Portable Chute Built To

2001 - Volume #25, Issue #1, Page #19

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Portable Chute Built To "Last A Lifetime"

A portable cattle loading chute mounted on four wheels offers flexibility and economy, according to an Alberta man who has made and sold several.
  Barrhead cattleman Dan Capiuk had three locations on his farm where he needed to load stock from, and it was a lot cheaper to build one portable chute than three permanent ones.
  "I can pull it with anything - a tractor, a truck, a trike, or even a riding lawn mower," he says, adding that the chute worked so well he started selling them locally.
  On the most recent chute he built, Capiuk used the front axle from a Massey 44 tractor. The back axle was made from the front spindles off a car. Space saver car spare tires work well, as do various implement tires.
  Capiuk uses 2 3/8-in. steel pipe for the chute's underlying frame and upright side posts. Lengths of 3/4-in. sucker rod complete the sides while sections of tamarack or spruce 4 by 4s are bolted on for the floor. This can easily be replaced when the time comes.
  On top of the wood, he adds metal slats spaced one foot apart, which give the cattle better footing. As an added safety precaution, Capiuk bolts a single 2 by 6 rough plank upright on the bottom of each sidewall. This prevents any animal's foot or leg from slipping out the side.
  He used 1/8-in. checkered plate to make a 1 1/2-ft. long ramp that is stored inside the chute when not in use, and then hooked to bottom rung of the chute for a final transition to the ground. This helps with stubborn cows that may not otherwise want to step up into the chute.
  Capiuk makes a pipe hitch that swivels, making it easy to maneuver the unit.
  The back end of the chute sits 4 in. off the ground and the front is compatible for use with a 1-ton truck or bigger, right up to a cattle trailer.
  The chute takes him 16 to 20 hours to build, and materials cost between $500 and $600.
  If the unit is shedded, it should last a lifetime, according to its inventor.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dan Capiuk, RR 3 Barrhead, Alberta, Canada T7N 1N4 (ph 780 674-3007).

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Portable Chute Built To "Last A Lifetime" LIVESTOCK Handling 25-1-19 A portable cattle loading chute mounted on four wheels offers flexibility and economy, according to an Alberta man who has made and sold several. Barrhead cattleman Dan Capiuk had three locations on his farm where he needed to load stock from, and it was a lot cheaper to build one portable chute than three permanent ones. "I can pull it with anything - a tractor, a truck, a trike, or even a riding lawn mower," he says, adding that the chute worked so well he started selling them locally. On the most recent chute he built, Capiuk used the front axle from a Massey 44 tractor. The back axle was made from the front spindles off a car. Space saver car spare tires work well, as do various implement tires. Capiuk uses 2 3/8-in. steel pipe for the chute's underlying frame and upright side posts. Lengths of 3/4-in. sucker rod complete the sides while sections of tamarack or spruce 4 by 4s are bolted on for the floor. This can easily be replaced when the time comes. On top of the wood, he adds metal slats spaced one foot apart, which give the cattle better footing. As an added safety precaution, Capiuk bolts a single 2 by 6 rough plank upright on the bottom of each sidewall. This prevents any animal's foot or leg from slipping out the side. He used 1/8-in. checkered plate to make a 1 1/2-ft. long ramp that is stored inside the chute when not in use, and then hooked to bottom rung of the chute for a final transition to the ground. This helps with stubborn cows that may not otherwise want to step up into the chute. Capiuk makes a pipe hitch that swivels, making it easy to maneuver the unit. The back end of the chute sits 4 in. off the ground and the front is compatible for use with a 1-ton truck or bigger, right up to a cattle trailer. The chute takes him 16 to 20 hours to build, and materials cost between $500 and $600. If the unit is shedded, it should last a lifetime, according to its inventor. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dan Capiuk, RR 3 Barrhead, Alberta, Canada T7N 1N4 (ph 780 674-3007).

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