Loading up steers in our make shift corral. What did it cost us to raise feeder steers?

[@batpherlangkharkrang7976]

Hi..... Evan and Rebecca love watching your video homestead beautiful great good job BYE 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋👍👍👍

[@bigtime37ja]

No critique here either, there are always lessons to be learned in each and every evolution. Great job you two. Always enjoy your videos.

[@greggandjanetprice3851]

Over the years that I have worked with livestock of all kinds I found out that no matter what kind of facilities you may have there will be good days and bad days because all animals have different mood swings according to how they feel that day.

[@PhyllisGentry-b8n]

Very glad neither of you were injured trying to get steers into the transport vehicle. Please be careful.

[@marthabartel604]

Any loading with out you getting hurt is great.

[@charlieconnor1490]

You should've put the feed into the trailer

[@hillarywattenbarger3203]

The broom snapping had me dying laughing 🤣

[@teenagefarmer]

$600 Dollars profit per head is good. We've never been able to make much money from cattle if you take into consideration how much to we put into ours, it pretty much puts meat in the freezer for Free. Great work

[@Manoffire260]

I don’t own cattle, haven’t raised any ever in my life - thus I will not be advising anyone here how to handle them - unlike so many others today on the internet… 😘

[@eileenf2286]

I would say you should of put some of the grain in the alley wayto lure them into the trailer.

[@CountryViewAcres]

That occurred to us after the bucket was emoty.

[@greggandjanetprice3851]

You need to have an extra panel or gate to c lose behind your steers so you are not in direct contact with your cattle. This makes the catch pen smaller and becomes part of your alley. Also, have a post or pipe to put behind your steers so they can't back up on you.

[@--_DJ_--]

You mean a broom handle isn't enough?

[@hillarywattenbarger3203]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@johndyer5541]

Hilarious 😂😂😂😂

[@harveystephens6115]

But it was a plastic broom handle🤣🤣🤣

[@tanneradams20]

Remember this was temporary til they build their permanent handling area.

[@johnzink3309]

thx again

[@robertbennett6697]

Getting Rebecca a good cutting horse would make a good video next year.

[@outdoorstudios2022]

Good morning!Good morning!

[@AfterTheRains]

You both did really well and gained so much experience. The animals have had the best life and only one bad day.

[@dannyderamus3524]

Temple Grandin has some great plans on cattle handling. You can handle my cattle by yourself with the proper setup. Keep up the great work.

[@miguelavelasquez8056]

You did a great job loading your steer Evan for being the first time loading them like that you made it look easy thank you for sharing blessings to you and your family

[@krissyb1980]

Rebecca had the right idea with that poor ol broom 😂 just needed a wooden fence post instead. Loading livestock is always a challenge. They know something is up and they're not going to cooperate.

[@tshouse9821]

Should be shaped more like a funnel with the widest being the size of the green gate.

[@baumsquad222]

The alley was still a little too wide. But went pretty well for the first time.

[@paulchauvin840]

After watching you, I looked up loading cattle and found some good stuff on NCBA’s Cattleman to Cattleman. 4yrs ago. Titled “Setting up your cattle handling facility.”

[@doanahumphreys8372]

Then when you get your meat back, you need to figure how much it would have cost to buy that much meat.from the grocery store. That's when you will truly see how much money you saved. And as a second bonus, you know where the meat came from and what it was fed. You and Rebecca have done well.

[@MichaelHerringValdosta]

Love your channel. You'll continue to improve things. I have no doubt.

[@mrclaus859]

Thanks Evan

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks for sharing with us Evan and Rebecca, that was a good wrestling match you had loading them steers. Glad you both stayed safe and figured a different game plan for next loading. Really enjoyed the break down of costs and profits to be made and reality of how you don't make a living off of each steer. Stay safe around there and keep up the great videos and the fun you both have around the farm. Fred.

[@georgew.5639]

I might have used the grain to lure them into the trailer. But honestly I have no experience with this. 😊

[@ronaldclemons5520]

Evan you guys grew out some nice steers. The weight was perfect to grade choice. Thank you for sharing your time with us, and breaking everything down. Blessings😊

[@jacktomberlin7976]

“Funnel” is the keyword. And having a way to close in behind as they move forward, preventing them from backing up. Maybe a homemade version of a “tub and alley” setup. Just a thought!

