that’s an improvement
Should be open and inviting.
There should be enough space
between panel rungs or boards that cattle
can see out and be more inclined to
enter. Making your box wider than the
alley from which cattle enter can help
make it feel more ‘open’ and inviting
as well, i.e. 12-foot-wide alley + 14-footwide
box = open and inviting.
Should not form a “V” at
the alley (snake) opening.
The gate into the box should be
set square. This prevents a “V” at
the entrance of the lead-up all to the
chute or load out and discourages cattle
from trying to enter two at a time,
getting stuck, and backing out.
Should not be used to hold
cattle for any period of time.
Because Bud Boxes are designed to
work with the natural instinct and
fl ow of cattle, only the number of
head that fi t in the alley or section
of trailer should ever be brought in
at one time. Cattle should never be
held for any period of time in a Bud
Box as that stops the fl ow and defeats
the purpose by training them to not
exit immediately. If, by accident,
too many head enter at once, they
should be turned out and brought in
again to save time and stress (on animals
and handler).
SIZING
Before settling on the size of your
Bud Box, you need to ask these
questions:
• What will the Bud Box be used
for? Will you be using it to process
cattle, load them on trucks,
or both?
The concept is simple… move the cattle into the Bud Box, close the
gate behind you and stand just outside the entrance to the snake or
the load-out exit. As the cows say to themselves, “Nothing here for
me, I’m outta here,” you use mild pressure to keep the fl ow going into
the snake or load-out. (Diagram based on several existing, thanks)
• What size animals will be run
through it? Cows? Yearlings?
Calves? All of the above?
• Will you primarily be working
ahorseback or on foot?
For processing purposes, 14-feet by
20-feet is a good size. However, if you’re
only going to be working on foot or primarily
handling calves, you can make
the Bud Box 12-feet wide. Twelve feet
is the minimum, as any narrower and
the box becomes less inviting and discourages
cattle from entering.
For loading trucks, the box should
be bigger to accommodate the number
of cattle that may need to be
loaded into larger truck compartments.
A Bud Box 14-feet wide and
anywhere from 28 to 30-feet long
works well for loading cattle either
on foot or horseback.
24 I WORKING RANCH I MARCH 2019