bigtater
Member
I'm looking for the name of the gates that you can drive over but keep livestock from crossing. I've seen some made of metal but most are made of concrete.
Thanks
Thanks
Drive over gate
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BillyP
Veteran Member
bigtater said:
Are you talking about a cattle guard?
Bird
Rest in Peace
bigtater said:
In Oklahoma and Texas, at least, we only knew them as "cattle guards", but on one trip to Alaska, at a place we were going to spend the night in the RVs in Canada, there were signs along the road showing distance to a "Texas Gate" ahead and I didn't know what that was until we got there and saw it was just a cattle guard.
3RRL
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It looks easy enough to make. Just check the size of the gaps they use and make yours like that. You should also get an idea of the metal thickness and reinforcement used so you can drive over it. If you have that information, from what I've seen, I doubt there's any big secrets in making one?
Good luck and post pictures for us.
Good luck and post pictures for us.
BillyP
Veteran Member
bigtater said:
You should be able to find some old drill stem at a reasonable price.
Most of our cattle guards around here are made completely from drill stem. I try to design mine so I can remove the guard from time to time and clean out the hole underneath. I have seen some where wash filled up the hole underneath, eventually buried the pipe and the cattle came and went at will.
Rusty
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bigtater said:
I knew that I was a city boy, now living in the country. But now I must also be a northern boy (although, Alaska is a still little north of me). Am I the only one who has not seen or heard of a cattle gate before?
How does it work? Is it installed, laying flat, into an opening in a fence? Why won't cattle cross it? What about horses? Rusty,
It is my understanding that the guard works with the rolling pipes across the top that lets the foot of the animal through the hole in the bottom. Eventually all four feet will be stuck in the hole because the pipes on top roll and spin, so I think any sized foot will get stuck.
It is my understanding that the guard works with the rolling pipes across the top that lets the foot of the animal through the hole in the bottom. Eventually all four feet will be stuck in the hole because the pipes on top roll and spin, so I think any sized foot will get stuck.
JimR
Elite Member
I saw my first cattle guards out in Arizona two years ago. I had no clue as to what these metal grates were until I saw the cattle standing near one. They had no want to cross it. These didn't have the rolling pipes in them. They were made from flat bar stock with the thin edge standing up. The spaces were 3-4" apart and about a foot wide lenghtwise in size. I didn't know why the cows couldn't walk right across this. I think it could be because they can see down through the openings.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Rusty, I think I'd have to disagree with Charlie just a little bit. I've never seen one with pipes that turn or roll. They do look just like the pictures BillyP posted, except those pictures don't clearly show that there is just about as much space between the pipes as the width (diameter) of the pipes. And yes, the fence comes up to the cattle guard at each end; i.e., they simply replace a gate so that vehicular and foot traffic does not need to stop to open and close a gate. Of course foot traffic needs to step carefully so your foot doesn't slip into the void between the pipes. There needs to be a "hole" under the cattle guard, but it doesn't need to be much deeper than the diameter of the pipes.
They work simply because the animals do not want to step on a round pipe or put a foot into the void between the pipes. They can be made in different widths and are quite common in Texas, Oklahoma, and I'm sure many other places. However, if something is chasing a cow, whether a human or another animal, I have seen cattle jump completely across cattle guards. The wider one is made, the less likely an animal will jump across it, of course.
They work simply because the animals do not want to step on a round pipe or put a foot into the void between the pipes. They can be made in different widths and are quite common in Texas, Oklahoma, and I'm sure many other places. However, if something is chasing a cow, whether a human or another animal, I have seen cattle jump completely across cattle guards. The wider one is made, the less likely an animal will jump across it, of course.
BillyP
Veteran Member
It lays flat with a fence on both sides. They usually have a dug out place underneath the bottom but not always. Cattle and horses find the round pipes hard to get a solid footing on so they back off. Some cows and horses do get brave enough and learn to walk across them, mostly horses though. Then there's the occasional horse that will jump over.Rusty said:I knew that I was a city boy, now living in the country. But now I must also be a northern boy (although, Alaska is a still little north of me). Am I the only one who has not seen or heard of a cattle gate before?
About 20 years ago I saw a painted cattle guard across a paved county round. Not a cattle guard that was painted but some lines painted to simulate a cattle guard. I talked to a few people that lived in that area and they said it actually worked.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Billy, I've never seen painted imitations; however, I saw several actual cattle guards across state highways in west Texas when my wife & I went out to Carlsbad Caverns the weekend after Labor Day 1969.
This is certainly not the best picture, but maybe you can see the back wheels of jinman's pickup truck sitting on txdon's cattle guard that he installed to keep the cows away from the house.
; however, I saw several actual cattle guards across state highways in west Texas when my wife & I went out to Carlsbad Caverns the weekend after Labor Day 1969.This is certainly not the best picture, but maybe you can see the back wheels of jinman's pickup truck sitting on txdon's cattle guard that he installed to keep the cows away from the house.
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Jimbrown
Veteran Member
We got cattle guards all over this part of AZ across state and county roads. Don't think I ever saw on on the interstate but have seen the painted ones. Funny how they are called different things in different palces. For example here in this part of Az a Texas gate is what we in Texas called a gap gate. Simply a gate made out of barbed wire that you could put up and down.
BillyP
Veteran Member
Bird, the first time I saw it, it didn't dawn on me what it was pretending to be. Later on I thought 'it'll never work' but they say it did. Thinking about it later, I could see where it might work with cattle that are accustomed to a real cattle guard. I don't think it would work at all with ones that never been around one
BillyP
Veteran Member
Jim, around here a gap gate is called a gap
Bird
Rest in Peace
I don't think I've ever heard of a "gap gate" before.
mwechtal
Silver Member
Now that is a concept that us northern guys have to think about a bit to get our brains around. I've never seen a fence up here to keep the cattle OUT. It's always to keep them IN.Bird said:txdon's cattle guard that he installed to keep the cows away from the house.
Mike
