Three Key Ways to Increase Cattle Profits
Three Key Ways to Increase Cattle Profits
One thing that continues to amaze me is the different ways different operations work and handle cattle. Each farm and ranch is its own business, and has settled into a system that seems to work for that farm or ranch. I’ve seen farms with pretty docile cattle, try and push and run cattle as quickly as they can, trying to make the process go fast. They clearly have a process, but you can’t help but think the amount of yelling and ramrodding just isn’t necessary.
On the flip side, I’ve worked with some of the craziest nightmares out there. The ones that would love nothing better than to stomp you into the ground, the ones where you’re really counting on the strength and durability of your fences, ally ways, and gates to keep you safe. If we’re honest both extremes and everything in between exists. No matter what your operation looks like, you want to be able to increase your bottom line, make more money, and run a more efficient operation.
We’re going to look at a few basic ways you can improve your bottom line. Whether that means saving you time, protecting your safety, or reducing stress, there are likely some improvements that can pay off for you.
Safety
Safety should be your number one priority. If nothing else, if you are hurt, you can’t work. If your hand gets crushed, you’re basically out, or at least limited by what you can do. In that case, you’ll probably want to recruit another set of hands to backfill your job. This, of course, could mean hiring another worker.
There is a comprehensive survey and analysis by Snyder, E. M., et al. (2024). Workplace safety training and hazard control use among US farmers and ranchers: Results from a national survey. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23628, that helps us estimate what it actually costs when we get hurt on the ranch.
The study used data from the 2018 to 2020 Farm and Ranch Health and Safety Surveys, which included responses from 7,195 operators regarding injury, medical costs, and lost work time. The findings showed that farmers and ranchers experience an injury rate of 15.25 injuries per 100 operators. On average, a single nonfatal injury results in $10,878 in medical care costs and $4,735 in lost work time, totaling $15,613 per case. This can compound year-over-year too, and that amount can add up. Overall, agricultural injuries in the United States is estimated at $11.31 billion annually.
So, while it may seem basic, by improving basic safety you can save in the long-haul. There are some equipment innovations that can help you out with this.
Ray Sturn, Moly Manufacturing’s Plant Manager touches on some of the benefits of staying out of the pens with cattle. Sturm says, “Moly Manufacturing’s TurretGate reduces the need to be in the pen with cattle.” This is designed to minimize contact and keep operators sager. He goes on to explain, “Gates have always been the number one hazard, and crowding animals in high-impact areas only increases risk for both people and livestock.”
The less contact, generally the safer handlers are from injury. Sturn says, “Even with hydraulic gates, the fundamental problem remained: operators still had to push gates into oncoming animals. The breakthrough came with the shuttle function, which allows the crowding gate to roll back through the turret. This design lets cattle move with the flow instead of being forced against it, eliminating the need to push a gate into animals altogether. TurretGate changes this dynamic by allowing shorter alleys behind the crowding gate, reducing pressure, and creating calmer movement.”
Even if your cattle are handled regularly, there are times when even a docile cow can get riled up. When this happens, you want to be sure to have good gates, panels and fences, and good welds on those fences.
Cattle Handling
Why does cattle handling matter? It dictates your profit. To the bottom line, stress is hard to measure, but we know it costs you. Although many producers prioritize genetics, the way animals move determines the final check.
Stressful handling and long waiting times cause weight loss, and this “shrink” can be around 0.5%–1% of body weight. With more stressful situations, we can expect shrink to be higher. It adds up. Every pound counts.
Additionally, poor handling triggers health issues and reduces feed intake. If cows face high stress during the first 60 days of pregnancy, pregnancy rates can drop by 6%–12%. This is a massive failure. It hurts the herd.
When handlers struggle, money bleeds. Efficiency is the goal. Because high-stress handling causes cattle to balk and refuse to enter the chute, a simple two-hour task often drags into a grueling all-day ordeal. Time is literally money. If your crew spends three extra hours pushing stubborn steers, you are paying for frustration and wasted movement.