[@hopehealsinternationalmini4291]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@josephbrown-ut9ty]

JudithB I had 10 cows n a bull on 20 acres. We cut all our hay and sold part of it the next year since it was stored in a barn. We ate one steer a year, and sold the other steers, and kept a few heifers to replace a cow or two that just wasnt doing as well as the others. Didnt get rich but we sure ate well, with the rest of critters and a milk cow.

[@garyhunter6030]

You need to put the feed in the trailer a couple of days before you take the out. Just a suggestion, it works with cow , horses and pigs.

[@eileenf2286]

yes, that would work. let them get familiar with the trailer and so on!

[@douglaskerr6813]

Well let's unload this great job loading the steers nobody got hurt I see you owe Rebecca a broom The last steer you loaded was the biggest one as far as the price of beef what does a pound of beef cost in the local supermarket .? As far as selling you beef did you and Rebecca think about a subscription for the beef in other words these folks that buy your beef maybe could help with the cost of raising them just a thought Thanks

[@markpriddy1]

Good job. Thanks for the info.

[@rodfair5698]

Thanks Rebekah and Evan for a lovely, amusing video. The expression “herding cats “ can be changed to almost any other animal in the world!! But you both always put a lighthearted side to it. Keep them coming please.

[@theodorelease8477]

We just paid $2.80 lbs hanging weight for gain feed beef. Our 1/2 came to $1210.00 plus processing at .80 cents lbs. so that came out to be less than $4.00 lbs. you can’t buy good hamburger for that.

[@JCD_Ranch]

Good evening sir! I am just learning about homesteading and farming. After watching you video today I would recommend maybe checking out farmer Tyler ranch he has a lot of videos and gives a lot of info and advice on this subject of loading and moving his cattle.

[@brucerazor5202]

👍 it’s all in the journey

[@arrowjmfarms]

12 to 14 ft is a good width. The steers looked great!

[@toddcaskey9984]

Their are different kinds of working corrals , study & watch lots before u drill any holes. Great job

[@ralphcottle5926]

Make the panels in the form of a funnel to the alley way. Put the grain up the alley way instead of in the middle of the coral. Some grain on the floor of the trailer. Just a suggestion.

[@3pRanchTx]

Entering a catch pen on foot will get you injured. Make a small catch pen that will allow you to coax your animals from the outside with a paddle. Buy or make yourself a squeeze tub that connects between your pen and your alley. The gate of the tub can be operated from outside of the fencing panels (one man operation). I personally think your alley should be narrower. I had the same width alley and had a year old steer turn around in it, which created havoc for the cattle behind him. I narrowed mine down to 22 inches. All my cattle can still move easily through it, including my big bull. Good luck!

[@deannaoverstreet4146]

Great job!

[@bt6195]

Putting a simple post in between the panels behind the steers once you get them in the straight loading part will help you out bigtime. They won't be able to back out.

[@davidowen8632]

Love the wood sheds top

[@Fernie-x7e]

😮 wow great job. Amazing!! Really enjoy watching you and wife .

[@LittleYellowCreekFarmMS]

Try your alley way a bit wider and solid panels will Keep the calm.

[@joerodrigues3816]

Great video as always thanks for sharing this video all the best always god bless you and your family

[@jackiebinns6205]

Great job ! Love the farm 👭🐴😍

[@stevengunter2843]

You both did a great job with them!!

[@marka6719]

Awesome job guys. They got loaded.

[@mariesheppard3750]

Rebecca needs a bar or post to put behind the steer when in the shoot so they can not back out again ,

[@alisciamarotta3888]

She did @2:26, had a 4x4...left end side of schut😊

[@marcamp5450]

Great to feed yourself. Obviously a plus if you can sell some. A little extra $ doesn’t hurt. Maybe a few less hours on your other jobs resulting in more time on the homestead. Don’t have to go any bigger. Just keep doing the numbers you’re doing.

[@InquisitiveSearcher]

I think I would have used the grain as a lure to get them to follow you all the way into the trailer. Give it a shot next year.

