Corrals are an essential part of beef cattle operations. They allow ranchers to safely handle cattle for health management, sorting, shipping, and other production practices. Here’s an overview of how corrals are used in beef production:
What is a Corral?
A corral is an enclosure or pen used to contain livestock. Corrals are typically constructed using sturdy fencing materials like wood pipe, or steel panels. They provide an area where cattle can be temporarily held or worked.
The main components of a basic cattle corral system include
- Holding pens – Used to contain cattle before processing
- Crowding pen – Funnels cattle into the working chute
- Working chute – Narrows to align cattle single file
- Headgate – Restrains cattle for treatments
- Loading chute – Loads cattle onto trailers
Larger operations may also include areas like a hospital pen, squeeze chute, palpation cage, and scales. But the working chute, crowding pen, and holding area are essentials.
Corrals are often located near the center of a ranch for convenient access to pastures. They should have good drainage, weather protection, and vehicle access.
Key Uses of Beef Cattle Corrals
Corrals allow cattle handlers to safely and efficiently work with the herd. The main uses include:
Health Management
Corrals provide an enclosed space to individually inspect, treat, and process cattle. Common health management tasks done in corrals include:
- Vaccinations
- Dehorning / castration
- Pregnancy checking
- Parasite control
- Implanting growth promotants
- Branding / tagging
The working chute and headgate securely restrain cattle for safe handling. A hospital pen may be used to isolate sick animals.
Weighing
Scales are often installed in corrals to obtain weights. This helps track animal growth and production. Common weighing tasks include:
- Weaning weights
- Monitoring feedlot weight gain
- Cow body condition scoring
- Sorting into feeding groups
Shipping & Receiving
The loading chute allows easy loading of cattle onto trailers and trucks. Corrals provide a controlled area for unloading and sorting incoming cattle.
Sorting & Grouping
Interconnected holding pens give flexibility for sorting cattle into groups. This allows separating by age, weight, gender, health status, or management needs.
Security
Well-built corrals provide a secure place to contain valuable livestock. Perimeter fences deter predator entry. Night lighting improves security.
Behavior & Movement Control
The curving chutes, solid fences, and circular pens take advantage of cattle’s natural instincts for efficient movement control.
Improved Efficiency & Safety
Corrals allow working cattle with minimal stress, labor, and risk of injury. Properly designed facilities can be operated by just 1-2 people.
Key Design Factors for Cattle Corrals
Several design features allow cattle corrals to effectively hold and process cattle:
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Curved Working Chute – Prevents cattle from seeing the squeeze chute until they are committed to entering. Reduces balking.
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Crowding Pen – Circular or v-shaped pen with solid gate that encourages cattle forward into the chute. Should have 12+ feet of crowding gate.
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Interconnected Pens – Allows flexible sorting from alleyways between pens. Provides easy access between holding pens.
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Sloping Sided Working Chute – Confining sides prevent turns. Allows handling a size range of cattle. Widths from 15-28″ recommended.
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Concrete Floors – Provides sure footing and easy cleaning. Slope for drainage.
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Covered Working Area – Roof over squeeze chute, scales, and crowding pen allows use in bad weather.
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Drainage – Prevent standing water and mud. Helps disease control.
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Vehicle Access – All weather roads enable efficient cattle transport regardless of conditions.
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Easy Expansion – Plan layout to allow adding pens, lanes, and equipment.
Beef Cattle Corral Plans
Corrals can be custom designed using the guidelines above. However, several university extension services provide free corral plans that are pre-engineered for efficacy. These plans provide detailed layouts, dimensions, and materials lists for beef corrals sized for small to large herds. Plans are available for complete corrals or as additions to incorporate useful features into existing facilities.
Summary
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Corrals provide specialized pens and equipment for handling beef cattle.
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Key uses include health tasks, weighing, sorting, shipping, and controlling cattle.
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Well-designed corrals improve safety, reduce stress, and increase labor efficiency.
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Important design factors match cattle behavior patterns for smooth flow.
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Pre-engineered plans allow building proven corral systems sized for any herd.
Perfect system for working a small herd of cattle. The Bud Box
FAQ
What is a cattle corral used for?
… primary reasons for constructing a corral and working facility are to observe cattle closely, perform routine health functions, and improve labor efficiency
What are the 4 main steps in beef cattle production?
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1. Cow-calf production:This stage involves raising and breeding cows to produce calves. These calves are typically weaned at 6-10 months of age.
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2. Backgrounding (or Stocker):In this stage, weaned calves are grown out on pasture or other grazing systems, gaining weight and preparing for the feedlot stage.
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Farm Credit of the Virginiashttps://www.farmcreditofvirginias.comBeef Cattle Production and Lifecycle – Farm Credit of the VirginiasNov 18, 2021 — The Beef Cattle Lifecycle * Cow/Calf Stage. * Backgrounding or Stocker Stage. * Finishing Stage. * Artificial Insemination (A.I.) … * Average Dai…
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Peterson Farm Brothershttps://petersonfarmbrothers.comThe Life Cycle of Beef Cattle Production | Peterson Farm BrothersStages of Beef Cattle Production. 1. Beginning Stage (Bull + Cow = Calf) 2A. Grass Finished (Middle Stage – Final Stage) 2B. Grain Finished: Backgrounding (Midd…
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AgAmericahttps://agamerica.comNational Beef Month: The Importance of the Cattle Industry | AgAmericaMay 20, 2020 — The Beef Industry’s Four Major Cattle Operations Seedstock production; Cow-calf production; Stocker/backgrounding; and. Feedlot.
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ScienceDirect.comhttps://www.sciencedirect.comEstimation of some productive and reproductive effects on longevity of beef cows using survival analysisThis trend makes sense considering it’s primarily cows which are raised in extensive grazing systems, wherein they are typically bred on an annual basis and the…
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3. Feedlot:Cattle are moved to a feedlot where they are fed a high-energy diet, primarily grain, to increase their weight and prepare them for harvest.
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Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Associationhttps://cattlefeeders.caThe 7 stages of beef cattle production – Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association
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Peterson Farm Brothershttps://petersonfarmbrothers.comThe Life Cycle of Beef Cattle Production | Peterson Farm BrothersStages of Beef Cattle Production. 1. Beginning Stage (Bull + Cow = Calf) 2A. Grass Finished (Middle Stage – Final Stage) 2B. Grain Finished: Backgrounding (Midd…
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AgAmericahttps://agamerica.comNational Beef Month: The Importance of the Cattle Industry | AgAmericaMay 20, 2020 — The Beef Industry’s Four Major Cattle Operations Seedstock production; Cow-calf production; Stocker/backgrounding; and. Feedlot.
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4. Harvest/Processing:Once the cattle reach the desired weight and finish, they are sent to a processing plant to be harvested and processed into beef products.
How much corral space per cow?
Cattle: 75 to 100 square feet of shelter, 100-125 square feet of corral, pasture, 1.5-foot of bunk space, 1.5- foot of water space, and weather protection. Goats/sheep/alpaca: 20 to 25-square foot of shelter, 50-square foot of corral space, pasture, water, and weather protection.
What is the corral system?
The Corral System will compliment any Cattle Handling Chute to provide a safe and effective holding area and race-way handling facility. The system is easy to move and erect on site where required and can be easily modified to suit your requirements.