How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?
tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-14 8:27 PM (#103377)
Subject: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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I realise this is sort of a silly question, but I have a load of cows to pick up and haul friday. I have a brand new 7' x 24' Sooner Ranch stock trailer and I'm wondering if 8 cows will fit.

 

How many do others haul in their 24' trailers?

 

 

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301duster
Reg. Jan 2009
Posted 2009-04-14 8:49 PM (#103378 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Location: Ingalls, Ks
Should fit!!
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FateAsNate
Reg. Jan 2005
Posted 2009-04-14 8:49 PM (#103379 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Location: Broomfield, CO
I used to haul cows for my FIL... he always got alot more than 8 in that size trailer... He would pack it full!!!
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flyinghfarm
Reg. Mar 2004
Posted 2009-04-14 9:19 PM (#103380 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


Expert


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Location: Arkansas
Even big cows will fit. Do you have one or 2 cut gates in the trailer. I'd keep em in the front 1 or 2 compartments, don't let em have full run of the trailer, you will have a real shifty load and some down cows.
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PaulChristenson
Reg. Jan 2007
Posted 2009-04-15 2:57 AM (#103385 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


Expert


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Location: Vermont
Depends on how big the cows are...
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tom-tom
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 6:49 AM (#103392 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Location: Barnesville, Ga.
We have a 16 ft stock and I have hauled 5-6 in it no problem.  Larger beef cattle.  We did use a cut gate and divided the load 1/2 in front and 1/2 in back so they couldn't move as much and shift the load.  You should have no problem with 8 in a 24 ft trailer.
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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 7:37 AM (#103393 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Yeah they are Big cows, they are donor cows coming back from an Embryo transplant facillity so none of them are small.

And I'm going a little over 500 miles, so I don't want them to be tight. They will be on the trailer for about 8 hours.

 

I'll see how they look once I get them loaded. Should work I think.

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retento
Reg. Aug 2004
Posted 2009-04-15 7:56 AM (#103395 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Location: Rocky Mount N.C.

 

 If they are grown, you'll have a load, size as well as weight....

 



Edited by retento 2009-04-15 10:25 AM
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cowhauler
Reg. Apr 2009
Posted 2009-04-15 8:15 AM (#103397 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Posts: 1

Location: arkansas

gate em 4 on front 4 on the back  and if you can drive 500 miles in a little truck and  gooseneck with 12500 lbs on it you should consider bullhauling

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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 12:23 PM (#103407 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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My trailer actually has two centre gates so I'm thinking of putting 5 in the front, leave the front gate open and put 3 on the rear partition.
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301duster
Reg. Jan 2009
Posted 2009-04-15 12:39 PM (#103408 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Posts: 188
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Location: Ingalls, Ks
In my opinion, you will want to "pack em tight" if you can. You get a cow wondering around in a trailer and it can become a real driving challenge. That's a lot of weight moving around at 65 MPH!!!!! They are not like hauling horses.
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Tresvolte
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 12:54 PM (#103409 - in reply to #103408)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?




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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
I agree with the 4 in front and 4 in rear. Close both gates. Less movement that way. Cattle will keep their feet. Just safer all the way around for you and the cattle.
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AQHA 123
Reg. Oct 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 1:33 PM (#103413 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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While we're on this topic, let me ask one too. How many 600 pound steers can I get in a 16 foot stock? It has a center gate.
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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 1:47 PM (#103416 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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I can't put 4 in front and 4 in the rear with 2 centre gates, there is 3 compartments. So I'll eithe load them 3, 3 and 2 or 5 and three and leave one gate open.

 

I don't want them to be too tight, these are valuable donor cows.

I won't hul all 8 if they look too tight.

 

  I have hauled hundred of cattle thousands of miles in Stock trailers and Liners so it's not new to me. I'm just unsure how many of these big girls will fit in my new trailer since this will be it's first load and I previously had a 6X 20' gooseneck.

 

 

 

 

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Tresvolte
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 2:03 PM (#103420 - in reply to #103416)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?




