18 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN October 2025 aurorapharmaceuticalinc Follow us! ad022503 Aurora Pharmaceutical, Inc. ©2025 Quality You Trust. Value You Love. Scan to learn more www.aurorapharmceutical.com talk the feedyard side of things specifically for a moment, the less stress and impact we have on an animal going through that processing, the faster we’re going to get them back on feed. The average is three to four days before cattle return back to full feed after being worked, but with a good flowing facility and quality squeeze chute, you can have biotics and live vaccines a heck of a lot better than when they’re stressed. “We want to be more efficient all around, whether it’s the cattle converting better, the pharmaceuticals working more efficiently or the processing time that it takes to run those cattle through and get our protocols done. Efficiency is the name of the game.” Consider This If you opt for permanent facilities, there are a lot of things to consider before starting dirt work and setting posts. A good place to start is to establish where you are putting these corrals. Does it need to be accessed by semis, or are you planning for pickup and trailers? Either way, is it easily accessible from a road? It is beneficial to have water easily accessible, even if you do not necessarily plan to keep livestock there for extended periods of time. The same can be said for utilities. Once you have a preliminary plan drawn up, it may be helpful to stake out the plans in actual size where you plan to put them. Cattle naturally move easier uphill, so use slopes to your advantage. Running alleys and chutes east to west will help reduce shadows and should help the cattle flow more smoothly through the system. Curved alleys or working facilities help prevent the animal from seeing the chute ahead and keeps the animals moving. If you are planning on using concrete around the chute, make sure it is deeply grooved for traction. It is important to design a clear escape route out of pens or alleys in case something goes wrong and handlers need to make a quick exit. Gates and panels made out of metal pipe or rectangular rails allow cattle to see out, ideally keeping them calmer. If you are thinking about upgrading either part of or your entire corral system and are looking for resources, reach out to your local livestock Extension educator. Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance has a checklist available online to ensure your cattle handling facilities are designed with animal behavior and efficiency in mind. ~NC~ them back on feed in two to three days, which is saving everyone money.” A facility designed with low-stress management in mind not only decreases risk factors in regard to safety but can also increase profitability through the increase in efficiency. “There are a lot of studies going on, especially with the stress hormone cortisol,” Gubbels says. “If we can have less impact, less cortisol in the animal, they’re going to respond to those antiTHINKING ABOUT UPGRADING YOUR CORRALS? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
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