Corrals Archives - American Cattlemen

New to Ranching? Here’s the Perfect Cattle Handling System for You.

By Kaydence Michalsky

Starting up a cattle operation, no matter how small, can be intimidating. Every day brings its own challenges, whether it’s dealing with unpredictable weather, ever-changing market prices, or finding cattle equipment that gives you confidence and peace of mind when working cattle.

For decades, cattle equipment companies have tailored their equipment to ranchers who run hundreds of head of cattle. This leaves operations with small herds of 10 to 20 head trying to make-do with equipment meant for much bigger operations, which can lead to unnecessary expenses and valuable space being taken up. Using a system that is too large for the needs of your operation leaves more room for error and injury. However, with a cattle handling system designed specifically for 10 to 20 head of cattle, new or small-scale ranchers can streamline their operation and ensure safety throughout.

Often, the livestock industry focuses on serving the needs of large-scale cattle ranches, which can leave newcomers and small operations feeling left behind and frustrated. It needs to be remembered that small-scale ranches face different challenges such as less access to resources and manpower to help manage livestock efficiently. Handling even a small amount of cattle can be dangerous, especially if you have limited help, so it’s key to ensure you have proper cattle equipment.

This is where Arrowquip’s 10 and 20 Head Starter Cattle Handling Systems come in. These systems are specifically designed to help solve some of the challenges small-scale ranchers face on a day-to-day basis at an attainable price. By offering affordable, easy-to-use, and safe solutions, small-scale and new ranchers can handle their cattle with confidence.

Advanced Efficiency No Matter the Size of Your Cattle Operation

For ranchers who are working to build up their herd and have less than 20 head of cattle, these small starter systems are the perfect addition. These systems have been designed by Arrowquip’s cattle handling experts using the same equipment that many have come to love, including Arrow Corral Panels, gates, and the all-new Arrowlock cattle chutes, to increase efficiency on your ranch and make cattle handling easier than ever. Within both the 10 and 20-Head Starter System families, there are three designs to help cater to the unique needs of every operation: Basic, Essential, and Deluxe.

The Basic designs feature corral panels and gates that are placed in a way that works with cattle’s natural instincts to move along curves. Cattle will follow the curve into a panel force that will then guide them into the Arrowlock 55 Series Squeeze Chute, making the process of handling cattle faster and easier than before.

A step up from the Basic design is the Essential Starter System. This system features everything in the Basic design with the addition of an alley made using cattle corral panels and a rolling alley gate that can be used from either side to encourage better flow into the chute.
For ranchers looking for a more advanced cattle handling experience, the 10 and 20 Head Deluxe Cattle Handling Systems are the perfect solution. The Deluxe system is equipped with more corral panels for more space and the panel alley is replaced with an 8’ Easy Flow Adjustable Cattle Alley for more efficient movement into the chute. Additionally, the cattle chute in these systems has been upgraded to the Arrowlock 75 Series which is equipped with a vet cage that allows the operator more access to the animal while in the chute.

Tailored Cattle Handling Systems for Your Herd Size

If you’re just starting out and can count the amount of cattle you have on less than two hands, then the 10-Head Basic Starter Cattle Handling System will be the perfect fit for you. However, don’t let the size of the system stop you from expanding your herd.

As a leader in cattle equipment, Arrowquip wants to ensure that you can have a system that will work for you 100% of the time. This is why all their systems are completely customizable and all components can be added or removed with ease. Want to increase efficiency and upgrade your cattle chute from manual to hydraulic? No problem! Need a bigger system? Easily add as many corral panels as you need using the panel connectors.

It’s important to ensure you have equipment that allows you to work and handle your cattle safely and efficiently no matter the size of your herd. By offering affordable, easy-to-use, and safe solutions, small-scale and new producers will be able to handle their cattle with confidence. For more information, or to get in touch with a Livestock Expert, visit www.arrowquip.com.

Portable Corrals That Truly Deliver

Article and photos courtesy of Rawhide Portable Corral

Consider this: Only 25 percent of small businesses are still in existence 15 years after being founded. Those that make it 20, 25, or 30 years are driven by continuous innovation, creativity, and the determination to provide customers with solutions-driven products and services. Celebrating more than 22 years in business, Rawhide Portable Corral is one such company.

Driven by the vision of founder John McDonald, who started the company in 2002, Rawhide Portable Corral has exemplified what it means to embrace innovative advancements at every turn. Beginning with the introduction of the first portable hydraulic corral on wheels with multiple pens and 200-head capacity, McDonald has continually modified and improved his invention, resulting in multiple corral options and features that address the corral needs of today’s cattlemen.

