Working facilities are necessary to carry out basic management practices. It is impossible to carry out a good controlled breeding, record or health program if you cannot catch and restrain animals. Many small producers think that a working facility is too expensive, but without proper facilities basic management practices are not done. This results in the loss of a great deal of money.

Designs and Dimensions

Size and type of facilities needed depend on the number of cattle and the type of operation. Purebred producers usually work cattle more often than commercial producers. A purebred producer may need a more elaborate facility than a commercial producer with the same number of cattle. Detailed drawings and plans for feedlots or larger operations are in the Extension Engineering Plans notebook in your county Extension office.

A good facility allows you to catch and restrain cattle safely. Regardless of size or type operation there are five basic sections in a well-designed working facility:

            1. Holding pen(s) - an area to hold and sort cattle before or after working.

            2. Crowding pen - an area which allows you to funnel cattle into the working chute.

            3. Working chute - a narrow alley used to move cattle to the working area.

4. Working area - an area where animals can be restrained with a squeeze chute or head gate to allow you to brand, vaccinate, deworm, dehorn or  carry out other management practices.

5. Loading chute - narrow, inclined ramp for loading and unloading cattle from trucks and stock trailers.

A simple design will work for most commercial cow-calf operations with 25 to 40 head. You can increase the length and width of the holding pen to fit the size of the herd.

An inexpensive working facility can be built in the corner of an existing barn or lot. This facility will hold about 10 to 15 cows. The distance from the crowding area to the head gate is too short to make this an efficient design for working large numbers, but it is adequate for herds of less than 25 head.

The size of the holding pens can be expanded to fit groups of 75 to 100 head. This design will work well for a moderate-size purebred or commercial herd. A curved working chute and crowding area make this an efficient design for working cattle.

The time and labor required per animal become more important as the size of the herd increases. An additional two to three minutes per head to work 10 cows is not a big problem. But, with 100 cows, this amounts to five hours. While an inexpensive facility is adequate for a very small herd, the labor required to work cattle justifies a more complicated design for larger herds.

Table 2 lists recommended dimensions for working facilities. Follow these dimensions no matter how small or large your herd is. In most cases, it costs no more to build facilities right than it does to build them wrong. An explanation of the five basic components follows.

Holding Pens

It is easier to pen the entire herd than to try to pen a small group. Then sort out the animals that you need to work or load. Build pens large enough to hold the biggest group of cattle you expect to work.

The size and shape of the holding area depend on the number of cattle and the overall layout of the facility. Allow 20 square feet for each cow and 14 square feet for each calf (see Table 2). The area of a square or rectangular pen is equal to the length times the width. For example, the area of a 30 feet x 40 feet pen is 1200 square feet. This will accommodate about 35 cows with calves.

To save labor, build more than one holding pen for sorting cattle as they leave the working area. When you plan a facility leave room for expansion of holding pens or for building additional pens. Since sick animals are sometimes held in pens for a few days until they recover, provide a source of water and shade in at least one of the holding pens.

Crowding Area

Use a crowding pen to funnel cattle into the working chute. A properly designed crowding area decreases the labor required to work cattle.

For construction with straight fences, build one side of the crowding pen straight. The other side should enter the chute at an angle of about 30 degrees. Cattle turn around and jam more if both sides are angled. Make the large end of the funnel 8 to 12 feet wide. Rounded corners improve the flow and prevent cattle from pushing past the gate.

Although it is harder to build, a circular crowding area with solid sides works best. When the crowding area has solid sides the only escape exit a cow can see is the working chute. The circular pen allows you to swing the gate behind cattle to push them into a smaller and smaller area. Use 10 to 12 feet long crowding gates for circular pens.

Working Chute

People often build working chutes too short and too wide. Build working chutes at least 20 feet long. This takes advantage of a cow's tendency to follow the leader. A chute 20 feet long will hold at least three to four mature cows at a time. With a properly built crowding area and chute, one person can keep a steady flow of cattle moving to the working area. Shorter chutes cause delays in getting cattle to the working area.

Chutes that are too wide also cause delays because cattle turn around in the chute. The best width depends on the size of the animal. In chutes with vertical sides, 18 inches is wide enough for calves. A mature cow needs 26 inches (inside width). Build vertical chutes 26 inches wide for cow-calf operations that use large breeds of cows. Build chutes 22 to 26 inches wide for small to medium cows.

Although they are harder to build, chutes with solid, sloping sides are better than those with vertical sides. Sloping sides are narrow at the bottom, making it harder for an animal to turn. Chutes with sloping sides also fit both cows and calves. Vertical-sided chutes wide enough for cows are too wide for small calves. Build a five foot high chute 26 inches wide at the top and 16 inches wide at the bottom.

A cow's vision is different from a person's. A cow can see almost all the way around herself without turning her head. Cattle move more freely in a chute with solid sides because they cannot see all of the activity going on around them. Solid, curved chutes keep cattle from seeing the working area until they are a few feet away. Build the curve with a 12 to 16 foot radius. (a quarter circle with a radius of 13 feet is about 20 feet long.) Avoid sharp bends that look like a dead end to cattle.