[@sandyleonard1605]

Are you familiar with the KZbin channel Our Wyoming Life? They are cattle and pig ranchers that sell their processed meat directly to customers. They have a store on their property and sell on line. They have thousands of acres so obviously you can’t operate on their scale but you might pick up a few tips from them. Good luck.

[@arlodewald5378]

Cattle don't like to be pressure into small lanes for the first time . The pins have to gradually get smaller , especially when it's there first time . If they are aloud to be in that area as they are growing up. Even feeding them in different areas . Most animals get somewhat use to a routine and fuss less to things they have done before . If a person leaves a really small gate open they will find it and get out , Even if it a tight squeeze . So once you build what you want and what will work for the space that's available. Just open it up on and off they are curious enough to walk in for a look see .Plus they will rub and eat down any good grass even if it just around the edges. So once you are done building your corrals throw some grass seeds around throughout that complete area . It might keep some weeds down as well ?

[@johnsandell4501]

Great explanation!!!

[@garystlaske7703]

Great Video , very educational, it's nice the way your operating your farm.

[@Jokerfromtexas]

Next time put a panel or two coming from alley to help direct them... works well

[@timreese5181]

I just finished my 8th year raising steers. This year I put 700lbs in my freezer with all my costs covered by sales to friends and coworkers. Got to say just being able to get free beef out of it feels great. Keep it small scale and don’t have USDA on your back is the best way to go!

[@DEJones71]

I really miss being able to raise my angus steers for beef and pigs for healthy pork.

[@--_DJ_--]

At what point do you have to get the usda involved?

[@--_DJ_--]

I was a little worried with how big that corral was, and the shape you went with, but you made the best of it and got out unscathed, so no big deal. RIP to the broom handle.

[@DEJones71]

The corral was not excessively large. Consider that he was using two existing gates as two sides of it. If you noticed, when Rebecca swung the red gate open it decreased the size of the pen and the steers moved into the shoot on their own. with the exception of one. If Evan had swung the other gate to meet Rebecca's the process would have been shorter. Consider this, if there was a gate at the end of the shoot, it could have been closed to prevent them from backing out. Animals are intimidated by obstacles so when they become aware they can't back up they will move forward on their own.

[@--_DJ_--]

@@DEJones71 It was too big, he even said that himself. There is no need for a gathering spot for them, and the 90 degree corner just gave them a place to turn around. It should have been a funnel from pasture gate to the chute. Mind you it worked with a few tweaks, so it wasn't that bad.

[@DEJones71]

Without a holding pen the steers would have ended up back in the pasture, not good at all. A funnel would have been more desirable but he was working with existing panels and did not want to fabricate something. As you know, the steers walked right into the channel as soon as they were aware of the gate Rebekah swung in behind them. If animals know they can't go backward they will move to any opening @@--_DJ_--

[@--_DJ_--]

@DEJones71 They went and bought panels to do that, I just think it could have been done a bit differently, and maybe a bit safer. It's been a long time since I worked on a farm, or with cattle, so don't take my opinion to mean too much.

[@DEJones71]

DJ, he may have bought panels to build the holding pen but they were standard lengths and he put them together the best he could. I did not recognize any safety issues in the video. Your opinion is just as important as mine or anybody else's. This is a good place to exchange ideas. The problem with commenting on these videos is that 80% of the information is not revealed to the viewer's and we have no idea what his plans were. I try hard to not get specific with my suggestions but rather identify principles he should consider. Funneling into the channel might make future loadings easier and definately swinging gates at strategic places are a must. I emailed to him a drawing of the ideal holding pen. I wish I could post it here to share with others. @@--_DJ_--

[@harkbelial]

They look so happy to go to the butchers.

[@cathiwim]

You need two of you using Sonne Farms slappies! And keep the camera tripod outside the fence. You can still film it.

[@DEJones71]

Evan, there was nothing, including the size of the holding pen that was wrong with your construction. I want to draw your attention to how you managed the steers. As soon as Rebecca swung the red panel in on them they complied and went into the shoot. If you had swung another panel from the side of the pen towards her panel, the one would not have retreated. With respect to them backing out of the tunnel, there are a couple of suggestions that could work, one safer than the other. Once they are in the shoot, you could have a swinging gate to stop them from backing out. If they had not gone in on their own from that point you two could have put a heavy bar behind them each time they moved toward the trailer and eventually they would have gone in.

