crush. Thanks
charolais0153 wrote: » 400sqft?
cathal irwin wrote: » Just building a new pen and crush. Going with six foot high walls two gates to split the cattle into three so I always can work with the animal at the head gate with nothing around me. A manual head lock gate and I and I am putting a hinged gate behind the the animal that is caught in the head gate. It will allow me to AI or castrate the the animal in the crush while stopping the second coming forward on me. I have also got a head scoop. It’s going to cost a few pound. But I want to beable to work by myself as safe as possible
Muckit wrote: » My advice for what it's worth is to go out the yard and take a few measurements. Then come in to the table and mock it up on paper TO SCALE. Rob a compass and set sq off someone! Or perhaps you a whiz at that sort stuff on computer? I personally like pencil and paper! Do up your design. Then come away fro it. I guarantee ull go back the 2nd night and draw different or make changes! But they are cheap changes!! You are right it's going to be dear but l wouldn't go designing rigidly to a budget or have it as my ultimate criteria. At the end of this youll either have a dear **** job or a dear good job! Either way its going to be dear!! But It's money wasted IMO if it doesn't allow you to do what u want it to do with cattle in a safe and efficient manner. This is a capital expense so you'll be writing off over 7years. And remember you can claim back the VAT on materials and hired labour associated with build. One design thing, as regards your divisions, use 2 gates instead of one to divide the space. So if u thinking 2 divisions (3 spaces) you need 4 gates instead of 2. Why? So to easily move cattle around the gate and into next section. One big gate as a division is dangerous. It had a big swing and has to be opened too much to get cattle around. A long gate also had to be made of stronger steel or it will bend easily under weight of penned cattle pushing against it. Have smallest gate no more than 7' or so. Biggest gate (off shelf) no more than 13', anymore and l find cattle will bend it. It's cheaper to try use HD gates off the shelf than to get custom made and galvanised. Although if it has to be done so be it. Galvanising will cost the same as what the gate will cost to make roughly.
Sami23 wrote: » Some good advice there Muckit. What would be your thoughts on the need for a step outside the crush or the option of having the crush lowered to create a step ?
Reggie. wrote: » For what a foot bath?
Sami23 wrote: » No just to have a better reach when dosing etc.
