# Head gate / squeze chute



## Redpigrunning (Oct 9, 2006)

We are looking into getting a couple of dexter calves , but we don"t have a head gate or squeze chute , was told we needed something like that to be able to hold them if you had to do any work on them. Dose every body that has cows have these items? or is there something that can be built that will work ? Any suggestions will be greatly apprecated.


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## mtman (Sep 2, 2004)

head gate would be plenty for dexter no need for the extra money for a chute


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## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

Another alternative and cheap to make if your working with Dexters is what Longhorn people call a Medina Hinge.

Here's a picture of it: http://www.cattletoday.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/18/limit/views

It's basicall two panels hinged on the end and spaced 18 inches apart. On the one's I've seen there is a rod attached on the swinging end that pivot down and digs into the ground to hold the gate. With a Dexter I would think you could use some wire panels or something along that line to work on them.

Bobg


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## Sher (May 10, 2002)

Hi..we have Dexters..and we don't have a headgate/chute to fit them. Really hope we run across something that works.

BUT..til then..we had to tattoo a couple of calves last week..in our barn we have several gates attached to different sections of the walls..so we can move cattle or goats and swing the gates up behind them while loading. 

There is a gate..attached to a barn pole. And on the other side of the pole..another gate..so we put a calf in against one gate and swung the second gate up against him. Had a lasso halter tied off and thats how we worked them.

LOL...did anybody follow this? It did work..but I think my hubby is going to try to revamp a headgate to fit the Dexter calves.

Really...a chute hasn't been necessary for us. They are so nice to work with. It was the first time that our vet and our neighbor had been around Dexters..ours our horned..and they could not believe how easy they were to handle compared to some other breeds.

Good luck! Gotta love those Dexters!!


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## Slev (Nov 29, 2003)

Our first round of Dexters, we bought them almost grown and to be honest they were a little tuff to handle. But our Vet actually dehorned them using nothing but a wooden 2X4 rigged up as a pivoting head catch up against their wooden feed bunk. 

The little girl we have now, I'm training, she's halter broke and walks nice. In fact, when we went to have her bred, all we did was tie her head up in the trailer. 

Now, having said all of that, whatever you decide make sure that you feel comfortable in working with your livestock, whatever their size or temperment.... best be on the safe side.

good luck


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

I put in a head gate and chute a year ago. The vet has used it twice to tattoo calves. It doesn't get much use, as we tattooed calves before by leading them into the goat pen and tying them to a post.

Dexters are really quite gentle.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Buy a headgate if a bargain surfaces. Otherwise just squeeze the animal between a gate and a wall or in a homemade chute. If the need arises for a headgate you will probably have the vet out anyway. The vet can tranquillize the animal in the absence of the headgate. You will not have justification for purchasing a new headgate.


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## Redpigrunning (Oct 9, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions,feel better now.We are trying to set up the time to go up and look at them next weekend .


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## Hammer4 (Oct 13, 2005)

If you have a vet nearby that has livestock facilities, you may be able to just take the dexters there in your trailer ( if you have a trailer ) and use his headgate/chute. My vet is very helpful to us, he will allow me to put in ear tags while he does needed shots and pregnancy checks. He even showed me how to do the ear tags, quite a helpful guy.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Even a cheap headgate is going to cost around $300 nowadays unless you can find one used. Then you have to have at least a couple of panels to form a chute leading to the gate, and set the posts to hold them. 

If you buy a squeeze chute you are looking at a couple thousand and up, mostly up. 

I worked cattle for several years without either a chute, a headgate or even a pen. I roped the cattle, dragged them to the nearest tree, snubbed them up close and did what had to be done. If it was neccessary I put a rope around the hind legs and threw the animal. If I wanted to vaccinate or dehorn I dragged them to a forked tree that I had smoothed and trimmed, dragged the head thru the fork and tied it off. For vaccinating this worked fine so long as I worked thru the forks--a cow can kick to her ear, so I could not work behind the fork. 

A friend had three posts set in a triangle, about two and a half feet apart. He would rope the animal and then drag it between two of the posts and snub it to the third. 

All you want is to restrain the animal enough to do what has to be done. The less fuss you make about it the more gentle your cattle will be. 

If I had the Dexters I would try the Vet thing first. Take them to the vet, let him put them in his chute and give them their vaccinations, dehorn them or whatever else has to be done. It is cheap if you take them to him, and well worth the money. After you are in a little deeper you can explore the chute and headgate thing.
Ox


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## georgiarebel (Jul 7, 2005)

I've got Dexter, and you can just about walk up and do anything you need to do. They are so docile you can almost be fooled in forgetting that they are wild animals. Which can be dangerous. 

I've been getting by without a chute or head gate, but have future plans for one. Thinking about putting some post in the ground and closing in with continuous fence (pipe panels) with a used head gate at the end.

GR


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