hauling calves

formenwhogrow · Nov 30, 2010

How many 550 lb calves could a guy fit on a standard 16 ft. stock trailer? I have a dozen to haul and was just wondering if they would all fit before I attemt to load. Thanks.

Iowa Farmer · Nov 30, 2010

19 fit nicely on my 6x24 ft trailer. I would imagine that they would fit without too much difficulty.

Iowa Farmer

hayray · Nov 30, 2010

I would say about 8 should be max. I shoved 9 in mine once and did a long haul with them and one came out pretty lame and never got better, took a complete loss on it.

JR.Frye · Nov 30, 2010

I do it all the time: Yes it is a pain in the B--
but I will not haul any more than 6 at because of
over loading the tralor. what is one more trip.
if I have only 7 or they all go but no more than that on my tralor.
JR> FRYE

MN Scott · Nov 30, 2010

I can haul about 12 to 14 in my 116 ft trailer.

Nebraska Cowman · Nov 30, 2010

Yeah, a dozen should go fine. But you better load them down a narrow chute or you will never get the gate closed. I worked for an outfit that ALWAYS hauled 8 cows in a 16 ft trailer. Their saying was "We ain't going very far"

M Nut · Nov 30, 2010

I couldn't get 12 in mine this year, 10 was all I could get comfortably. Weighed about 550 also. I have hauled 12 450lbs, and it was a tight fit.

Heat Houser · Nov 30, 2010

Check your axle rating. 10 calves at 550 lbs is 5,500 lbs of payload. I scaled mine and the most I could haul with tandem 3,500 lb axles (6 bolt rims) was around 4200 lbs. The empty weigh of the trailer took the rest of the 7,000 axle capacity.
Too much load and the axles will bend. (ask me how I know)

thurlow · Nov 30, 2010

Overloading/crowding will lead to rearing/riding and eventually one or more down on the floor. Most of us who've been in the business have experienced it and it usually doesn't cause any lasting trouble, though they may look really nasty and cause 'em to be discounted in the sale ring. I'd think you'd be fine for the space; don't know about the weight behind your vehicle. Not hauling 'em behind a mini-pickup or El Camimo, are you? Have seen it happen.......

formenwhogrow · Nov 30, 2010

I think I am covered in the truck dept. I haul with an 01 dodge 1 ton w/ the cummins. I will have the calves in the trailer for about an hour and a half just wanted to be sure they'd fit. Sounds like i might be better trying to borrow the neighbor's 24 ft to be on the safe side. I want the calves showing up healthy and clean.

hayray · Nov 30, 2010

I have a bent axle right now, just trying to find the time to take it off and put on a new one. My trailer is a 7200 lb. so sounds like the same trailer you have.

BCnT · Nov 30, 2010

i try and put enuff in a load so they support each other on the road regardless of calves weight...if you got 3500# utility trailer axles then buy a real trailer...i run 6000# axles on all my trailers with 10 ply 16's. except 1 lowboy i built out of a old trailer house and its got 5600# axles with 14.5 14 ply platform tires on it.

M Nut · Nov 30, 2010

I sure would see about the bigger trailer. I also used my neighbor's 22ft this year and put 17 calves on that. Just about a perfect fit for 550lb calves.

johndeereman · Nov 30, 2010

guy i used to work for always had alot of sheep to haul at a time so he made his stock trailer a double decker worked great of course sheep are lighter than cattle

thurlow · Nov 30, 2010

I usta figure about 8 sq ft per head for feeders and 12 ft for cows (1000-1100#); never had any major problems. Don't you love the truck; I'm driving one a lot older with almost 300,000 miles on it.......with the much-maligned 5-speed Getrag; never had a minute's trouble with it. When I retired, my most-used cattle trailer was a 32 footer. I was slow off the mark at red lights, but could run with the big dogs after the turbo spooled up.

kyhayman · Nov 30, 2010

16 by 6 foot 6 inch gooseneck that I use, I figure 13-14 600 pound calves or 7 big cows. 2, 7000 pound axles under it. Any more just dont fit. I'd rather haul at least 12 calves or less than 8. Seems when I get in those mid sized loads someone almost always ends up getting down in the trailer.

formenwhogrow · Nov 30, 2010

Yep. Just put new inj. pump, fitted it with an air-dog lift pump, and a set of 90 hp injectors. Has the stock turbo and full set of gages. Has the nv 4500 with a heavier south bend clutch. Its a reg. cab with a steel flat bed. Can't say enough good about it. 115k on it now so its just a baby.

jbp · Nov 30, 2010

They will fit just fine in a 16 footer.
Joe

tjdub · Nov 30, 2010

12 would be the max in my opinion. I fit 13 500lb calves in my trailer once, but that was too many. I made it, but I almost lost a calf because he fell down on the haul. Make sure to put some dry hay down on the trailer floor before you load them to make the floor less slippery. If one slips and falls down, he won't be able to get back up in that crowd. Remember, fuel is expensive, but you can buy a lot of it for the cost your nicest steer.

thurlow · Nov 30, 2010

Can't argue with success..........if it works for you; some folks use hay, some use sand, etc. Around 'here', EVERYONE who hauls much livestock has what is locally known as livestock/cattle panels permanently stapled to the floor of their trailers. They also have a 3/4--1 inch gap between each plank.

hauling calves

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