Written by: Dr. Paisley Canning
Excellent Website on fencing/restraint design for highlands specifically: http://www.bairnsley.com/Yard%20Design.htm
Locking/ sliding head gate/ catch inline with feeding area
- Generally for larger groups of animals
- Self locking or manual lock
- Cow puts head through, tilts main bar and moves it to lock position which stops the cow from being able to pull head out of the gate
- Harder for horned cattle
- Usually installed at a feeder or feed bunk
- No restraint for back end of the animal provided with this set up
- Not useful for hoof trimming
- Inexpensive, common
- Meant for minor quick handling like for injections, deworming
Drone footage of set of locking head gates https://youtu.be/AVOD5vG-2bA
Single animal head locks/catches with gates
- Used in hospital pens, treatment areas
- One cow at a time
- Sturdier, heavy duty and have penning/gates on both sides of the head gate to stop the cow from swinging side to side
- Would need to manually close the head catch to trap the cow – the head gate applies pressure on the neck stopping the cow’s ability to be able to walk forward or backwards
- Not great for hoof trimming
- Good for treatments, vet exams, preg checking, injections, deworming
Hoof Trimming Chute
- Combines a head lock, with secure siding, and winches/ropes to allow you to restrain the cow safety for hoof trimmings and procedures
- Safest options for cows and humans for hoof trimming
- Has a head gate on it – you can use it as a regular chute or head gate for injections or vet exams, preg checking too
- Good for small herds, doing small number of trims
- Studier than previous slide
- You will need gating and some practice moving cattle to get a cow to go in the chute (true of all the options!)
- Can move this with a tractor
- “all in one”
- Not recommended for use for a large herd – really good for folks with <20 cattle
Conventional beef cattle chute (hydraulic or manual)
- Extremely heavy duty
- For big cows and for large herds working with lots of cattle
- Need fencing/gate system to get the cattle in the chute
- SAFEST OPTION FOR OPERATOR/HANDLER
- Most expensive
- Can rig up a system to trim feet – there are no feet or leg lifts with this (compared to the hoof trimming chute)
