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What Cattle Working Facilities Are the Best?

Jun 20, 2025

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By Addie Womack

Just like with tractors, combines and trucks, when a company releases a new chute design or cattle working facility, we want an upgrade. But the hot new item isn’t always the best fit for your operation. There is research continually being done to better understand cattle behaviors and develop working facilities that work with them. I’m going to cover some basic aspects of cattle working facilities so that information can be pieced together to make a system that best fits your operation.

Cattle Design Tips

Understand Your Animals
Take the time to read over articles and watch videos that dive into cattle behaviors. Understanding how cattle perceive the world and how their natural instincts affect their behavior will guide you into proper facility design to work with the animals instead of against them. No matter the situation, cattle are going to want to remove pressure, make sure they have a clear path through working facilities to do that.

High- and Low-Pressure Areas
High-pressure areas are also known as high traffic areas. These are areas where cattle are funneled into more confined spaces. Low-pressure areas are where cattle are not being asked to move, like in a holding pen. It’s crucial you understand the two design facilities so that movement flows well through the high-pressure areas.

Source : sdstate.edu

Video: Season 7, Episode 2: From Data to Decisions in Swine Production

Data can provide a clear picture of trends and performance across a swine farm, but its greatest value comes from putting those insights into action. In this episode, Dr. Edison Magalhães, assistant professor in the department of animal science at Iowa State University, discusses how producers can leverage data to make informed decisions that improve herd performance from birth to market. He highlights the challenges of siloed data across different teams, the impact those gaps can have on performance and the importance of integrating data to gain a more complete picture of herd health and productivity. He also explains the PROSPER (Predictors of Swine Performance) tool, which combines data from multiple sources to help producers better understand herd performance.