Cattle Racks

[TRAILRIDER]

Does anyone still sell cattle racks for a pick up? I found some on Craigs List and it looks like a very good deal. But I was looking around for something to compare them too. Any ideas?

[Alice In TX/MO]

What are cattle racks?

[MO_cows]

I wouldn't haul a critter of any size in a pickup with racks, maybe little calves or goats/sheep. A trailer is much safer and easier to load them to boot. That's probably why you don't see many of them around any more, most people don't want to use them.

[Windy in Kansas]

The modern citified soft sprung pickups would not work well to haul anything but smaller calves.

I've used a late '60s Ford half-ton and it did okay with a cow but when they move around it is somewhat of an uncomfortable feeling.

Trailers are definitely best but unfortunately don't compare to the price of the $50 to $100 stock rack from an auction.

[Callieslamb]

If you are hauling to a sale barn, be sure they have a dock/ramp to unload from a pickup. We plan on building some since we will only be hauling sheep or calves.

[rancher1913]

we still have a set, haven't used them in twenty years and as long as I have a trailer never will again. still have a 2 ton grain truck with stock racks, always made me wonder when we hauled cows in it one day and grain to town the next. spend your money on a trailer.

[goodhors]

Couldn't say what they cost these days. The folks I know usually made their own or had a welding shop make them up. So the current price of steel is probably your bottom line $$, plus time, labor to assemble the racks.

What style you are looking at could affect the price, with steel racks being worth more than wood sided ones.

I hauled my horse in a set of racks I had built. They were extremely solid, safe, with solid wood walls and a ramp to load with. We put on a LOT of miles with the stock racks! Sometimes I hauled two horses in the truck, which never had a problem with the load. At the time I didn't have the money for a trailer, plus the expenses of keeping it running, yearly license fees. The horse certainly never objected to loading in the racks!! The racks worked just fine for about 4 years. I finally caved and bought a trailer when I needed to go haul to Pennsylvania in winter. Just too cold for the horse outside in winter weather.

Locally we see stockracks on trucks made of wire panels or boards, with steel corner posts. I have seen ponies, feeder beef and calves in racks, all hauling quietly. Sheep and goats need a top on it! I would consider the stock racks SAFER than the tied up sheep who arrive at 4-H sheep weigh-in and Fair on the flatbed utility trailer with a 18" rail around it!

Trailers are nice to have, but livestock can be managed if you have stockracks on your truck. Ramp may be needed, since most stock yards, shows or Fairs don't have ramps anymore, you wouldn't be able to unload without one! The one time I asked my horse to jump into the truck, she slid to the front!! I went back to the welding shop and said we needed some kind of ramp. They built one that bolted onto my tailgate and worked very well. Just HEAVY to open and close. I kept a full sheet of plywood on the floor. I put some sandy gravel on the plywood for grip, seemed to work. She hauled both shod and barefooted with no problems. Straw is VERY slippery, don't use that underfoot. These days a regular stall mat which comes 4' x 6', would probably be your best bet for footing.

[nobrabbit]

Most folks around here make their own also.

We used to haul calves, sheep, and pigs in the bed of our truck that had a camper top and it was always a pain loading them. Since we already have big trailers for the cattle my husband built a small trailer for the smaller animals. He found a $50 trailer body and used scrap metal from his stash so it didn't cost much to build it.

It can be hooked up to the 4-wheeler which makes it handy.

[Windy in Kansas]

The slide in stock rack is what I always think of when pickup stock racks are mentioned. On and off in seconds with securing them in the bed the most time consuming aspect. They had a wooden floor to aid foot traction for the livestock being hauled.

I expect ours was made by WW, a well known western KS company. A rack like ours was is shown in the middle column, second photo down. Once out of favor of use they sold pretty reasonable at farm auctions.

http://www.wwmanufacturing.com/history.html#

[ksfarmer]

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

The slide in stock rack is what I always think of when pickup stock racks are mentioned. On and off in seconds with securing them in the bed the most time consuming aspect. They had a wooden floor to aid foot traction for the livestock being hauled.

