Truck-Mounted Hoof Trimming Chute

Truck-Mounted Hoof Trimming Chute DAIRY EQUIPMENT & IDEAS Mark Larson says the key to hoof trimming is a relaxed cow and the key to that is a Riley Built trimming chute Larson has been using Riley Built chutes since he quit dairying and started trimming cows more than 15 years ago He likes them so much that he now has a part interest in the company “Bill Riley trained me and I liked the chute he was using ” recalls Larson “I hadn’t shopped around but since then I’ve seen other lay-over chutes and they don’t compare ” For Larson everything is about cow comfort He notes that other lay-over chutes pivot while the Riley Built chute picks the cow up and lays her over in one smooth fast motion “One minute the cow is standing up and the next she is laying on her side with her legs stretched out straight ” says Larson “They fall naturally into a trimming position I’ve had people ask me how much tranquilizer I use to get cows to relax When you finish the chute sets her back down on all four feet ” For years Riley perfected his chute for his own use building a new and slightly improved model every two years Among the improvements is a cushion for the cow’s right shoulder It helps to cradle the cow “What you think of in the shop often doesn’t work in the field but seeing it work in the field lets you see how to modify it to make it better ” says Riley “It took me 21 years to get it right trying to make it easier on the animal and myself ” After years of having other trimmers like Larson asking him for his old chutes Riley started manufacturing them When he took his design to a patent attorney he ended up with 17 separate patents for the innovations in the chute Riley Built now makes multiple models One is for permanent installation Two are trailer-mounted units and one is a truck-mounted unit All models include independent hydraulic power supply systems While other lay-over chutes can be mounted on trucks Riley’s are unique He sells the chute on a 1-ton single axle rear wheel drive Ford F-350 pickup that he special orders from dealers and resells at his cost with his chute installed Larson says the particular design is important due to the severe stress the chute can place on the frame “It has the chassis strength of an F-450 dually with 9 leaf springs instead of 5 ” explains Riley “Because of the way I buy them I can sell them cheaper than an individual can buy them It’s a good deal for me because I sell a chute a good deal for my customer because he gets a truck at cost and a good deal for the Ford dealer because he moves a truck A good deal should be good for everyone ” Riley emphasizes that he doesn’t make the chutes himself “I’m not a welder ” he says “Hiring good people who know what they’re doing is the trick ” Larson’s first chute was truck-mounted and he has stayed with the design It includes protective fence that hangs on the truck to protect it from cows It serves as one side of an alley from existing facilities to move cattle to and through the chute “The design is easy to clean and the only lubrication needed is at a couple of pivot points ” says Larson The truck-mounted trimming chute price varies slightly by region of the country due to Ford Company pricing policies However Riley notes that most are around $60 000 The company still offers the training in hoof trimming that got Larson started With the purchase of equipment the price of being trained drops $1 000 from the full $2 500 price Riley himself has trained more than 400 people Today he has several other trainers including Larson who teach the course “We offer one-on-one training in the field not a classroom school ” emphasizes Larson “When I started Bill’s was the only one I found that was hands-on I wanted someone who was doing the work ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Riley Built Inc 7802 Genoa Ave Lubbock Texas 79424 ph 806 798-9684; www rileybuilt com

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