Spiveyman, thanks for your kind words re my carryall
Squeeze chute is a Silver King. I just did a google and didn't find it listed... so, may no longer be made. I recommend, highly, watching cattle go thru a number of chutes. In particular, I think your needs are going to be QUITE different from those of many cowmen. Those horns are likely to be a problem for some chutes. I've seen quite a few different types and so far have never found one that is perfect. I still like mine the best... here are the features that I like. Sorry, no photos.
Headgate opens from top to bottom.. when fully open, it allows completely unrestriced exit.. there is no V shape to it.
There are two pipes on rollers, vertically, that are adjusted for the size of necks that you are going to be working. This is a manual adjustment for width..big pins at top and bottom sit into stout holders. The handle for opening/shutting the headgate is about 14 inches long, thus is out of the way for most operations. It also hinges up and just lifts out of its latch. It swings horizontally and simply drops into a metal latch .
The headgate swings INWARD only... I think this is a good deal because once shut there is no way that an animal can jigger something loose and bust out the headgate. Also, I THINK that this type of headgate would work for you.. long horns would have to turn head sideways to put head thru the headgate... and when the horns are thru, you begin shutting the headgate... as it closes from both sides onto the neck, forward pressure by the animal neck/shoulders causes the headgate to continue to close solidly.
The length of the chute is longer than typical... and I'm glad for it... My Beefmaster bull weighed 2400 lbs, pasture grass condition at 6 years old. He's both long and thick. Gotta have a chute that accomodates this size for sure. Vertical side bars on each side are INDIVIDUALLY released if need be to get to work on the animal. I dislike the kind that has a single catch that releases a group of bars at once. Below the bars, there is a solid wood panel that prevents hoofs from getting caught. There are two 12" planks, hinged in the middle. You can let the top plank down to get to the underside of an animal, or remove the entire panel.
I wish there were a palpation cage behind the squeeze chute... handy for palpation, AI, and the occasional, unfortunate calving assist/cleanout. Also, palpation cages typically have entry doors from EACH SIDE.. .. would be a really nice feature to have... else, you have to take the long way around to get to the other side of the crowding chute.
The tail gate slides up and down vertically... there is a rope that pulls it up... and you let it drop. I added length to the rope so you can get behind the animal and encourage it into the squeeze while holding the rope and drop the gate when ready. I also added a do-hickey that sailers use to hold a rope in place as long as pressure is along the rope, but pulling it from the side releases the rope..you kinda either know what I mean, or have never seen such.. they are hard to find..found mine in a pawn shop.
I also added a chain at the headgate. A rope works as well, but a chain is easier to secure on the loose end. The purpose of the chain is to go over the top of the animal's head and, when pulled down it keeps the animals head more controlled and down toward the ground...good for working on heads, ear tags, etc. This is a MUST HAVE... actually a very significant safety feature for both bovine and man.
The width of the chute can be adjusted.. calves as small as 100 lbs can be run thru it (one at a time) as well as BIG animals... I don't have enough money to have several size chutes, so this one has to fit the bill. Being able to narrow the head gate down is key to holding a small animal..put the head in the gate, chain it down, and you are good to go.
There is a side gate that swings open, entire side swings out, thus allowing exit of an animal thru the side as well as a head gate. I find that it is important to have this kind of exit available. Every once in a while, an animal will get down in the chute and there is absolutely no way to get it up...so, the solution is to open the side gate releasing the pressure and allowing it better foot mobility to get back on its feet.
There is a long handle that, when pulled, narrows the top width of the chute. You let the animal enter, get caught in the headgate, then compress the sides just enough to let it know that it's futile to do too much jumping around... There are catches such that the width will stay under pressure.
Chutes are either right or left handed... meaning you will typically work animals while standing on their right or left side... how you lay out your pens, chute, barn, etc... this makes a difference.
You wanted to know how to get your stock into the squeeze chute. Personally, I know of no safe way to do this other than to have a larger pen that attaches to a smaller pen that has a sweep/swing gate that forces animals into a small pen and ultimately into a crowding chute ..long enough for about 2-5 animals depending on your space. From this crowding chute you force them into the squeeze chute . Such a gate is a critical safety feature...the cattle understand a gate closing behind them much better than a person crowding them... you can push their rear with the gate and they are much more likely to proceed forward than if you try to push them by hand... remember, they kick and you would rather have a gate between you and them for them to kick.
I probably misunderstand.... it sounds like you have an alley (to me an alley is wider than one animal) and then you plan to encourage the animal to enter the squeeze chute. If your alley is so wide that an animal can turn around, this isn't going to work... The alley leading to the squeeze chute MUST be only one animal wide. If your alley will hold several animals in a row... then DEFINATELY what you want to do is put several animals in the crowding alley and then move them individually into the squeeze chute. Cattle are herd animals and like to follow each other. This is where using blocking devices comes into play. My alley has several vertical stops about every 4 feet. Another crowding alley I have makes use of cattle panels and thus has wire squares everywhere that can be used to hold the blocking pole. Passing a pipe/post/block about 1/2 way above the hocks and below tail head from one side to the other of the alley will prevent an animal from backing up.. also, provides some protection in keeping an animal from being crowded from behind.
Sweep gates like you mention certainly work.. and are the high priced spread... You clearly need one... am not sure about several... unless you are working hundreds of head... or tens of head every day...
PM me if above is confusing.
