Portable "Kick Panel" Makes Cattle Chores Easier
Working with beef cattle is easier, faster, and safer since Bryan Nowak built a portable kick panel. It’s greatly appreciated by his AI breeder and veterinarian, who say they wish all their customers had one. Nowak’s wife, Rachel, is a big fan too and says that if Bryan isn’t going to make them to sell, she wants to at least share his common sense idea with FARM SHOW readers.
Bryan built the kick panel after he got kicked while working on a cow with a breeder. Though cattle are secured in headlocks they still had room to move side to side and back. Bryan solved that by building a three-sided pen on wheels custom sized to surround five cows secured in headlocks.
He welded up a solid frame with square tubing from an old gate and mounted it on 4-in. swivel casters. He covered the sides with wire panels used for calf hutches. Bryan added extensions on the sides to fit over the curb manger and sized it to line up with each end of the 5-stall headlock to securely chain the pen to the stall.
When it’s time to vaccinate, breed or pregnancy check cows, the Nowaks place treats in the feeder in front of the headlocks and lock in five cows at a time. They roll the kick pen behind the cows and secure it with the chains. Bryan built the pen 49 in. tall so cows aren’t tempted to try to jump over it. But for easier access to breed and check the cows, he added a hinged gate on the top of the back that can be lowered.
“Even if we are only working on two cows we put in five cows. The pen keeps them from moving side to side,” Rachel explains. “I do the vaccinating so I appreciate it. I can’t get kicked.”
It also works to confine calves as well as the two cows in the Nowaks’ herd that refuse to go in the headlocks. When working with bulls, Rachel got inside the pen and used it as protection as she helped move the bulls in place.
“The breeder said he likes it because there is no chance of getting kicked. And our place is his favorite because it’s the fastest,” Rachel says. “When we call someone to do something for us, we want everything as easy as possible for them.”
For people interested in making their own pens, she had two suggestions. Use heavy-duty parts to build it solid, and clean the area where it will be used so manure and mud don’t get caught up around the casters.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bryan and Rachel Nowak, W9654 W. 24th Rd., Pound, Wis. 54161 (ph 920 591-0960; nowakr180@gmail.com).
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Portable Kick Panel Makes Cattle Chores Easier LIVESTOCK Beef Working with beef cattle is easier faster and safer since Bryan Nowak built a portable kick panel It’s greatly appreciated by his AI breeder and veterinarian who say they wish all their customers had one Nowak’s wife Rachel is a big fan too and says that if Bryan isn’t going to make them to sell she wants to at least share his common sense idea with FARM SHOW readers Bryan built the kick panel after he got kicked while working on a cow with a breeder Though cattle are secured in headlocks they still had room to move side to side and back Bryan solved that by building a three-sided pen on wheels custom sized to surround five cows secured in headlocks He welded up a solid frame with square tubing from an old gate and mounted it on 4-in swivel casters He covered the sides with wire panels used for calf hutches Bryan added extensions on the sides to fit over the curb manger and sized it to line up with each end of the 5-stall headlock to securely chain the pen to the stall When it’s time to vaccinate breed or pregnancy check cows the Nowaks place treats in the feeder in front of the headlocks and lock in five cows at a time They roll the kick pen behind the cows and secure it with the chains Bryan built the pen 49 in tall so cows aren’t tempted to try to jump over it But for easier access to breed and check the cows he added a hinged gate on the top of the back that can be lowered “Even if we are only working on two cows we put in five cows The pen keeps them from moving side to side ” Rachel explains “I do the vaccinating so I appreciate it I can’t get kicked ” It also works to confine calves as well as the two cows in the Nowaks’ herd that refuse to go in the headlocks When working with bulls Rachel got inside the pen and used it as protection as she helped move the bulls in place “The breeder said he likes it because there is no chance of getting kicked And our place is his favorite because it’s the fastest ” Rachel says “When we call someone to do something for us we want everything as easy as possible for them ” For people interested in making their own pens she had two suggestions Use heavy-duty parts to build it solid and clean the area where it will be used so manure and mud don’t get caught up around the casters Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bryan and Rachel Nowak W9654 W 24th Rd Pound Wis 54161 ph 920 591-0960; nowakr180@gmail com
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