Squeeze Chutes...still planning, Tarter experience?

Casey in Ky · Apr 30, 2017

Any opinions on Tarters series 3 squeeze chute with an auto head gate? I'm getting ready to build a working facility(on the small side, most I'll running in the near future is 15-20 head). I had pretty well settled on the Priefert 90 degree sweep and 12 ft alley system with the hg91 headgate. I've priced those entire systems for around $2600. But I found this Tarter squeeze/head gate used(3 times, still looks new) and he's asking $1200. From what I've read they're recommended up to 1300 lbs. Most of my cows are small-medium framed and are under that or right around it. But I'm concerned but an occasional 1500+ or maybe a larger bull...any input is very much welcomed.

JD Seller · Apr 30, 2017

You need to KNOW what series Tarter the chute is. They make several different levels of quality chutes. The cheap ones will not work very well with full size cattle. Tarter's Cattle Master series is their better one. I know very little else about them. They are sold at Rural King and I see some of them around.

I have a Joust brand chute. I have had it for over 30 years. The trouble is they are out of business. It was expensive back then. I gave over $10K for the chute, tub and alley in 1985.

What I can tell you is buy the best/heaviest you can afford. Buying a cheap chute is wasted money. Buy a good head gate and mount it on post and build a wood alley of you not moving it around. A cheap chute is a recipe to get you or your cattle hurt.

Casey in Ky · Apr 30, 2017

He's a pic of it...it's the cattlemaster series 3...which is rated up to 1300lbs....$1200. I'm guessing it's more suited calves...

LAA · Apr 30, 2017

Sounds like a good price for a squeeze chute with auto catch, I would check and see what a new one costs just to be sure. If a large bull wants to tear something up there ain't many common chutes that will stop him, I always run the bulls through first and get them out of the catch pen as quick as possible. It may say 1300 lbs. but thats probably how big a cow you can squeeze and bigger can walk through/stand.

Andy Martin · Apr 30, 2017

I'll pass a long my experience. I can't run more than 25 head on a quarter section in Oklahoma so my herd sizes are about what you are looking at initially.

When I started in 1985 I built a steel alley to feed a Priefert squeeze chute and head gate. It worked well. Then I bought a Priefert sweep and a cheap head gate to put on another farm. I like the head gate better but I didn't like the sweep. The cattle balk because they can see everything that's going on.

Third place I set up a cheap head gate and just a panel pen. Fourth place I just set panels. Same with fifth place.

Now it's been a few years and I rarely use a head gate. I sold the sweep for $1,200. I like having a head gate for occasional needs but haven't had the need for a squeeze chute. I do have an iron corral and we can pin a cow behind a gate and do whatever we want without having to get her down the alley.

Just my experience. And I'm now back down to 20 head on my home place.

TomA in CA · Apr 30, 2017

We bought some Tartar panels a while back. Cows have turned several of them into pretzels. I would not buy anything from them again.

Dennis@mo · Apr 30, 2017

Had a Big Vlley with auto headcatcher. That really was a joke. Bought a Foremost headcatcher and adapted it to the squeeze chute. Any size animal at all comes in and get to rattling it around and the upper acess bars would shake loose and fall down.Finally wired them shut. Just changed it out to a Foremost squeeze chute. 2700.00. The old one was a accident waiting to happen. Just my opinion. Run 30 head plus calves maybe 4 times per year

Pair-a-dice farm · Apr 30, 2017

(quoted from post at 11:38:26 04/30/17) He's a pic of it...it's the cattlemaster series 3...which is rated up to 1300lbs....$1200. I'm guessing it's more suited calves...

I've got one just like that at one of the farms. It works OK for smaller cows and calves. The automatic headgate works well but the adjustment is awkward. Working 1300# cattle is a stretch but I've done it. If you can get it for $1200 I would buy it if your cattle are smaller. It will not work for a mature bull. I bought a WW( I forget the model) Headgate and squeeze chute for my main farm to work bigger cows and bulls.

Kansas4010 · Apr 30, 2017

I wouldn't recommend going cheap on a squeeze chute. I would rather buy a heavy duty one right off the bat. That way no one gets hurt if it should fail and a heavy duty one if taken care of will last a lifetime. I have a Blattner chute. It has roller chains on top and grease zeros down the side of the headgate. It is really smooth. I just put a 2,000 pound bull through it just last week. I bought it directly from Blattner and they were great to deal with. Might check if they have a dealer in your area.

Squeeze Chutes...still planning, Tarter experience?

Casey in Ky

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JD Seller

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Casey in Ky

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LAA

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Andy Martin

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TomA in CA

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Dennis@mo

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Pair-a-dice farm

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Kansas4010

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