Backing gate design options
The photos in this document show some different design options for backing gates.
Figure 1. A gate within a gate allowing the second herd to wait behind the gate and pass through once the first herd has been milked. Similar
designs are available for rectangular yards.
Figure 2. Gate design using a long chain to help keep the gate square as it travels up the sides of a rectangular yard.
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Figure 3. An electrified gate carried on the top rail of the circular yard. When using an electrified gate care is needed to avoid upsetting cows
these gates also need to be moved very slowly to give cows time to shift away. A fault is that cows can and will escape through the gate causing
some inconvenience.
Figure 4. Typical overhead gate on a rectangular yard, carrying a Dungbuster to wash the yard as the gate travels along. The hose to power the
Dungbuster is dragged by the gate just outside the fence.
Figure 5. A simple overhead gate lifting above the cows. The gate is commonly electrified. Cows can occasionally escape.
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Figure 6. The overhead gate passes over a truss so that cows can enter from the side of the yard. The truss must be well designed to support
the weight of the gate.
Figure 7. A solid gate developed to replace the much-more-common electrified chain gate on a rotary yard.
Figure 8. A simple counterweighted gate, in this example pulled forward with a wire rope.
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