handling system, then their other equipment is likely to also be top-of-the-line. Reuter says, “If they have invested in enough re-
search and development, and have enough corporate backing to service those products and to be the indus- try’s leader in that segment, then they probably have invested in similar kinds of research and development into their other products.” Nevertheless, he says, it’s a good idea to check out
components offered by competing manufacturers. “There are no big disadvantages to mixing and match- ing different pieces from different manufacturers to put together your ideal system that will do exactly what you need it to do,” Reuter says.
Mix and match may require custom work Manufacturers who make different pieces of a han-
dling system often design them to work together seam- lessly, but if you’re going to mix and match between manufacturers you may have to do some custom work. Reuter says the dimensions of the components tend
to be fairly uniform across manufacturers, since they’re all built to handle cattle. However, “What won’t work together are the connectors from one panel to the next or one panel to a chute. Are they going to have to custom build some bracket or adapter to connect the different pieces?” There are some “bells and whistles” that Reuter
feels are worthwhile additions to standard equipment. For instance, some chutes have rubber louvers on the sides that act as blinders. Cattle entering the squeeze chute can’t see the operator and therefore won’t balk at the operator’s movements. He also cites the brisket bars that are in some cases
attached to the fl oor of the chute. These bars prevent cattle from hunching low and trying to crawl through the bottom opening in the front door of the chute. Re- uter says these 2 features can be applicable to hydraulic and manual chutes. He recommends putting weight scales beneath your
chute, particularly if it’s going to be a permanent in- stallation, as an aid to managing cattle.
Better equipment may save human medical bills Although Reuter says the need to replace a portion
of the handling system is dependent upon each pro- ducer’s situation, he ranks operator safety as the No. 1 consideration. “If it’s not safe and somebody gets hurt,” he says, “that’s bad regardless of the money. If
tscra.org September 2013 The Cattleman 81
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