Cattleac Cattle Equipment

Outside the Arena with... Cattleac Cattle Equipment

By Georgia Akers

When I think of a cattle ranch, whether it be beef cattle or bucking bulls, you think of the animals, you think of the pastures and fences but do you ever think of the other types of equipment that it takes to run a successful operation?

I figure the first equipment is the tractor with all the accessories. Probably the most important equipment if you have cattle and especially bucking bulls is a squeeze chute. Horses will normally stand still while the farrier works on their feet or if they need a shot. Can you imagine a 1700-pound bucking bull being docile? No way! Thus, the chute is really a very important part of the ranch.

We have one and I have seen it in action to doctor a bull with a serious cut on his leg, trim a bad hoof, brand them, doctor them, trim their horns and even to help calve for a young heifer that had no clue. The animals were safe as was the operator. Chutes are awesome. It amazes me all the things they can do and to me are essential to a ranch.

Brothers Jackie and Mitchell Haynes and Jackie’s son, Brody, own Cattleac Cattle Equipment. They sell all kinds of cattle equipment but especially chutes.

I became familiar with their product when we needed one for our bulls. When we got it installed, I was amazed at all the things the chute could do compared to the one that was on our ranch in the 50’s which was wooden and had a manual lever to squeeze the cow’s head to keep it from moving about. That was about all it could do.

Their chutes are truly the Cadillac of chutes. (Sorry about the pun) They are a work of mechanical genius.

I was able to interview all three of these men at the same time, so the interview represents all of them.

The Haynes Family

Tell us about yourselves.

Our dad was a Ranch Manager in West Texas, and he moved us to Henryetta to manage a ranch there when we were kids. We spent most of our childhood in Weatherford, Oklahoma, where we got into Rodeo. We’re now 4 generations in ranching and rodeo. (Jackie) I am married to Ladonna and have two children, Brody, who is part of the business, and Hattie. (Mitchell) I am married to Dedee and have two children, Melissa and Hattie. I have a degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State in Industrial Technology which comes in handy in our business. (Brody) I am married to Taylor. We have no children.

How did you get into the cattle equipment business?

(Mitchell and Jackie) We both worked for another company, but we’d always wanted to be self-employed. We grew up in ranching and rodeo and being involved, the interest has always been there. So, with our knowledge and experience, we decided as a family to come together and start our own company. Cattleac has been trademarked for 28 years.

You know, we’ve been around since 1993. Since day one, we’ve specialized in custom building our products to meet our customers’ individual needs. We started this as a family business, and after all this time, that’s what we still are. I mean, our product line may grow and evolve, but we build a quality, American Made product. We are so blessed to be living in the USA, and so proud to be a part of the industry that the West was won on. We’re so appreciative of the beef industry, and the whole livestock community. We are honored to be a part of keeping the Western heritage alive through our rodeo line, and we look forward to what the future will bring.

What is the purpose of a chute and how many kinds of chutes are there?

Doctoring and processing, really. Providing a mechanism for doctoring and overall wellness of the animal. We have 3 models of chutes, for stocker, cow/calf, and bulls, even rodeo livestock. Each model is for a different purpose. We have the option of tip chutes, which makes it easier to work on their feet, portable unit with electric winch or lift kit for mobilizing to different facilities. We customize to fit ranchers, sale barns, feed lots, rodeo livestock, bucking bull contractors, sales barns, vets, everything.

Cattleac Bull Chute

We meet the needs of the customer and although the chute may be similar, the needs of buyer may be different as to the options they need or do not need. It depends on the operation.

The hydraulic chute limits the physical work of the operator and creates less stress on the animal because it is faster. We also set to a PSI that has a release valve that is pre-set to protect the animal.

How long can a chute last?

Depends on how much it is used. Are you running a few hundred head or thousands? It also depends on how well taken care of and keeping up with the maintenance just as you do with any other machine.

How have they evolved throughout the years?

Well, even back in England, before the US, they would use natural points - rocks or trees - and push the cattle up against it. Early chutes were simple and homemade, consisting of using a corner of the corral. Chutes replaced the cowboys having to cut, rope and heel cattle. The idea just evolved from there. Today the chutes are quiet, reduce animal stress and provide protection for the operator.

Cody Hebert uses a Cattleac chute to brand one of the bulls from Hebert Bucking Bulls.

You have been in business for almost 30 years. What changes have you seen and how do you stay viable?

Innovation doesn’t skip over the livestock community. We’ve seen chutes get heavier, more options, more versatile, for different sized cattle. One thing we get complimented on a lot is keeping our chutes simplified, and still having the craftsmanship and quality. We have customers in Canada, Florida and all over the United States from east coast, west coast, gulf coast and the middle. We personally deliver 75% of our chutes but we also have trucking companies that will deliver and we have some customers that come to our office and pick up their chute.

We stand behind our product and that is why we get repeat customers. We also stock parts for our product.

We have been the official chute for ABBI since 2004. We make a premium product.

(Author’s note: our chute is approximately ten years old and still doing its job!)

What is your most popular chute and why?

It depends on your operation, but I would say our CIII Cattleac Special, because it’s for cow/calf and bulls. (go to their website to see this chute)

You custom make cattle equipment. What was your most unusual request?

There are so many. There’s been all kinds of challenges over the years. Life’s a box of chocolates.

Is the animal harmed in a chute?

No. A chute is designed to minimize movement for the safety of the animal, and the operator, for examining and treating. It creates less stress on the animal. Cattle have autistic characteristics, so restraint is safer. It calms the animal, which requires less doctoring. Hydraulics increase safety, so the chutes we sell are hydraulic.

Old squeeze chute from the 1950 era.

What are some of the most common uses of a chute?

Chutes are usually purchased for doctoring, vaccinating, and processing, but they even extend to artificial insemination, pregnancy checking, semen testing, things like that.

Are there any accessories or changes coming in the future for chutes?

(I asked the questions to Jackie, Mitchell, and Brody together. This is how they responded, talking to each other)

Jackie – well, they’ve improved so much today. Mitchell – It’s an ever-changing world, but we’ll keep up. It’s why we’ve done what we’ve done with these chutes. Brody – Innovation will proceed.

Cattleac Tip Chute

I know some chutes are portable and on wheels. What is the purpose of a portable chute?

So many ranches are scattered out today. It’s easier to haul the chute to the cattle, than the cattle to the chute. Which is why they’re so handy for the vet out in the field.

How is a permanent chute installed? Do they have to be inside? What electricity is required?

No, they do not have to be inside. For power, we have our electric power unit, but we also offer a gas power unit. They can even be run off a tractor.

Cattleac CIII chute