Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
cattle are in the pen, or in alleys or chutes, they should be able to see where they are going,
but they should have minimal visibility to what is going on outside their area. Cattle traffic
should flow easily both ways between your holding pen and your pasture. The pen should be
accessible in all weather by truck. You also need a power source for water or for light to take
care of sick animals at night.
Your chute leading to the head gate can be short or long — a short one works if you bring an-
imals in one at a time, and a long one allows more than one animal to wait in the alley. The
holding pen and the chute should be round because cattle naturally like to circle back and
corners will cause them to bunch up. Mississippi State University has a page of facility design
ideas at the following address:
http://msucares.com/pubs/plans/books/beef.htm
l
.
Dr.
Temple Grandin, a professor at Colorado State University, also has a great site for pen designs
at
www.grandin.com
.
If you do not want to build these facilities, you can buy pens, chutes, and head gates at most
farm supply stores; a couple of well-known chains are Southern States
(
www.southernstates.com
)
and Tractor Supply Co (
www.tractorsupply.com
). The alleys
can be simple, narrowly-placed fencing, or they can be squeeze chutes that close in to hold an
animal's sides so it cannot move while the farmer does what is necessary. A manual head gate
will cost a few hundred dollars; a squeeze chute system with a gate that moves with a hy-
draulic mechanism can cost a few thousand dollars. A hydraulically working chute with all
the options could cost as much as $10,000.
You may also use fencing to create a pen to receive new animals if you routinely buy them.
This is a good option if your farm focuses on stocker cattle. This receiving paddock may need
a sturdier fencing type than simple electric fence, such as mesh or barbed wire, because these
new animals may not be accustomed to electric fencing. They also will be stressed from the
move and may naturally have a wild temperament. This quarantine area allows you to watch
them for signs of illness before bringing them in with the rest of your animals. You also will
be able to process new arrivals with vaccinations. Another use for fencing is to create a separ-
ate area to isolate sick animals. These areas also need a water source and shade.
CASE STUDY: ROCKY MOUNTAIN ORGANIC MEATS
Rod Morrison
Chief operating officer and president
Rocky Mountain Organic Meats
