Category: Corrals and Chutes

Head Chute Design & Safety

By Maura Keller

When working cattle, there are a myriad of safety issues that emerge. From problems with loading or unloading animals on transportation equipment to slippery floors to sharp edged fencing, humans and cattle are both at risk. And head chutes are a key safety concern facing producers – if head chutes fail or are damaged, tragic incidents can occur.

According to Kaydence Michalsky, content lead at Arrowquip, working cattle is dangerous, so it’s important to for producers to ensure they have proper equipment. Arrowquip manufactures a variety of permanent and portable head chutes for ranches of all sizes.
“There are a lot of safety issues surrounding head chutes for cattle and operators alike,” Michalsky says. Some of the biggest safety issues include:
• Sharp edges. If your head chute isn’t built properly and features any sharp edges, cattle risk the chance of injuries to their neck and heads including bruising or cuts.
• Security. Producers should utilize a head chute that is guaranteed to hold your cattle; however, some head chutes don’t have as strong of a hold on cattle as they should. While in a head chute, cattle are likely to swing their heads around. If your animal swings their head and loosens the head chute, there is a higher chance of you and/or the animal getting injured.
• Homemade head chutes: Ranchers have been making their own head chutes for decades, and they are a cost-effective option, but this isn’t necessarily the best practice.
“When building a homemade head chute, you run the risk of unstable construction, sharp edges and poor restraint mechanisms,” Michalsky says. “This poses a great risk of injury to anyone operating the head chute and the cattle the device is being used on.”
Kelvin Deayton, product manager – North America, Lakeland Farm & Ranch in Waterford, MI, says that injuries to humans including pinching, crushing, and kicking hazards when working closely with large livestock are key safety issues. In addition, injuries to the animals themselves, which may include stress, bruising and physical harm due to improper restraint or handling are also concerns.

“Equipment malfunction, including the failure of mechanical components, such as gates or latches, can lead to dangerous situations,” Deayton says.

Design Evolution
Historically speaking, the design of head chutes has evolved over the years to address safety issues for both producers and the animals.

As Michalsky explains, some of the first head chutes were mounted to fence posts and made with whatever resources were around. Today, there are various kinds of head chutes available that make cattle handling safer:

“Hydraulic head chutes increase safety of working cattle because they are virtually hands-off,” Michalsky says. The head chute is operated using hydraulic controls, which lessens the likelihood you’ll need to operate the equipment in close proximity to the animal. Additionally, a hydraulic chute increases efficiency and reduces fatigue, which can lower the chances of mistakes.

Similar to hydraulic head chutes, self-catch head chutes are very hands-off. “The animal catches itself in the chute using the force of its shoulders,” Michalsky says. “This can reduce the risk of handles flying and hitting the operator as cattle come into the head chute.”

And unlike the hydraulic and self-catch head chutes, manual catch are more hands-on and requires more control from the operator. This, however, can play into the safety and efficiency of the equipment. By creating a more controlled environment, the operator can reduce stress for all involved. Additionally, manual head catches drastically reduce bruising on cattle when compared to self-catch.

As Michalsky explains, with a manual head catch, cattle do not have to hit their bodies against the equipment which lowers the chances of chute shyness and increases both safety and efficiency. As years have progressed, many ranchers are beginning to see the benefits of manual catch, meaning they’re increasing in popularity.

“Overall, modern day head chutes have prioritized the safety and well-being of cattle and operators alike through animal behavior research and design,” Michalsky says.

Deayton adds that today’s head chutes include improved restraint mechanisms. “The use of hydraulic or automatic systems for smoother operation and reduced stress on animals has improved,” Deayton says.

There is also increased operator safety in head chutes with the incorporation of safety features like anti-back up gates, being able to operate headgate from behind the animal, and non-slip surfaces.

“The animal welfare focus has also evolved with designs that minimize discomfort and injury to animals during handling,” Deayton says.

Mistakes To Avoid
Unfortunately, there are common mistakes that producers make as it relates to the use of head chutes that compromise the safety of the equipment.

Ranchers are resourceful people, and they’ll try and find solutions themselves. While this can be helpful for many things, it can end up causing injuries and more issues if they’re not careful.

“I’ve seen this happen with head chutes before… a rancher comes across an issue with their head chute and decides they want to try and fix it themselves,” Michalsky says. “If they come across an issue with their head chute, it’s better to call the manufacturer to avoid any injury.”

Another common mistake seen is lack of maintenance to the head chute. According to Michalsky, it’s important to follow the product guidelines and perform regular maintenance on the equipment. If regular maintenance is not followed, this can cause the equipment to malfunction and increase the risk of injury to both the operator and the cattle.

Deayton says producers should also look for improper adjustment of head chutes, specifically, incorrect sizing or setup of the headgate or chute for different animal sizes can lead to ineffective restraint.

“Also, there may be inadequate training of personnel on proper headgate or chute operation and safety protocols,” Deayton says.

What To Look For
When purchasing a head chute, the design of the equipment is very important. Michalsky advises ranchers should look for easy-to-use operation, such as a single operating handle that can be used at any point along the chute. Additionally, they’ll want to look for a head chute that is designed with the animal in mind.

“Things such as a barred head gate that allows cattle to see light will help keep the situation low-stress and make cattle easier to handle and more willing to run through the equipment,” Michalsky says.

Durability, namely head chutes that exude sturdy construction materials that can withstand wear and tear is also paramount.

“Producers should look for ease of operation as well,” Deayton says. “Intuitive controls and mechanisms that facilitate smooth and low stress handling, preferably designed for one-person operation is important.”

The head chute system should also focus on animal comfort and include non-slip flooring, padded surfaces and adjustable restraint settings.

“Emergency release mechanisms, visibility enhancements and protective guards are also key,” Deayton says.

He also advises that producers make sure that head chutes undergo regular inspections and implement schedule for routine maintenance and inspection of all chute components.

“Ensure all personnel handling livestock are trained in chute operation and safety procedures and Keep updated with industry standards and innovations in chute design to enhance safety and efficiency,” Deayton says. “Be sure to seek advice from veterinarians or experienced ranchers to optimize chute setup and usage for animal welfare.”