All cattle owners have dealt with the problem of wandering cattle. It consumes a massive amount of time and energy to ensure that cattle don’t go off your property and hurt themselves.
Cattle are a huge source of revenue to anyone who owns them and that is why it becomes crucial to ensure that they don’t wander off your property and hurt themselves or get lost.
Did you know there is a simple way to ensure that your cattle are protected and remain on your property using cattle grids? Here’s everything you need to know about them.
What Is a Cattle Grid?
A cattle grid is basically a structure that is placed in the ground to prevent cattle from crossing over to another piece of land. It is generally used to prevent cattle from going to dangerous areas or from going out of your property and getting lost. They are a brilliant alternative to cattle gates because they require way less maintenance and are more effective in keeping your cattle safe.
They are cleverly designed so that a person can walk across them and even a car can cross them but they are not wide enough for a cow to do so. Cattle have an instinctive fear of hurting their legs and therefore, they don’t try to cross these grids.
The depressions in which these grids are placed ensure that the cattle stay in your farm. Generally, the dimensions are 7-8 feet wide and 8-10 feet long. However, they can be adjusted depending upon your requirements.
What Are the Materials Used in Cattle Guards?
- Concrete
Concrete cattle guards are the most commonly used ones because of their availability and durability. They are generally reinforced with metal rods that increase their strength. Concrete guards are also comparatively cheap and have lower maintenance costs.
- Steel
While a great option, steel cattle guards are a bit more expensive than concrete ones. Also, they have a high maintenance cost because steel gets damaged over time. If you’re using this, make sure that you use good paint or galvanized steel in order to prevent rust and make the grid last longer.
- Electricity
Using electricity in cattle grids is a great way to discourage cattle from crossing over. On top of that, it discourages predators from coming close. Not many people choose this option because it does tend to increase the operating costs a bit. However, adding electricity will make the cattle grid highly effective.
What Are the Various Types of Cattle Grid Designs?
Flat Box Cattle Grid Design
Flat grids are also known as standard cattle grids. Flat or round top piping can be used. They are generally made with metal. They are generally mounted on top of concrete footings. They also consist of cattle guard wings that prevent your cattle from jumping out the corner of the grid.
Boxed Cattle Grid Design
This design is created with the help of a regular flat cattle guard as the base. Unlike the other designs, these ones don’t require any footing material. They can be simply dug into the ground. That does make them more suitable for temporary use because they can be moved and shifted after some time. However, that doesn’t mean that they are ineffective. Boxed cattle grids can withstand heavyweights.
Both of these designs are very effective. You can select either of them for your farm depending on your budget and the specific usage you have for the grid.
Things To Consider Before Buying Cattle Grid
Your cattle is surely very important to you because of various reasons. It is of utmost importance that you check these things before you buy a grid to keep them safe:
Is the grid you’re considering of good quality?
Is the grid durable?
How much weight can it bear?
How costly is the maintenance?
You must ensure that you buy your cattle grid from a reputable place like CivilMart. This will guarantee that your grid is effective and will last long. Also, maintenance in case of any damage will become easier.
Over to you…
Having a cattle grid is a necessity if you wish to ensure that your cattle is safe. Also, your time and energy will be saved as you won’t have to run around, trying to bring your cattle back into your property.
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