[@RobertCarneyLabs]

This is good! Use a heavy piece of wood to keep them from backing up by placing it across the 28 inch space! Always be calm when handling cattle...

[@DEJones71]

I am glad you mentioned being calm because it does work to your favor. People who have animals would do well to study up on Animal Psychology, just like children, if you know what to expect from them then you can be better prepared to manage them@@RobertCarneyLabs

[@tomriblett2979]

if you make a gate the swing twards your trailer loading and keep it locked once you have them going down the lane to the trailer.

[@charlenepartlow7880]

That was fun ! 🥴😵‍💫🙃

[@bobkyllo578]

You need to enclose your coral walls. They are to open. The cattle can see through them and they will want to go through the panels versus up the loading lane. Look at a butcher plant or a livestock sales yard.

[@dickwright2134]

Informative, thank you.

[@stevedrew5425]

Slide a 2x4 behind them when you get them into the chute

[@stevedrew5425]

Keep my steers around a year buy at 600# to butcher at 1500# grain fed and finish supplement with hay, protein and minerals thanks . Winter a little challenge but what isn't with steers

[@debrawild5326]

I believe you both were fortunate getting them loaded. Make the area in a funnel shape and like you said not so wide. Glad the cattle went in the trailer!

[@beverlybolden3401]

Great job! You and Rebecca make a wonderful team. Thank you for sharing.

[@doncc6080]

Glad you and Rebecca were not injured in the rodeo. Have you thought of baiting them with feed in trailer for a couple days before loading? Or in the narrow alleyway.

[@davidbaillie2087]

The area you made smaller is like a bud box which works great for getting the cattle up the lane to the trailer, or for an area to stage them before the squeeze cute also. Good job.

[@brianjohnson1346]

here's an old guy tip.... shhhh dont talk to the cows, quiet will work better. knowing precisely where to stand to put the right amount of pressure on the cow is an art that will come with the years.. one step to one side or the other makes a difference. give em time to think remember they arent dumb but they are cows lol

[@DimmyGondalin]

Good work, Evan and Rebekah !!

[@jefffortney4261]

It took some doing but you got 'er done, Evan and Rebekah!

[@harveystephens6115]

Maybe some panels to make squeeze points to make holding area smaller and point down shoot. Post behind last animal is good way to close shoot Shoot entrance might could be a little more open then go to 28” shoot

[@roberto.peterson9917]

pre loading pen needs to be smaller and more funnel shape or round with 360 gate in middle so when full open the as gate is work around it pushes them to the chute

[@edsecorr7812]

Great job keep up the great work love your videos thank you

[@leahmollytheblindcatnordee3586]

Congratulations on getting them in and out!

[@frrapp2366]

crowding gates, crowding gates , crowding gates !!!!!! i knew when i saw how big your pen was you would have some trouble i have a 8ft ally with 2 pens on the long side, gates on both ends(drive though)(i store my feed trailer in it too) the ally has 3 gates to swing in behind the cattle to crowd with, i put the trailer up to one post and open the big trailer gate up against the other side , have about 18 in between the trailer side that the trailer gate closes off. the main corral pen has 3- 180+ degree swing gates

[@richardkarpensky1232]

You should watch how just a few acres loads his cattle

[@davidgourdie3691]

When you're setting up your yards,pens need to be small.The railings nedd to be a lot taller than what you've got.Somewhere down the line,steer will jump out.The chute and run need to be gated also,so there's less chance of them backing out.

[@sandypratt8951]

❤️👍👍👍

[@bay9876]

There are some nicely functional sweep tubs designed to move the cattle in the right direction. Light at end seem to get them to move forwards into the loading trailer.