Cattle tend to move uphill better than downhill. If there is much slope, point the chute uphill. Cattle also tend to move best from dark areas to light areas. Avoid placing the opening of chutes directly under the edge of a barn or shade. Cattle balk if they have to move from a wide bright area into a narrow dark area.

Base your decision on design on the number of head you work. For any herd, do not build the chute wider than 26 inches! Build the chute at least 20 feet long. Curved chutes with solid, sloped sides work best. With large groups of cattle, curved chutes do save time. Straight chutes with vertical sides will work as long as they are narrow enough. Due to cost and ease of construction, straight chutes can be a reasonable choice for small herds.

Working Area

The working area is at the end of the chute. The simplest way to create a working area is to securely fasten a head gate to the end of the working chute. Insert pipes or posts behind animals to prevent backing. With a small number of animals to work, this is adequate.

Table 2. Dimensions for Beef Cattle Corrals and Working Facilities 

   *Use dimensions for over 1200 pounds for a cow-calf operation. 

 **Chutes that are too wide are the most common problem made in building working facilities. 

 ***Large breeds may require 66" to 72" when confined under pressure.    

The design can make the working area more flexible. A head gate is mounted in front. A sliding gate at the rear prevents the animal in the working area from backing up and other animals from pushing in from the rear. Open the gate on one side to send animals into a portable loading chute or stock trailer. Open the gate on the other side to return animals to the holding pen. The head gate may be opened to let animals straight through. Side gates make it easy to release an animal that goes down in the chute. They must be strongly built with heavy hinges and latches.

A squeeze chute is more expensive, but a squeeze chute and head gate give you more control over the animal. For purebred producers who conduct breeding soundness exams, take blood samples and measure scrotal circumferences, a squeeze chute is recommended. While a head gate alone will work for most small operations, a squeeze chute does make it easier to work cattle when there is a shortage of labor. You can leave your working chutes open at the end and use portable squeeze chutes and scales at several locations.

The head gate is the most essential part of the working area. Head gates are sold at many farm supply stores. While plans are available, it is difficult to build a head gate that works as well as those at the market. For most producers, it is best to buy the head gate. Manual head gates are good for routine work. Head gates with self-catch features are handy for treating a sick animal when help is not available.

To save labor, build an entrance gate behind the squeeze chute or at the rear of the animal. The gate should swing into the chute to block the next animal and allow you access to the rear of the animal caught in the headgate. This makes pregnancy checking, castration and artificial insemination (AI) much easier. A work table near the head gate also makes things easier.

Scales are an important part of the working facility. Calf weights help you select replacements and make management decisions. A good option for commercial producers is to leave enough room in front of the head gate for a set of portable scales. Some county cattleman groups have scales to loan. Purebred breeders who weigh cattle often can use a combination squeeze chute/scales or install permanent scales. Do not place scales where cattle cross them every time they are worked. This causes excess wear and can damage the scales.

Loading Chute

Cattle can be loaded on stock trailers from the working chute. If pick-ups or larger trucks are used, a loading chute is required. The average height requirements for chutes are listed in Table 3. Gaps between the truck and chute can result in foot or leg injuries. Make sure the height of the chute fits your truck and that you can back the truck squarely against the chute. If you use more than one type of truck build an adjustable height chute.

 Table 3. Height Requirements for Loading Chutes. 

 Gooseneck Trailer                  15 inches        

 Pickup Truck                         28 inches        

 Van Type Truck                     40 inches        

 Tractor-Trailer                       48 inches        

Steep ramps increase the chance of injury. Do not exceed 3 1/2 inches of rise per foot of length. The floors of loading chutes can get very slick. A floor of packed earth or gravel provides the best footing. On wooden floored chutes, use cleats that are one inch to two inches in height. Space cleats six inches to eight inches apart from edge to edge. Stair steps are best if you build a chute with a concrete floor. Build steps with a 3 1/2 inch rise and a 12 inch tread width. Concrete should have a rough finish.

Build loading chutes 30 inches wide for cow-calf operations. Wider chutes make it easy for cattle to turn around.

Location

Convenience for you and the cattle is the most important consideration in finding a location for your corrals. If you have more than one pasture locate corrals so cattle can be penned no matter where they are. You may have to build a lane or alley to connect pastures. Consider the width of any equipment you use and build allies at least 12 feet wide. It may be easier to build more than one simple facility than try to connect several pastures. If more than one facility is needed a portable unit may be more economical.

When you move cattle they tend to walk the fence line. Normally the easiest place to pen cattle is along the fence especially in a corner of the pasture. It is very hard to pen cattle in the middle of a pasture. If you have more than one pasture, consider locations where pasture fences join.

Cattle are often worked in weather that is too wet for other jobs. Look for high, well-drained sites. A slope of 1/4 inch per foot is enough for drainage. Avoid locations with slopes of greater than 10 degrees (about two inches per foot). Cattle fall and pile up in steep crowding pens and sorting areas. Make sure you can get a truck in and out of the location in any type of weather.

