Preferred Head Chute?

Hey all,
I'm beginning my quest into the world of embryo transfer.  Our current head chute system is out dated and I think it's time to begin searching for a new updated version.

In regards to access for AI and ET, what chute systems do you guys prefer to work with due to efficiency and ease of use (oh and durability)?

Thank you!

We have a Stronghold Chute with palpation cage.  I can work the headgate from the rear or front of the chute.  Love it!!

Foremost is a very good setup ( both chute and palpation cage). Its very durable too and can take some beating and banging. Jmo and experience

Be sure to get one with the brisket bar so they can't go down on their knees.

Pearson or Two-w out of Canada.

For self-catching headchutes, I'll second Formost.  The first one I was around was put into use sometime prior to 1985 and is still going.  We have two of our own now.  We can run 250 cows through in about 5 hrs for palpation/vaccinations.

I have a Stonghold and would buy another.  Tough as nails and works well.

A Silencer is the cadillac but comes with a hefty price tag.

I couldn't be any happier with one than the Cowco we have. It is manual catch but you can do it from either end very easily. People are great to deal with. They are in IN but they delivered and setup down here in TN.

I still love our Priefert Chute that my Granddad bought in the 60's.  We added a brisket bar and it does everything the fancy ones do.  Priefert is still the best buy for your money of the big brands if that's a consideration for you.

Stampede Steel is my dream chute.  I fell in love with it the first time I saw it and I couldn't see one thing I'd change about it.  Very reasonably priced last time I checked.  Hope to someday own the chute, palpation cage and S curve alley.  Check it out :  Stampede Steel Promo Video

I'll let you know about the Stampede in a few weeks.

We have an ancient Foremost that was a portable vet chute a long time ago.  It is finally on it's last re-weld and served us all very well.

I don't like the brisket bars myself but I know some do.  My must have included being able to work the chute from the rear, a bi-fold rear door, neck extender, manual squeeze, and ease of access.

As important as the head gate is what you have leading up to the chute.

It's hard to beat a WW chute. I have one that I bought used 24 years ago and it is still going strong. Just put a forever fiber grate floor in it and its good to go another 24 years I think.

My ET Vet had a brisket bar and took it out.  Too many donors and recips were getting hurt and cows were afraid of it.

ejoe, are you just going to look at a Stampede or are you buying?  I'm so jealous!  I've never had a chute with a brisket bar, but I know every time a cow tries to choke down in our WW I wish we had one.  The WW is a sturdy chute, but my complaints are that it will choke a cow, the drop down bars on the side are very hard to open... usually requires some sort of bar to force them...  when we get a fast one, there's a malfunction that will allow the head gate to pop open.  My dad added a thingamajiggy to stop that from happening.  Now I will say, ours is an old one and I'd hope they've made improvements in their design, but I'm still going to buy the Stampede first chance I get. 

It will be here in about 2 weeks.

I liked the idea of the brisket bar way back when I first saw one.  But each time I used one in a group it was nothing but trouble.  When our cows go down I open it back up and try again.  I think our cows have been through the chute so much now they would look at thing and give the Stampede a good work out.

I think I'm most excited about the bi-fold doors. I will let you know how it all works.

I am indeed jealous!!  Congrats to you though!!  (clapping) 

What kind of problems do brisket bars cause?  I need to find out before I get mine  so I can decide with or without. 

Would like to ask again if anyone can enlighten me on problems that brisket bars might cause?  Thanks!

rmbcows said:

Would like to ask again if anyone can enlighten me on problems that brisket bars might cause?  Thanks!

Click to expand...

To me the brisket bar depends on the type of cows you have. We have one that we use, but usually only have do it with certain recips that are pretty high headed. Most of the others just go in and stand there. If I wasn't sure I would go ahead and order it. Ours , we can put in or remove in about 30 seconds.

I have seen my share of cattle facilities and I do definitely like some over others.
Foremost and stronghold are favorites.  Both are well made and have options that are very useful as well as easy to use.
I do not like ANY self catching head catch chutes.  Seems like the  cows get shy about going in and there is no way to open it wider to lure them in. Also, hard to adjust for multiple sized cows.  I also really do not like the fact that the cow has to push them to close them, and then push against it to open it... which leads to many cows pushing hard against the head gate all the time while in the chute. Another negative is that self catching does not allow the cows to follow each other in a natural order since you have to keep the next cow back to close the head catch.