[@g.r.4853]

Try feeding them them in the trailer a few days, forget the long chute, let them get used to being in the trailer, their curiosity will make them explore it anyway if given the chance. Then when time to transport, give them their "treat" in there and close the door. We had 60 plus dairy cows before the barns burned down and they drank regularly from one of our earthen ponds, so why don't you pump that pond water to water your livestock? (A homemade ram pump at the bottom of your overflow - operates 24/7 with no external power.?) Yeah we also used to get algae and stuff in ours also plus on hot days they would wade out in them to cool off and certainly didn't harm them nor did any drown, lighting killed more that any thing they ate or drank. BTW we used vertical overflow pipes to regulate pond depth and anything floating on the surface (duckweed?) just drop down the drain and away. Sort of like that pump it off you tried last (?) year.

[@texaswoody1]

Good effort, but a suggestion for your next go around. Actually, just two words: Hot Shot. That'll get their attention right off! ;)

[@isaiahraimondo6083]

You can tell a lot of people in here have never ranched or handles cattle, that being said, when we handle cattle we do a few things, cattle do not like sharp square corners you have the right idea it just went to wide and then short fast and it was square you need a gradual decline as well as a way for cattle to not reverse out

[@djmoulton1558]

Perhaps if you had started putting food in the trailer for about a week before shipping they would have been used to going in the trailer and wouldn't have needed to be chased.

[@--_DJ_--]

They hopped right in once they had no choice, getting them in the trailer seemed like the easiest part of that exercise.

[@djmoulton1558]

If they had ben walking on and off for a week there would be no corralling needed. That is my point.

[@--_DJ_--]

@@djmoulton1558 I'd be very surprised if they would hop in a trailer unless that was the only option left (which is why they have a chute leading there), even if it was full of grain.

[@djmoulton1558]

I have seen it done with pigs and it works well so I don't see it being a problem with cows. If you put their treats in there with a ramp for access it should go fine. You never know for sure unless you try it.

[@Flowing23]

👍👍

[@gream663]

Curious to know the details of the processing: cost of process; amount of beef garnered from each steer; store cost of beef if purchased from store… would be interesting to know the cost benefit of raising your own

[@FloydBlack-xi8fh]

I have done it. It's all in how u push the cattle forward.

[@paulsackett3485]

$1.40/lb? I would go give the guy a hug you bought them steers from. That’s almost $1/lb below market price.

[@glennbadley9071]

You might consider a sweep tub when you plan out your permanent fencing for moving the steers to the alley way for load out or entering the sqeeze chute.

[@--_DJ_--]

What is a sweep tub?

[@glennbadley9071]

A sweep tub is a system of curved fence panels, usually sided with sheet metal. They come in various sizes to work in different applications. Ours is used to move and handle cattle through our alley ways for movement to load out for transportation or to a squeeze shute for doctoring. They panels, being curved are set up on the outside of a "circle" and a gate is hung from a center point of the circle. The sweep tub is be used to move livestock 180 degrees or less depending on your application. The advantage of using one is that the cattle are moved through it with a gate between you and them so you are safer. Check out Temple Grandon at Colorado State University as she is a leading authority on handling and movement of livestock. Sweep tubs are normally available through most major livestock equipment dealers. Hope this helps.

[@--_DJ_--]

@@glennbadley9071 You couldn't have explained it better. Thanks

[@davedavis662]

Have to be careful if they panic and your in there with them, seen many people get hurt bad.

[@gerthholm1220]

If you have a chain in the shoot so you can put behind their end so they can't go return... Have an ekstra gate inside at the start of the shoot, then you can squeeze them into the shoot..

[@leeroybodecker5025]

Awesome job

[@jermainewyatt1995]

Great video thanks for sharing

[@Dan-qy1rg]

Your pen did fine, you had success getting them on, so it was good enough to get the job done. I would suggest widening the opening of the shoot or run, cattle will hesitate going into a tight opening. When I first started that was one mistake that I made, along with others. You and Rebekah did really good, keep up the hard work. I hope you have a good week.

[@DEJones71]

I agree with you on the opening to the shoot, if it was a funnel the chances of the steers moving into it may have been faster. They used the panels they already had to the best of their ability and it did not take long for the steers to move in on their own once Rebekah swung the red gate in behind them.

[@dougmcnattin386]

Evan , great job. Getting them in that chute was most entertaining. Haha . Just like a rodeo. It looks like you could almost charge more, sell for more. Could you add another steer to next years total? Have fun out there. Is there a market for even better quality beef? Just wondering. Thinking out loud. Good luck.