Cattle crush options.

[beltbreaker]

Looking at another cattle crush. The old one is rusted through needing a refurb. 100 Sucklers through 5 times plus calves 3 times annually plus monthly weighing of finishers. Is a hydraulic squeeze worth it? What brands, looking at Arrow and Raging Bull plus Bateman. Don't like IAE Saracen. Our old Portequip with Unistock headstock is pretty good but needing refurbished and will go to other unit.

 

[mac]

Looking at another cattle crush. The old one is rusted through needing a refurb. 100 Sucklers through 5 times plus calves 3 times annually plus monthly weighing of finishers. Is a hydraulic squeeze worth it? What brands, looking at Arrow and Raging Bull plus Bateman. Don't like IAE Saracen. Our old Portequip with Unistock headstock is pretty good but needing refurbished and will go to other unit.

We bought a weigh box from uni stock for weighing behind crush and have a hydraulic Pearson squeeze crate. The weigh box fairly speeds up throughput of cattle and can easily weigh 100+ Finishers an hour on my own. We looked at other crate arrowquip looks good but is big as is Titan we are restricted a bit for space. Know what you mean about iae crate I would avoid them there are better choices. And believe me you will get confused as there are so many to choose from.


Mac

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Why do you put the cows through 5 times?
A hydraulic squeeze crush is definitely worth it

 

[casper74]

Hydraulic squeeze crush is worth every penny, cattle are more quiet and relaxed in them even the psycho ones that I seem to end up trying to fatten

 

[beltbreaker]

Thanks Mac, I too am constricted by space but like the idea of the weigh box

North East farmer, so, Fluke and worm, Johnes test/check tags,
pre calving vaccination plus bolus,
Lepto vaccination, along with a Spot on through handling/check tags.
2nd Spot on
Calves through for Clostridia followed by 2 Pneumonia jags
Its quite a bill but all necessary

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Thanks Mac, I too am constricted by space but like the idea of the weigh box

North East farmer, so, Fluke and worm, Johnes test/check tags,
pre calving vaccination plus bolus,
Lepto vaccination, along with a Spot on through handling/check tags.
2nd Spot on
Calves through for Clostridia followed by 2 Pneumonia jags
Its quite a bill but all necessary

I would look at the big8 but there’s probably a long waiting list

 

[beardface]

Just got an arrowquip 74. Not used it yet but easy to use and prefer punched hole floor to rubber on 86 model. Herds growing, but bought it as part of new shed build, kinda long term investment.

 

[puppet]

Manual squeeze crush on the new grant scheme. 60% off in Highlands. We have IAE one and mostly just set it for each batch. Works well. Sides open right up.

 

[Hilly]

Why no one buying uni stock now ?

 

[neilo]

I've always been impressed by the Morris cattle handling kit that I've seen about their yard (they do our combining) and, as they work their own cattle, will be designed 'properly'. They will build what you want, how you want it and very fair to deal with. No idea how they compare on price, but I wouldn't expect them to cut any corners to try to be a tenner cheaper.

Morris Livestock Handling Equipment - Hydraulic Squeeze Crush

Home of the Morris Cattle Crush and Yoke. A robust and well designed range of livestock handling equipment.

www.morrislivestockequipment.co.uk

 

[Dave6170]

Why no one buying uni stock now ?

Theyre expensive

 

[Hilly]

Theyre expensive

Aren’t they all ?

 

[Dave6170]

Aren’t they all ?

Manual squeeze unistock is over 8k. Arrowquip 74 is about 4500 to 5500 i think. And by looks of it a much better crush

 

[Hilly]

Manual squeeze unistock is over 8k. Arrowquip 74 is about 4500 to 5500 i think. And by looks of it a much better crush

I see !

 

[Hampton]

I've always been impressed by the Morris cattle handling kit that I've seen about their yard (they do our combining) and, as they work their own cattle, will be designed 'properly'. They will build what you want, how you want it and very fair to deal with. No idea how they compare on price, but I wouldn't expect them to cut any corners to try to be a tenner cheaper.

Morris Livestock Handling Equipment - Hydraulic Squeeze Crush

Home of the Morris Cattle Crush and Yoke. A robust and well designed range of livestock handling equipment.

www.morrislivestockequipment.co.uk

I’ve got two.
David only purchases E grade red lim heifers to fatten, so not the quietest cattle.
Other good thing is much of the kit is modular so you can spec as much or as little as you want.
All made on site.

 

[beardface]

Manual squeeze unistock is over 8k. Arrowquip 74 is about 4500 to 5500 i think. And by looks of it a much better crush

5400 with vet door about 4500 without.

 

[M-J-G]

Whatever you buy make sure you can lift an animal's foot easily and it has a belly strap.
I see no point in having a crush without it.

 

[M-J-G]

Why no one buying uni stock now ?

Because they last so long

Bought 2 20 years ago and still like the brand, very strong and they have plenty of steel in them and a reasonable belly strap and foot winch that don't get in the way when doing other jobs.

I'd look seriously at an Arrowquip if I were buying now, but I'd be hard to put off a Unistock. I don't know if you can lift feet easily in an Arrowquip.

@neilo I really don't see why so many make a fuss about Morris, I've used one and it failed to impress
Why do you like them over the rest?

 

[kmo]

I've always been impressed by the Morris cattle handling kit that I've seen about their yard

I have a Morris scissor yoke. Seems so much more room around the yoke to put your arm in for tb, testing drenching etc. Made my own crate and put an IAE self locking yoke on the front as a front gate.
Keep an eye on farm sales., a lot of second hand crushes being sold now. Saw an older Leslie Morris make £200 in an online sale recently.
Not sure that the Swiss Army Knife crushes ( does everything) are that good, too many compromises.

 

[Hampton]

Because they last so long

Bought 2 20 years ago and still like the brand, very strong and they have plenty of steel in them and a reasonable belly strap and foot winch that don't get in the way when doing other jobs.

I'd look seriously at an Arrowquip if I were buying now, but I'd be hard to put off a Unistock. I don't know if you can lift feet easily in an Arrowquip.

@neilo I really don't see why so many make a fuss about Morris, I've used one and it failed to impress
Why do you like them over the rest?

Local, simple, bulletproof.