The back gate is best if it is an guillotine type gate and not a scissor type.  They just seem to keep the flow better.
Access to open both sides is also a necessity for ease of working on either side if needed.

Brisket bars - I have found them very very nice.  The only time they are not helpful are on totally crazy cows that thrash around, and are willing to hurt themselves.  Cows certainly need a trip or two through the chute to get used to them, but once they are familiar with them, they are a savior when AI'ing, doing ET work, and pregging.  I have known a few that have made their own, and made different sizes for calves. They get along great.

Keep in mind the best chute is worthless unless you have the facilities leading up to it!  Keep the alley about 28-32 inches for adult cattle. It is nice to have a way to make it narrower for calves, but that is tough when you are doing it with wood.  I have seen people make an insert to put in the alley for calves. Also, make sure you have a place to slide a bar without pinching fingers about half way up the alley and about 3 feet behind the chute (That is when most cows stop!)  I do not like the "butt bars" or the "back up gates" that are hung from above.
A swing gate is helpful to get the cattle into the alley. Doesn't have to be a "tub", but a gate to get them headed in the right direction.

Another thing to keep in mind is have cattle going toward light and never into darkness.

Remember, a good workable facility does NOT have to be expensive or pre-made (manufactured).  I have been to facilities that looked awful, but worked very, very well.  And, I have seen fancy set ups that do not work at all.  Do not be afraid to "tweek" things until they work smoothly!!

Good luck.

As a practicing veterinarian, I had occasion to use a bunch of different chutes/headgates - Priefert, Powder River, Foremost, lots of off-brands.  Most have at least one good thing going for 'em, some have some bad features that override any good.

Currently have a Stampede - we took two good years looking at one after another, to replace the old worn-out rusted-up 50-yr old WW we'd been using for the past 20 years, before we settled on it. 
It's OK, but there are some (OK, a lot of) things I'd change about it.
Best thing - you're not constantly whanging your head on bars or hinges sticking down in the working area outside or inside the chute, and no sharp pipes/sleeves inside to damage cows' feet.
And, it's HEAVILY constructed.

After losing two cows in two years that went down in the old WW, shoved so hard against the headgate that it took running to the barn to get a crowbar to pop the latch, a brisket bar looked like a must - and for the cows, it's OK, but it's a PITA when you're working little calves.
The arrangement of the side gates, allowing swing-out to gain access to udders, feet, etc. are nice.
I like the parallel side-to-side squeeze - but it's not handy to have to go to the front of the chute to  let the squeeze off, if you're operating the headgate from the back.

I've never encountered a 'self-catching' headgate that worked worth a crap, and this one is no exception; open it too wide, and they can blast through there and if they get a shoulder through, you can't close it, open too narrow, and they won't put their heads through.  I do not like the rear headgate operation setup on the Stampede -  too much 'slack' in the system to operate as well as I'd like.  Visibility is such that I can't see the cows' head moving through very well - have 'missed' a few(fortunately none hip-locked), and I close the gate on heads about a quarter of the time - makes 'em back up and they're reluctant to stick their head through again. 
Maybe it's not 'timed' right, but way too often, the gate on the right side doesn't latch closed at the same time as the one on the left, requiring either having to have someone on the other side of the chute shove it or shove the cow forward a bit more 'til it latches.

If the cows/calves come into the chute, but back up against the rear gate, there's not enough space between the bars on the palpation gates to get an arm or pole in there or to get hold of a tail to get 'em to move forward.
The 'ratcheting' thingies that are supposed allow you to use a bar push a balking cow or calf forward are only useful if the back of the animal is forward of the palpation gate - for a mature cow, she's virtually got to already have her head through the headgate to even be able to get a bar in there.  They've been almost worthless for me.

The neck access doors are dicey - I've had some cows/calves manage to pick 'em up and push 'em open - but Ive managed to slam 'em shut or push their heads back in before they get too far out.  First time I used the chute, I forgot to close one of the neck-access doors, and the next 300lb heifer through the chute squirted out through it and hip-locked.  Couldn't get her out, couldn't push her back; had to anesthetize her and cut the d@mned thing (the door, not the heifer) with the Sawzall to get her out.

Hmm.  Looking back, it looks like I don't like it all that well - but, it's about as good as any other I've used, it's paid for, and it's better than what we had.  I don't anticipate buying another working chute in my lifetime, so I guess we'll stick with it.  But...I might go with a For-Most, if I had it to do over again.