These are the differences you need to know about cattle panels

There is a lot of information out there about how to design a low-stress cattle handling system, but how much time do you spend thinking about the panels you build those pens with? Have you ever really thought about what makes high-quality cattle panels, and what is the best material to use when building cattle pens?

 

While doing such legwork may seem obvious, many cattle producers have surprisingly never taken the time to research their cattle panels or gates. When comparing it to a squeeze chute, the cattle gates and panels on your ranch may seem unimportant and miniscule. However, it can save you time and money in the long run to replace old, worn-down pens with new panels and gates that are designed to last instead of continuing to invest in fixing what you have on the farm currently.

 

 

1. Why are rectangular railings important in a cattle panel?

 

It is common to see round panels and oil pipe used for cattle panels, but there are a few reasons why that is a bad idea. Bruising and dark cutters, especially in operations that finish cattle or sell directly to the consumer, can result in significant profit losses. Rectangular panels minimize the likelihood and severity of bruising by providing a larger surface area for cattle to run up against to spread out the pressure of the impact.

 

In addition, when comparing 1” square compared to 1” round tube, the square tube is approximately 33 percent stronger due to the cross-sectional area. Making the railings rectangular greatly increases the strength and structural integrity without increasing the gauge due to the box area, and adds to the visual barrier that the panels provide for cattle. The large visual barrier makes cattle respect the panel more, and less likely to challenge a panel or gate as a result.

 

2. Do the number of stays on a cattle panel help its strength?

 

Typically, the larger your panel is, the more stays will be required. It is common to see one to two welded stays on a 10’ panel to enhance the durability, but warping still occurs due to low-quality, small rails. Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates feature 3” railings that increase the strength of the panel so that stays are not required to prevent panels from warping.

 

 

3. Does the spacing of railings on a cattle panel matter?

 

If you’ve ever seen a cow or calf get their head in between the railings on a panel, you know the importance of graduated rails. The railings on all Arrow Cattle Gates and Panels are graduated to prevent livestock from sticking their heads between the rails, which can cause both damage to your system and issues getting cattle out.

 

4. What is the best spring-loaded cattle gate latch design?

 

Cattle like to turn back, but handlers don’t have time for that. Arrow Cattle Gates feature a unique No Miss Latch design that ensures the gate closes securely behind you every time. The two-way striker plate is paired with the same high-quality slam latches seen on cattle chutes to shut properly no matter how hard you slam it. Just hear the click, and carry on.

 

5. Cattle panels must be rigid to be sturdy.

 

No matter how great your cattle yard is or how well you are managing your livestock with low-stress practices, there will always be one cow that attempts to hop the fence. Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates have been engineered with flex to absorb the stress and pressure of a cow or bull making an attempted escape, and the height of the panels prevents them from jumping out if they try.

 

6. Cattle yards and handling systems require a lot of maintenance.

 

How many times have you gone out to work cattle only to realize that you have a broken gate latch, or a weld on your oil pipe panel has let go? Maintaining your cattle yard can be a time consuming and exhausting task, and the issues never seem to arise until you’re processing livestock — the last time you want to have issues.