Secure cattle unit in Westmeath

The farmer, Simon Reilly, is based in Kilcogey in Co Cavan. He bought this nice 45 acre block of land, near Castlepollard, last May. There was no serviceable yard or sheds. "I had no way of getting in the cattle, I couldn’t dose them, I had to use a temporary set up for a herd test." So he drew up a design and with the help of his neighbour Killian Brennan the new unit was built earlier this month.

Picture 1

The unit is set about 30m back from the road, through new double gates. A one acre holding paddock has been fenced off next to the public road and feeds into the front of the unit. The new handling unit has its own double gated 21 foot entrances at either end.

The first thing that strikes you about this unit is that it has mass concrete walls. Clearly they are more expensive than steel fencing. However, at eight feet high and ten inches wide they make this a very secure yard, they give shelter and, going forward, would fit in well if Simon ever decided to roof over the unit.

Picture 2

The unit is a good size: 100 feet long and 35 feet wide. It is laid out with a long chute with semi-automatic headgate against one of the long walls, four holding pens alongside.

These pens will give more control over the cattle, allowing them be divided and run through the chute in smaller, distinct groups. The fourth pen – at the far end - is funnel shaped, narrowing towards the mouth of the chute.

The yard surface is straightforward pebble – two eight wheeler lorry loads at €200 plus VAT each.

Picture 3

This is the opening at the rear of the unit. Animals can be let out from here back to grass after handling. Quiet cattle may be brought in here although may require a dog or extra help. The gates are securely mounted on the mass concrete walls, the centre post securely buried in concrete.

The gates here, all heavy duty yard gates, were bought from Gibney Steel Products in nearby Oldcastle.

Picture 4

The chute steelwork was sourced from Performance Steel based up the road at Annagh, Oldcastle. The chute is 40 feet long so it will hold eight or nine big cattle. It is 28 inches wide – suitable for most beef cattle. It stands on a concrete pad which also covers the working area alongside. This will keep the work area cleaner and easier under foot for Simon and his vet. The pad is 1.5m wide.

The chute sections are a standard eight feet long and four-rail. The metal here is heavy duty and won’t bend. The rails are 60mm diameter and of 3.5mm wall. The posts are 100mm diameter and also of 3.5mm wall. The gap between the post and the chute section is covered at the top to prevent an animal’s leg getting caught.

Picture 5

An end gate is an essential feature of any chute. It doesn’t hugely matter if it’s hinged or sliding, manual or electric, etc, because you usually have to drive the cattle on from behind anyway. A hinged gate, as here, is low cost. It is sturdy though, made with 48mm tube with a 3.5mm wall and a 30mm solid steel sliding latch.

Another good option here, if the budget allows, would be a sprung sliding latch which would be self-locking.

Picture 6

The chute sections are hinged at one end, double latched at the other. Simon debated which way the sides should face – up or down the chute. He fitted them this way to make it easier to draft one animal out of the chute without the animal in front of it backing out, too.

Picture 7

The unit features two of these slip through gaps, set with a 12 inch opening.

Picture 8

The three internal posts in the yard can be lifted. In addition, gates can be swung back to the walls. This will give Simon flexibility in how he arranges the pens. The posts sit in a square socket which is set in concrete.

Cost

This new unit will allow Simon handle cattle by himself. It cost €16,000, finished. A big part of this - €11,000 - was accounted for by the mass concrete walls. The concrete and stone was supplied by Plunkett’s of Finea, Co Westmeath. Simon and Killian Brennan lifted the soil and spread the stone. They put up the steelwork over four days. The chute sections used here sell at €150 plus VAT each, the 100mm round posts €55.00 plus VAT. The semi automatic head gate cost €240.00 plus VAT, the back gate €90.00 plus VAT.