Does anybody have a cattle trailer they wouldn't mind renting out for a weekend? We're running from the flames and drought in Dickens County and I need to move ~30 head in a short amount of time. I've got an extra truck, but not an extra trailer.

Gooseneck is preferred and the longer the better.

I'm in Fort Worth and will be hauling the cattle back this direction from the farm in Spur, so anyone in between would work great.

Looking to make the move this weekend or next.

Thanks OB.

Just a thought, but try contacting local FFA chapters. If they can't lend you one, I'm sure they have a member/family that can.

I'd just call a hauler. You can get all 30 head on pot trailer with room to spare. It will probably cost $350. That's probably pretty close to your cost when you figure fuel for multiple trips.

Not in your area or I would be more help. I assume you don't have a ramp to load a pot. If someone local doesn't volunteer, try the following.

I second the idea of hiring someone. Are you talking 30 pairs, 30 cows, or 30 total head? The guys at Jordan Cattle (Mason and San Saba) are pretty good guys and may be able to give you a lead, or if you are hauling toward San Saba, may be able to assist. One blow out on a borrowed trailer makes hiring it done really cheap. I had a friend ask me on the phone today why it seems like every time you borrow something, it goes to hell.

Back in 2007 we had a 53' ground load (can haul 35 cows) and two 36' goosenecks roll in at the same time to haul off a lot when we had to downsize and didn't have a ramp to load a pot (and our 20' gooseneck would have taken a while, especially considering the 100 mile haul). It made me realize how cheap trucking really is, relatively speaking.

Dorman Cabness owns the groundload (based in San Saba) 325-347-4444. I also recommend the San Saba auction if you have to sell any.

But there is a lot of ground between Spur and San Saba, so I would probably call the auction barn where you sell and see if you could get one of their haulers to help you out. Perhaps someone in Abilene if you don't want to do that.

Good luck.

Todd,

If you really get in a bind we have a 24' in Sunray you are welcome to. I know that is a hell of a long way but an option if you need it. If a trip to Lynn County would be shorter I could hold them for a few weeks for you.

Let me know.

T

I'm gonna make some calls and see what a hauler might do it for. That would sure save some of the headache on my end.

If we decide to do it ourselves, you'll be hearing from me T.

Thanks guys and gals.

Talked to a couple of haulers and the lowest price I got was $3.25 a loaded mile. At the 290 miles I'm hauling them, that's ~$950, so that's out.

I'm hauling 13 pairs (each cow weighs around 1000 lbs) and 6 replacement heifers (each around 600 lbs).

I've got a 16' gooseneck, a 20' gooseneck, and a 14' bumper pull.

Any bets on how many trips we'll make?

I'm hoping for 6 mommas in the 16', 7 mommas and a heifer or two in the 20', and the 10 youngest calves in the 14' on Saturday and then the rest on Sunday in the 16'. I don't think I can do it in just three.

If the whole weekend goes off without a hitch, I'll be surprised!

Todd
I've got a bumper pull and a gooseneck in Rotan, both are pretty old, though, and the gooseneck has an old timey hitch & not very good tires, but you are welcome to stop & look. There's a couple more Ags here that might have something. Stop by the vet clinic here if you still need help, we'll call 'em up.

Roughly 600 miles. You'll probably average 12 mpg. So, you'll burn 50 gallons of fuel at $4. That's $200 per trip and you make four trips.

That's $800 or savings of just $150. Throw in some meals too. And your time is worth something. Blow out a tire and it's break even.

Cattle haulers are expensive, but it costs more than you think to haul your own livestock.

It's hard to argue with logic, so I won't bother. I see your point, but this time I just feel better doing it myself. Doing it the hard way comes naturally to me and, as my wife tells me, "if it was easy, you wouldn't be involved."

Besides, I don't get to enjoy my cattle often enough as it is, living 250 miles away from the farm. A weekend full of hard work and cow **** will do me good. I'm not dreading it...I'm actually anticipating it! If I don't feel the same way on Monday, so be it.

You may have plenty experience with this, but I will post anyway for anyone that may read it but not know some SOPs.

How big are the 13 calves? That will determine your load. Also, make sure to haul all the pairs in pairs and not split them overnight. Depending on size of calves, you may want to load the calves first so you know for sure which cows to take the first day. It might be that you leave the tamest pair(s) back for the next day.

Also hope your replacement heifers are tame, as loading on different days may make them hard to pen two days in a row if you can't keep them penned overnight. If they were last year's calves you held back, I would have expected them to be bigger than 600, which would make for tighter loads.

On that long of haul, I would be sure to use your divider gates and check your load every once in a while. When I was 18 I had a cow go down hauling about 180 miles. If you put too many on, it can be a real pain in the ass to get them back up, even with a hot shot. If I remember right I had a mix of 9 Jerseys and Holsteins on a 20x6 GN. A hot shot and a set of nose tongs (on a good chain or rope) are great tools to take with you.

If you have a big enough truck, I would sure keep trying to find someone local (friends of where ever you are taking the cattle) to let you use a bigger trailer.

And make sure the floors in the trailers are good, and lights are working. Hoofs and pavement don't mix (not my story, but heard a bad one).

You aren't saving money, but since this is cheaper than therapy, good luck. In the words of Dr. Hall from A&M, Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

Having a portable gas air compressor, extra spare tires, the right size wrenches, and good jacks may keep anything bad from happening, as it seems the problems always arise when you aren't ready for them.

ETA - and be sure to post how it went afterwards.

[This message has been edited by milkman00 (edited 5/13/2011 12:08p).]