Dexter Cattle Crush

LarryMag · Post by **LarryMag** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:46 pm

Hello all.
Back again looking for more advice. Please bear with us if the questions appear silly!!!!

We are soon to commence putting in the crush and we are wondering if the standard size ones suitable for Dexters? if not what advice would you offer.

We will also be starting (early next year) the milking parlour are are wondering if anyone has measurements for stalls and spacings? Only planning on milking 6 at most (for the moment anyway) at a time. We have visited a few locally (Holstin/Fresians) operations but the meausrements seem very large for Dexters.

Thanks

Larry

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:58 pm

If this helps, our race is 740mm internal width for all it's length including the sliding gate etc.

The crush is a constant 690mm. It's an IAE Warrior crush with opening sides (about £900-1000?). It's not a yearling crush, but it is slightly narrower than most I've seen.

Everything fits through this system including our AA bull (800kg?) and all Dexters. The tightest thing of all we have would be a Dexter late in pregnancy, and that is a squeeze which we avoid if possible.

Calves will always turn round so I tend to get in with them. They stop being able to turn around at about 10-12 months of age.

The yoke on the crush will hold anything once it's around 100kg+, no matter how tall or short. So although we have one of the small IAE calf crates, it virtually never gets used, not even for dis-budding any more. The vet will castrate in the full-size crush at 1-3 months old.

Just as a note, immediately before the crush, there are two round steel posts which are just 625mm width apart internally, but that doesn't seem to be a problem, in fact I didn't realise that until I just measured it!

Edited By Broomcroft on 1291489430

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:00 am

Hi Larry - from australia, so not much help - we have a couple of stockyard manufacturers here who make especially for our Dexters ....
one is National Stockyards - here is there site, it might be of some use to you.....
http://www.nationalstockyards.com.au/ca ... sindex.htm

umm an there was another manufacturer in another state, but cant remember the name - they were sponsors of the state group of Victoria's show. If I remember it, or Marg Weir tells you who it is, you will have 2 to look at.

Good luck, look forward to hearing about your enterprise as you develop !
Regards

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:49 am

For what its worth - and we only have two at the moment - we use sheep hurdles cable tied (stainless steel cable ties but you could use jubilee clips) to the crush.

It's a second hand IAE Dexter Crush we bought from the 'For Sale' part of the site for about £500.

They get walked into the pen and then into the crush. If we have to we just moved the sheep hurdles inwards to make a smaller area to funnel them through the crush. We always put straw down in the crush and just before it - seems to make it easier for them and they appear happier to go into it - but then again that may be the bucket with some nuts in it that they get after going through!

They have never tried to jump over the hurdles.

Biggest benefits are it is all low cost and can be easily moved and stowed away when not in use (it all folds flat up against the side of the crush.

I am sure if we had a large herd we would need to put in a more permanent structure but this is a good workable solution and the vet's and animal health people seem happy with it.

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:25 am

If it is any help the IAE dexter crush is now called a yearling crush and ours is brilliant. Very easy to use and as Tim does, we use sheep hurdles to funnel them in.

Anna · Post by **Anna** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:59 am

A cattle crush is like a "cage" where you can lock in one cow at a time?

A crush is of course a very usable device on a cattle farm, but in my world it is not what you use for milking. If a wild suckler cow gets mastits and needs treatment and milking, maybe you cannot do it whithout a crush, but a trained milk cow should not need to stand in a crush to be milked..

At least here (Sweden), small herds milk while the cows stand beside each other eating, while locked in a headlock feeder: http://www.condonengineering.ie/wp-cont....381.jpg

Bigger herds use robot, or a "milking pit": http://www.naturbruk.se/fileban....4YF.jpg

I use an adjustable headlock feeder, the space where the cows stick their heads can be adjusted. Since the girls have their own places during feeding/milking time, I adjust it to fit individually. (They are locked only during milking or when fed concentrates. This works fine also for AI, vet checks etc.)

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 12:23 pm

Hi Denise. Do you mean the Stubby or is it Stubbie? Like the one that was on display at the National, made by a Tasmanian company who's name doesn't immediately come to mind.
A friend in US had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned using the crush. When I described what I meant she said they call that a shute.
Margaret

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 12:39 pm

Do be careful with sheep hurdles. It doesn't happen very often but I had one small, very pregnant shortie try to jump, couldn't quite make it and caught her rear leg in the horizontal rails. Luckily it didn't break her leg it bent the hurdle, but she landed heavily and limped for some time. There are hurdles available with vertical top rail specifically to avoid that problem (with sheep), but the ones I've seen tend to be costly, alternatively, blank off the top part of the hurdle so legs can't get through with plywood, sheet steel or weldmesh etc.

The hurdles I was using weren't even normal sheep hurdles, they were the taller race-type versions, so dexters can jump high. It surprised me.

We had a large lamb do it last year just as I was loading for market, broke a rear leg badly, so I put it down immediately and it went in the freezer.

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:32 pm

Hi Marg - yes the "stubbie" was the one I was thinking of. Shute - yes I think they do - but that to us is a race which is what we use to send them into the crush with !!!! oh dear - language can be very confusing.

CatherineT · Post by **CatherineT** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:46 am

Hi, Highfield Industries in Tasmania (Australia) make a kit crush for small breeds. They call it the "Stubby" and donated one which was the major prize at the Australian National Breed Show held in Victoria earlier this year. They have also supported our Tasmanian Promotions Group over a number of years by providing portable cattle yards for our use at the major agricultural field expo held in this Sate each year. The yards we use were also designed for small breeds with panels close enough so that the calves don't go AWOL. I don't believe that Highfield Industries have a website but their email address is [email]sales@highfield.com.au.[/email] I am sure if you contacted them they would be able to provide more details and would know if the crush was available elsewhere. I scanned their brochure, but haven't worked out how to attach a pdf file. The sides can be opened to allow access for milking or clipping, as well as the standard head and side restraint. The actual crush is available in either a standard or "vet" crush with or without side squeeze. It comes flat packed, so would be easy to export and takes about 1 to 2 hours to assemble if you've never done it before. We have one and it works well.

Catherine (Swn Y Gwynt Farm, Tasmania, Australia)

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:17 pm

Hi Catherine - that was the one I was referring to - thanks! I saw the one they donated to our recent National Show in Vic - and it was a beauty!

davidw · Post by **davidw** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 4:16 pm

I also use a sheep hurdle to form a funnel into the crush. BUT - I place one on its end, so it is tall and narrow. I also use a bucket with a few beet nuts in it and that seems to get them into the crush every time. Dexters can be bribed - when it suits them.

Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 10:02 am

Yes, a bright yellow builders bucket works a treat!! :D

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 11:09 pm

I agre, they usually can be bribed, davidw, but if one has been into the crush to have a grass seed removed from an eyeball she is a bit dubious about rushing back into the crush next day for more eye treatment.
Margaret