Do-It-Yourself Cattle Guards

Do-It-Yourself Cattle Guards FENCING Miscellaneous Reusable plastic forms make it easy and low-cost to build your own concrete cattle guards A form produces 21-in wide by 6-ft long sections that are laid side by side to make the desired livestock barrier They can be laid on level ground require no special foundation and can handle a 32 000-lb per axle load There are other do-it-yourself concrete forms on the market but farmers and ranchers told Richard Roccanti Cattle Guard Forms that they wanted reusable forms The Cow Stop was the company’s answer It makes rounded beams with 4 1/2-in gaps between them The gaps narrow to 2-in widths at the base preventing the hoof from getting trapped yet discouraging the animal from trying to cross Once the concrete cures the form pretreated with a release agent is removed and reused Roccanti says the heavy-duty plastic forms are made to last Simply lift the hardened concrete section into the air and tap the form loose with a rubber mallet “I know people who report pouring 100 fills or more in a single form ” says Roccanti “Of course if they are replacing many gates or making the cattle guard panels to sell they usually buy multiple forms Our average customer buys one and makes 2 sections a week ” Roccanti took over marketing the forms from inventor James Hoenstine He developed an online presence The forms are also available at Tractor Supply and other agricultural suppliers The reusable Cow Stop sells for $799 Roccanti says Farm Show prices run $100 less Shipping varies but Cattle Guard Forms offers a flat rate of $99 “We give a better price if you buy 2 or more ” says Roccanti “The great thing is that once you are done making cattle guards for your own use you can sell the forms to a neighbor or others We’re told they often sell for half of the new price ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Cattle Guard Forms 3715 Vineland Rd Orlando Fla 32811 ph 850 692-2815; support@cattleguardforms com; www cattleguardforms com

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