“We have found that there is always room for improvement, especially when you are the innovator,” McDonald says. “The reason Rawhide was developed was to help producers soley catch their cattle. Over the years we have evolved to be so much more than that thanks to ingenuity and innovation. We use our products on our ranch and we have listened to feedback from our customers.”

It has been this feedback that has driven McDonald to incorporate game-changing features to his original corral design, including a patented suspension system, a 32-panel racking system as part of the Rancho Deluxe Corral for large-scale ranching needs, state-of-the-art durable materials and finishes, and a comprehensive dealer network for easy accessibility, to name a few.
Recently, McDonald recognized the need to incorporate a new torsion axle suspension system and brakes to the corral’s original design.

As McDonald explains, Rawhide has added the torsion axle suspension system because the corral is designed to be pulled on the highway at highway speeds, but once it reaches its destination, it must be pulled through pastures and fields.

“These are not always smooth surfaces or even terrain. Our prior corrals had no suspension, so the jarring and bouncing can be hard on the frame of the corral,” McDonald says. “In addition, our corrals have become larger in size, so the weight has also gone up. We felt the need to protect the framework from the jarring. The torsion will also protect the tow vehicle hauling it, which are usually large investments. The addition of brakes, along the torsion axle suspension, will also improve safety when hauling at highway speeds.”

This enhanced feature is indicative of what makes Rawhide truly unique – namely the recognition by the Rawhide team that the continuous innovations further enhance why Rawhide offers standout products that are not only innovative, but also nearly impossible to duplicate.

In fact, it is McDonald and his vision to provide the ultimate portable corral products to consumers that truly sets Rawhide apart. Not only was McDonald the first to develop the flexible pinning system and the use of hydraulics in portable corrals, but he worked diligently through the trials and tribulations that emerged throughout the research and development process.
“The initial design was tested on my own rodeo livestock,” McDonald says. “Over the years of listening to our customers and using them ourselves, we have found places for improvement and made necessary changes.”

And while the company’s initial design was unfortunately able to be copied and multiple companies are selling products similar to McDonald’s early design, they have been unable to replicate the continuous improvements, changes and additions that McDonald and his team have continually patented.

“Our new torsion axle suspension system and other patented features will only be found on our corrals. These additions make our corrals more user friendly, safer, and easier to operate,” McDonald explains.

Rawhide is also the only portable corral company offering a built-in loading chute with their product. This is another example of how the Rawhide team strives to ensure they provide everything their customers need, and more.

“At Rawhide we are proud to be built right here in the heart of the USA. We use only top-notch material to build our corrals and build a heavier main frame than any other corral that has copied our design,” McDonald says. “We also pride ourselves on unmatched customer service. We want our customers satisfied for the lifetime of their corral. If they were to sell to someone else, we will still provide excellent customer service to the new owner, as we are protecting our product for its lifetime.”

At the core of Rawhide’s success is the close-knit team, which consists of several family members. Not surprising, family-owned businesses are often kept intact by a sense of family legacy, a recognition that the family business has an intrinsic worth of its own. There is also a sense of pride and determination to make “a name for themselves” that comes with owning a family business. For McDonald and his family members, standing out in the minds of customers is paramount.

“We have been building and selling corrals for 22 years and I started developing the design four to five years prior to that,” McDonald says. “Our entire family has lived and been around the evolution of Rawhide and our products, so they have a head start and great understanding of our corrals. A family member always has the best interest in promoting and educating about our product and we are proud to have so many members of our family involved at Rawhide.”

This focus is evident in the multitude of customers who have been turning to Rawhide for their corral needs repeatedly over the years.

“We love it when customers call back to the office to tell us how much our corrals have improved their operation or allowed them to continue ranching longer than they thought they might be able to,” McDonald says. “Our customers will tag our products on social media and send us messages about how much they love it. One of the best parts about farm shows is having existing customers stop by and say hello. We don’t often get to see our customers after they leave with their corral otherwise.
Connecting with customers to share the latest innovations, customer success stories, and streamlined efficiencies is very important to the Rawhide team. That’s why the company strives to continue to grow its social media platforms in order to connect with more of their customers.

“We can be found on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn and YouTube. We will use these platforms to provide updates, promote farm shows and events, and highlight our customers. We enjoy being tagged in videos and pictures with our corrals,” McDonald says. “Our customers all use their corrals differently in their operations across the US and we would like to use our social media pages to highlight them.”

Rawhide is also starting a YouTube mini-series called “Rollin’ with Rawhide” where the company will travel to ranches across the US and highlight customers and their operations. “We are very excited to visit and connect with our customers and help share their stories,” McDonald says.

To learn more about Rawhide Portable Corrals and its array of products, visit www.rawhideportablecorral.com.

You can also visit: https://www.facebook.com/rawhideportablecorral/
https://www.instagram.com/rawhideportablecorral