One of the easiest ways to reduce stress is by taking a look at your equipment. Veterinarian, Roy Lewis says, “My rule of thumb is anyone in the 250-head plus range for cows would be wise to consider a hydraulic chute to make their life easier”. Looking at a hydraulic chute for 250 head of cattle can greatly improve your processing times, and simplify your life.
Kaydence Michalsky, with Arrowquip, praises hydraulic chutes. He says, “Hydraulic head chutes increase safety of working cattle because they are virtually hands-off”. 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.”
Even in smaller operations, there are times it can be useful to look at a hydraulic chute. If you must process your cattle regularly, or complete tasks such as AI and semen testing, a hydraulic chute can make it much easier to manage your cattle regularly because they are not stressed by the experience.
Additionally, newer marketing innovations try and reduce noise and generally give cattlemen a better experience. Ray Sturn talks about one of the innovations with Moly Manufacturing’s chutes. He says, “Moly’s SILENCER® hydraulic chutes were developed to increase safety to both the animal and the operator as well as reduce stress on cattle. Most people immediately notice how quiet the chute is – which is by design. You won’t hear any clanging or banging when operating a SILENCER.”
Under pressure, mistakes happen frequently. You need to be able to rely on your equipment when working cattle. This will reduce stress on you, your farmhands, and the cattle.
Durable Panels and Chutes
Cattle are incredibly powerful, and flimsy gates and panels will buckle under the pressure of a crowded pen, or an excited steer trying to get out. Strength is a necessity. Manufacturers utilize high-tensile square or oval tubing, and these shapes resist bending better than traditional round pipes. Through superior welding techniques, the joints remain secure. While a cheap panel might snap at the stress points, equipment built with continuous welds and reinforced gussets can withstand decades of abuse.
In the world of chutes, weight matters immensely. Sturns elaborates on two of Moly Manufacturing’s toughest chutes, the Heavy Duty and MAXX models. Sturns says, “Specifically the difference with these two models is in their usability – these chutes are perfect for heavy usage and larger animal traffic. The MAXX model includes extra height and width to its design, including a patented full-opening head and tail doors providing 30” of clearance so full-term cows and herd bulls enter and exit the chute without hanging up their lower bodies.”
Having durable equipment is a must. We spoke with Myron Wigness, who manages the sales, system design, and service at Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment. When it comes to getting a cow in by yourself, Wigness gives advice about pen structure and design. He says, “You only have one life to live, and when it comes to your personal safety, you can’t get lax and start cutting corners.
For instance, you also need your pens to be sturdy, keeping cows contained. We have a basic pen that is 10 by 10, but the side panels are 12 feet long. So if the cow hits the pen, they shouldn’t be able to flip the pen over.” The added length of the side panels helps stabilize the calving pens. This can help keep you out of the frustrating situation of having a cow break through your corral and also decreases the chance of injury to the cow and calf. If you are working cattle by yourself, it is especially difficult to get an upset cow back into a corral she just busted through.
So, when it comes to increasing profit on your farm and ranch, you need to examine your operation’s cattle handling and its equipment. Whether you are dealing with gentle calves or the “nightmares” that test the structural integrity of your steel, the goal is the same: stay safe and stay profitable.
Because a single injury can drain over $15,000 from your pocket and weeks of labor from your schedule, investing and upgrading your equipment can be seen as a preventative measure that can pay off quickly. By moving away from antiquated, high-pressure systems, you transform your handling day from a dreaded chore into a streamlined, professional success.
Refrence: Snyder, E. M., et al. (2024). Workplace safety training and hazard control use among US farmers and ranchers: Results from a national survey. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23628Snyder, E. M., et al. (2024). Workplace safety training and hazard control use among US farmers and ranchers: Results from a national survey. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23628
March 2026
By Jessica Graham