I expect ours was made by WW, a well known western KS company. A rack like ours was is shown in the middle column, second photo down. Once out of favor of use they sold pretty reasonable at farm auctions.

http://www.wwmanufacturing.com/history.html#

I had one like that, hauled a lot of cattle in it on a 3/4 ton pickup. Calves worked best, but also hauled cows 2 or 3 at a time and even the old 2 ton bull. The trailers are much better, but, didn't see many of them those days. WW made them, also Landol of Marysville, Kansas made a lot, not sure they do anymore.

[FarmboyBill]

Ive had 2 sets of stock racks in my life. Got the remains of the last here yet. The first was my dads, and they first fit on his 1940 chevy pk. Then his 1952 Chevy. I took them when he modernized to a 1 1/2 ton truck and put them on my 1946 Chevy pk. Left them in the pk shed when I moved from Kans. The set I have now, I bought at auction and Im sure they were home made. Shoveing them in and out soon became a pain to me so I quit useing them. I have a small garden 18 X 30 and I sometimes will buy 3 pigs and put in it for a month or less. Then I shoo them up into the hog lot. That can be a pain by yourself. So, several years back I took the old racks as I hadnt used them in years and cut the back drop ends off. Then I hooked a chain onto the front sides and with it running on the bottom row of pipes I could slide it up to the garden fence, handle it so that one end was against the fence and bring a length of hog panel and put up the other side, I could load them in it pretty well. Then drive slowly up into the hog lot and let them out and take it back out and put it away. Left a chain on it so as to always be ready to use. Havnt done that in years either.
I made a set of stock racks outa one cattle panel to fit my Isuzu pk for hauling goats. Thats all I have now. I suppose if I had to haul something bigger, I would take the old stock racks and maul them up on a small trailer I have, flat bed, and run cattle panels around it for highth, as its only around 3ft high now.

[Windy in Kansas]

Loading and unloading the rack was a breeze for us. We placed pillow block bearings with pipe rollers on four posts so that the rack was stored at the height of the pickup bed.

Undo the wire that secured it in place and roll it into the bed. Reverse for unloading. Rewire to keep the rack from rolling while stored.

The biggest issue was keeping the rack gate sliding properly so that it could be opened and closed easily. Perhaps the tolerances were too tight when made.

[TRAILRIDER]

yes, I agree, I couldn't imagine hauling anything bigger than my goats or sheep, or a young calf. Can you imagine taking a turn with the heavy live weight up that high?
But I am just hauling goats now, and one day the back of my car is gonna get pretty nasty!

I like that set up, nobrabbit. Very handy indeed! The full size cattle racks I'm looking at are priced at $200 and look very solid. I might have to add some 2 X 4 wire if i'm hauling any baby goats with thier moms. I've got a 24 ft gooseneck trailer, but that's over kill to haul a few goats!

[TRAILRIDER]

Windy in kansas, that photo looks like the one I'm considering! Thanks.

[FarmboyBill]

Dad ssaid he helped haul a cow in a 1/4ton Ford. Said the cow drooled on the windshield

[salmonslayer]

Originally Posted by nobrabbit

Most folks around here make their own also.

We used to haul calves, sheep, and pigs in the bed of our truck that had a camper top and it was always a pain loading them. Since we already have big trailers for the cattle my husband built a small trailer for the smaller animals. He found a $50 trailer body and used scrap metal from his stash so it didn't cost much to build it.

It can be hooked up to the 4-wheeler which makes it handy.

I like what your husband did with that trailer. We have a dual axle stock trailer but I could definitely see how that would be handy. Good job.

[poorboy]

http://www.danekeclublambs.com/Trail...persRacks.html

Google's yer friend!

[billfosburgh]

i bought mine from my neibor for $75. they are factory made with a gate that slides up & down & also swings open. i like it. years ago when i pulled draft ponies i hauled my team in a set of stock racks along with cattle to with no problem. most sale barns & slaughter houses have docks set up for racks. still use mine a lot. slides in easily & fastens quickly

[TRAILRIDER]

Thanks poorboy for the link. : )