Cattle Guards are a common sight on farms and ranches. They serve as a barrier to keep cows, horses, and other livestock from entering an area where they would cause damage or interfere with traffic patterns. Cattle Guards work by funneling the animals through a set of parallel bars that allow them to pass but not turn around. The cattle guards can be installed at the entrance of fields or along fence lines for added protection against trespassers and predators.
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What is a Cattle Guard?
A cattle guard is a grate that prevents animals from crossing over it. They are often placed at the bottom of fence lines to prevent livestock, such as cows or horses, from escaping through holes in the fence line. Cattle guards can also be used on roads or railways to keep animals off of them so they do not get hit by cars or trains.
Cattle Guards come in many different shapes and sizes depending on their purpose, what type of animal needs to cross over it, how much traffic will travel over it daily etc… They can be made out of metal or concrete with either smooth bars so animals have an easier time crossing over them without being scared off because there are no sharp edges to injure them.
With What Cattle Fences are Made
Cattle guards are a type of fence used to redirect cattle from crossing over them, rather than containing the animals. The most common material for this is concrete or metal bars that create an opening in between each one wide enough for a cow’s leg to fit through but not their body.
The Benefits of a Cattle Guard for Farms
A cattle guard is a structure designed to allow vehicles and people to cross over it while preventing the movement of livestock. Cattle guards are often built with bars spaced close enough together that wheeled vehicles can pass through, but too far apart for animals to walk across without tripping or falling between them. Similarly, they may be constructed in such a way as to leave some space beneath so pipes or wires do not get damaged by passing trucks or tractors. A good example would be metal grates – these work well because farm equipment can easily roll right on top of them, but cows won’t try walking across anything that looks like an open pit. It’s also worth noting that many types of barriers will stop larger wildlife from getting into the area, but will not prevent smaller animals such as raccoons and skunks from getting through.
A major benefit is that they can be used as a type of drainage system for areas where water needs to flow through an area without coming up against the fence line.
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Are Cattle Guards Safe?
They certainly aren’t the most dangerous thing on a farm, but they’re not completely safe. A cow could easily get stuck on one of these barriers if it’s walking through an area that has too high or wide of a grate. If you have livestock, then there is always some risk involved with cattle guards.
The final consideration to make about cattle guards is their aesthetics – many people won’t want large metal grates running across their land for various reasons. Some farmers will simply prefer dirt roads over making holes and pouring concrete every few yards, which means placing smaller structures at regular intervals along your fence line instead of building out larger grids where needed. It might seem like putting small sections throughout would defeat the purpose of having them in the first place, but it is a matter of keeping your cows in and other wildlife out.
