Best IAE cattle crush

[Dave6170]

Chieftain yoke a must with IAE, Crusader old fashioned in my opinion and hard work.

Is the chieftan better than the saracen yoke? We have a premier unistock with a saracen type yoke so dont know any different.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

We had several cows carrying twins just before last TB test and they would not fit through our crush . I have found someone not too far away with a Priefert so will have a look sometime. I don,t want to rush into buying and then regret it.
Is the Priefert good for TB testing access? I am at the moment on 60 day testing so that is a priority.

I've measured and at hip height the width is 2'4".
The problems with a Priefert are;
They are one sided
May be difficult to add a head scoop
Trimming front feet could be difficult.
The chain is very quick and easy to use and keeps the head still but is no good for drenching. I now inject instead.

I bought it because it was the best I could find for a one man operation and I haven't failed to catch one on my own....yet.
The yoke works brilliantly and you shouldn't ever fail to catch an animal. The crush is also long enough that you can shut the back gate and then front yoke if it is reluctant to put it's head through [so its head is not caught]. This is the best way to tb test as sometimes the yoke can sit where the vet wants to inject.
It is brilliant at maintaining the flow of cattle. I can do all the operations without moving and the cattle stay calm and follow each other as you don't need to interfere with them. The farm I went to see one working had nearly 500 sucklers all together and I think they tested in under 4 hours.

It wouldn't suit everyone but I couldn't be more pleased with how it works for me.

I couldn't believe you could operate a crush without a bar. I have used one to support small calves while being disbudded but it is absolutely unnecessary.
Anyone concerned about the lack of a bar on a squeeze crush should really not worry.

 

[Farmer-Geddon]

one of my alterations was to make the yoke lever movable so that it left clear access for neck jabbing as shown in video. Not something you should have to do having just spent a couple of grand.

 

[cousinjack]

It's about the only essential bit of kit you shouldn't skimp on. I'd go for a Morris with a manual yoke, head scoop, manual side squeeze and a decent sliding back door. Have the rear handle as an extra to operate the yoke

We bought a Morris this year.... all singing, all dancing model with remote control hydraulics and every extra you can think of ... has transformed the way we handle cattle... makes you laugh when you look back at our old set up...

We decided that one of us breaking an arm or leg working the old system would be way more costly to the business than the new system... so went all in !!!

 

[Oh bullocks]

iae belly clipping crush. Full access, bar infront and behind back legs so they cant kick you, auto head lock with manuel head scoop. Proper crush

 

[MaryT]

Don't know to be honest, didn't price any others up, went to look at the American one and really liked it so didn't look any further. Where are you as your welcome to come have a look at our set up. We have the adjustable width race that they do to match the crush which works really well, and close it down for calves so they can't turn around. Yet opened up can still fit out stock bulls down.

That's really kind of you. I'm down in South Devon so a bit too far unfortunately. Will have a look into the American one further though, sounds like a good system. Thank you

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Thank you for posting. Looks really good. Are they much more expensive than Bateman or IAE?

I honestly don’t know...I didn’t even bother pricing anything else

 

[FredT]

You may find this video useful when you are designing a handling system.

Do lots of research and find what works best for you. There is always new ideas out there proven to make handling cattle easier.

The adjustable race idea is one of them: https://arrowquip.co.uk/cattle-equipment/cattle-races/easy-flow-cattle-race and also the Budflow forcing pen: https://arrowquip.co.uk/cattle-equipment/cattle-forcing-pens/cattle-forcing-pen-budflow

 

[Farmer-Geddon]

We have an adjustable race, it was originally made for cows, when they went we tied a row of pallets in to see if it would help with smaller animals, it did and they are still in today.
The only upgrade will be from string to rope

 

[Danllan]

one of my alterations was to make the yoke lever movable so that it left clear access for neck jabbing as shown in video. Not something you should have to do having just spent a couple of grand.

Didn't notice the video earlier; that is very good, much neater than my mod's on various things... you could market that.

 

[MaryT]

You may find this video useful when you are designing a handling system.

Do lots of research and find what works best for you. There is always new ideas out there proven to make handling cattle easier.

The adjustable race idea is one of them: https://arrowquip.co.uk/cattle-equipment/cattle-races/easy-flow-cattle-race and also the Budflow forcing pen: https://arrowquip.co.uk/cattle-equipment/cattle-forcing-pens/cattle-forcing-pen-budflow

Thank you for the links and video

 

[delilah]

Just found this thread as looking at options re current grant scheme. Really useful, thanks.

A question:
Would you make the jump all the way from a basic crush to a mobile handling system ?
If 95% of your crush work is in the yard, does it make any financial or logistical sense to have a mobile handling system used in that situation, ready to be taken out into the field when needed ?
Or is it better to spend the money on a static crush, and put the old crush on a trailer with some gates and call that your mobile system ?
Appreciate every farm different, but useful to know what others have done, thanks.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Just found this thread as looking at options re current grant scheme. Really useful, thanks.

A question:
Would you make the jump all the way from a basic crush to a mobile handling system ?
If 95% of your crush work is in the yard, does it make any financial or logistical sense to have a mobile handling system used in that situation, ready to be taken out into the field when needed ?
Or is it better to spend the money on a static crush, and put the old crush on a trailer with some gates and call that your mobile system ?
Appreciate every farm different, but useful to know what others have done, thanks.

I've never seen anyone using a mobile system, but that could just be because I don't get out much!
Around here, people put holding pens at the entrance of any 'off ground' which are needed for loading and put an old crush in it.

 

[cousinjack]

Just found this thread as looking at options re current grant scheme. Really useful, thanks.

A question:
Would you make the jump all the way from a basic crush to a mobile handling system ?
If 95% of your crush work is in the yard, does it make any financial or logistical sense to have a mobile handling system used in that situation, ready to be taken out into the field when needed ?
Or is it better to spend the money on a static crush, and put the old crush on a trailer with some gates and call that your mobile system ?
Appreciate every farm different, but useful to know what others have done, thanks.

We have several parcels of off ground, so the mobile crush is handy.. just hitch up and off you go..
Coral and all goes with it ..

 

[Whitepeak]

Just found this thread as looking at options re current grant scheme. Really useful, thanks.

A question:
Would you make the jump all the way from a basic crush to a mobile handling system ?
If 95% of your crush work is in the yard, does it make any financial or logistical sense to have a mobile handling system used in that situation, ready to be taken out into the field when needed ?
Or is it better to spend the money on a static crush, and put the old crush on a trailer with some gates and call that your mobile system ?
Appreciate every farm different, but useful to know what others have done, thanks.

Best thing we did was put a fixed system in last year. Because it's always there and set up we use it all the time. Last week 2 yearling bulls needed injecting for pneumonia at 8/9 o'clock at night, I was at work, but dad managed to do both in 5mins. He said it was so easy! If we hadn't got the system it would have taken over half an hour, with much swearing, sticks flying and probably needed 2 of us there.
So you'll probably find either the mobile system becomes "fixed" and never moves, or it's always in the wrong place and you end up making do without.