50010010010025
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...

Leave the middle compartment empty or do it 3, 2, 3, but I personally wouldn't haul 5 head in a compartment that is 8 X 16. How I haul my valuable donor cows is 5 per compartment that is 7 x 10.

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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 3:12 PM (#103428 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Posts: 31
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So you are saying you haul 10 mature cows on a 20'?

 

Wow, that sounds tight to me but mabe they aen't as big.

 

Some of these cows are VERY big!

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AQHA 123
Reg. Oct 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 3:23 PM (#103430 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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16 foot trailer, how many six hundred pound steers?
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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 4:00 PM (#103434 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Posts: 31
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Depends a lot on how wide your trailer is.

 

A 600# steer in a 16 x 7 I would guess, 10 or so.

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Tresvolte
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 4:02 PM (#103435 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?




50010010010025
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...

Correct myself here. 7 x 11. 10 loaded. Unloaded 12,860 pounds ten days ago. St

Don't get me wrong...they are loaded in, but they don't have to wander all over to maintain balance. I still stand by 4 front, empty, 4 rear. If you aren't comfortable with that do 3, 2, 3. Load heavy in the front and heavy in that back to offset the weight added to the hitch.

AQHA - 14 probably. maybe 15 or 16. Be tight though.

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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 4:21 PM (#103438 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Ok, I can understnad if they are only 1280# cows on average, and on a 22' trailer. Tha sounds like it would work.

 

These girls are big though!

I dn't think their is anyway I'd get 4 cows to fit in each compartment to comfortably ride 500+ miles.

I'll load em friday and if they look tight I'll leave one or two behind.

 

I'll post back what I find!

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Tresvolte
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 4:29 PM (#103440 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?




50010010010025
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...

Found some other info in a book I have. This was from a study for handling beef cattle. The numbers below are the recommended amount of space for the least bruising and falls.

Polled Cattle (non horned) recommended loading space

600 lbs = 8.5 sq ft, 800 lbs = 10.5 sq ft, 1000 lbs = 12 sq ft, 1200 = 14.5 sq ft, 1400 = 18 sq ft.

Using this method, I am overloaded by 1/2 cow in each compartment. A 16 x 7 with one cut gate should haul 7 600 pound cattle per compartment. An 8 x 24 should haul 3.5 to 4.5 1200 to 1400 pound cows per compartment.



Edited by Tresvolte 2009-04-15 4:31 PM
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AQHA 123
Reg. Oct 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 4:45 PM (#103441 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Thanks for the information guys. I will push 12 in there and see how they look.
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tom-tom
Reg. Feb 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 4:57 PM (#103443 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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Location: Barnesville, Ga.
Just curious; what breed cattle are you hauling?  We raise registered Limousins and some of my girls are really large.  The donor or flush cows we see at sales are usually pretty expensive.  Good luck with your load and drive safe.  Sounds like you will be carrying many $$$ worth of cargo.
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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-15 4:58 PM (#103444 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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These are Shorthorn cows.

 

Yes some of them are quite valuable.

One girl in particular has produced around $200,000 in progeny and embryos.

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tool
Reg. Apr 2008
Posted 2009-04-20 3:56 PM (#103685 - in reply to #103377)
Subject: RE: How many cows fit in a 24' stock trailer?


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So I made it out there and back just fine.

 

  However, those cows were a little heavyier than anybody guessed!

  Loaded them friday morning and noticed my truck was squatting a little bit extra but they had enough room or whatever so away we went.

 

Also noticed I was burning more fuel than normal.

So I rolled accross a DOT scale and was SHOCKED when I grossed 30,118#

Meaning those girls AVERAGED, well over a ton!

 

And one of them was a crossbred recipient!

(much smaller than a big stout, well fed former show cow and now donor)

 

 

Anyway, got out there, no problems, had a good trip. Just hauled 3 bulls back so that was easy.

Rolled in last night at about 10 pm.

1498 miles round trip.

 

  Good times.

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