Build facilities near electricity and water if possible. Since many small herd owners work other jobs, sick cattle are often treated at night. Electric outlets and lights are very desirable. Available water makes it easy to clean equipment. A water trough will also be needed in one of the pens. The presence of shade is also desirable.

For very small operations consider adapting existing barns or lots. This can save money. For large operations savings in construction costs may be offset by additional labor required in working cattle.

Materials

Materials used in building a facility depend on several factors such as number of cattle worked, type of cattle, cost and expected life of the facility. Rodeo stock need higher and stronger fences than typical commercial cattle. Purebred producers who work cattle often may need better quality materials, especially if appearance is important.

On commercial operations where corrals are used infrequently, dirt provides good footing for cattle. A layer of gravel in crowding and working chutes can prevent mud from becoming a problem if facilities are used more frequently. Concrete floors in chutes and around the working areas can prevent problems with mud in heavily used facilities, but smooth concrete provides worse footing for cattle than mud. If you use concrete, apply a rough finish. Grooves one inch deep in an eight inch diamond pattern improve footing for people and animals.

Gates in working facilities are used for sorting and crowding. Gates receive a great deal of pressure. Avoid light weight aluminum or galvanized metal gates commonly used for pasture gates. Use pipe or wooden gates that will not easily bend or break when hit by a cow. Hang gates six to eight inches from the ground so they swing freely for sorting or crowding. Use latches that can be operated from either side. Do not use latches that require you to turn your back on cattle and reach through the gate to operate.

Several acceptable materials can be used for fences. Barbed wire and net fencing are not suitable. One option is to buy a complete portable corral system. This is expensive for a small producer, but it may be the best option if you have several pastures or if you rent pastures. Build fences five feet high for most cattle. Fences six feet tall will be needed for a few herds with poor dispositions. Build strong fences in the crowding area, working chute and working area.

Fences for holding pens do not have to be as strong as those in the working areas. Wire panels are available from most farm supply centers. One way to build holding pens is to space posts 8 feet apart and use 50 inches x 16 feet wire panels. Install two inch by six inch rails on the inside at the top, bottom and middle. This type of fence is not strong enough for the crowding area and working chutes.

Where available, used steel pipes and sucker rods make excellent corrals. Many corrals are also built with lumber. Solid side working chutes can be built with wooden or pipe frames covered with sheet metal or exterior plywood. Base your choice of materials on the price and availability in your area.

Layout

Select a design that fits your operation or sketch your own plan using Table 2 as a guide for dimen-sions. Designs can be modified to better fit your location. Before you start to build, lay out the facility with stakes and string. Use lime or flour to draw curved chutes on the ground. Plans often look different full-size than they do on paper. Spending a few minutes studying your layout can save hours later on.

Look at the location again and ask yourself some questions. Will it be easy to pen cattle or do gates need to be moved? Will gates swing in the right direction? Can you get portable chutes or scales in and out of the working area easily? Is there enough room to move trucks or trailers around the loading area? Is there room for expansion? Next, walk through the facility in the same direction that a cow will use and look for problems. Cattle work faster if the flow is in a circular pattern.

Pay attention to the slope and surface of the ground. It is easier to level or fill areas before you build fences. Cattle have poor depth perception. They will balk at holes or ditches in sorting, crowding or working areas. Fill or level sharp rises and dips in these areas. It also pays to spend a little time leveling around the working area. Scales and some portable chutes do not work properly on sloping ground. Check the area around the loading chute. If the loading area is unlevel, it will be difficult to back a truck or trailer squarely against the chute.

Summary

A good set of working facilities is needed to carry out essential management practices. The cost of building a facility is less than the lost returns from failure to properly manage cattle. Requirements depend on the size and type of operation, but all good facilities consist of five basic components: (1) holding pens, (2) crowding area, (3) working chute, (4) working area, and (5) loading chute. Good planning and attention to details in each of these areas can make your facility more labor efficient. The absence of a good crowding area and chutes that are too short and too wide are the most common mistakes. The main rules for building a good facility can be summarized by using the word RULES.

R is for round. Cattle work best in a circular pattern. Curved crowding pens and squeeze chutes with solid sides prevent cows from seeing what is happening at the end of the chute.

U is for uphill. Locate facilities in high, well drained areas. Cattle to go uphill better than any other direction. Not only does this allow an animal to be moved into the working facility more easily but it also provides good drainage for the facility.

L is for light. Cattle move better from dark areas into areas which are lit. Place your working area (squeeze and/or headgate) in front of a lighted area so that the cattle will constantly be moving toward the light.

E is for easy. Build cattle working facilities so cattle flow easily. Avoid dead corners and bottlenecks. Provide solid sides and crowding gates.

S is for the same way. If possible construct your facilities in a central location. Cattle are creatures of habit. If they become used to moving through the facility to get to a different pasture for example, it will be much easier to capture the animals and work them through the facility when desired.