Concrete Loading Chute

Concrete Loading Chute LIVESTOCK Beef 18-5-10 Cattle almost never slip on this "stairstep" loading chute made out of oil field pipe and concrete, says Brian Bentley, who built the chute with help from his father Bruce and uncle Rod. The 12-ft. long, 48-in. wide chute has shallow steps that are 12 in. long and 4 in. high. A concrete alley leads away from the ramp to a nearby holding pen. "The cement ramp and alley will last much longer than wooden ramps," says Bentley, who feeds 600 to 800 cattle a year. "Cattle are far less likely to slip on concrete than on a wooden floor. We used a broom when pouring the cement to rough up the surface. "We also made a concrete loading dock ahead of the chute that's protected in front by a 6-in. high steel plate. The plate is welded to the bottom of an 8-in. sq. angle iron that's free to swivel on top of a 5-in. dia. steel post. The plate can be swiveled up to 9 in. forward in either direction for trucks that don't back up square with the dock. The plate is level with the top of the dock and extends 3 or 4 in. in front of it to fill the space between the truck and dock" A steel panel welded onto each side of the chute keeps cattle from seeing out and trying to turn around. Posts on either side of the chute are 4112-in. in dia. Side rails on the chute and fence around the holding pen are made from 3 1/2 in. dia. oil field pipe, with rails made from 2 1/4-in. dia. pipe and 3/4-in. dia. sucker rod. A steel door at the top of the chute is mounted inside a sucker rod frame for strength. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Brian Bentley, Rt. 1, Box 121, Carson, Iowa 51525 (ph 712 486-2387).

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