Description

A waiting bay is placed between a lane leading into a restrainer. It is designed to hold a single animal in position ready to enter the restrainer. The waiting bay restricts the animal's instinctive impulse to turn around or to crowd into the restrainer when it is already occupied. This is an essential piece of equipment when using a restrainer with an auto weigh system installed and ensures accurate weight measurements and efficient processing. Thompson Longhorn waiting bays offer various options to handle discrepancies in sizes and ages of cattle, including fixed width, adjustable, and vee designs.

Inner panel configuration

There are different configurations of races to accommodate your particular requirements. We offer three different sheeting options for the inner panel on the operator's side.
A fully sheeted race accommodates tasks involving back applications. The full sheeting prevents the cattle from seeing operators working on the animal in the restrainer in front or in the lane behind or on either side, reducing its stress.
A half sheeted race allows the operator to strategically attend to the animal before it enters the restrainer. It can be used for back lining and offers access to the animal's eyes and ears while reducing the risk of livestock injury from kicking between the lower rails.
A non sheeted race supports applications where a visual inspection of the lower portion of livestock is required. It offers access to the animal's udder, hooves etc.

Outer panel configuration

The outer panel of the race is normally fully sheeted, which aids in good livestock flow by overcoming visual distractions that will baulk and frighten the animals. Outer panels, where possible, are break out gates which aid in their quick removal if livestock goes down or for cleaning inside the race. Each break-out gate is fitted with dual slam latches making it secure so that it doesn’t rattle but is quick and easy to open and close.

Styles

Thompson Longhorn manufactures three different styles of waiting bay. These are Fixed Width, Vee and Adjustable Width. The cost of the extra adjustments need to be balanced against the risk and inconvenience of animals turning around or injuring themselves in the race.
The Fixed Width race offers the most affordable option available in all sheeting configurations. It can be fitted with an insert to accommodate the size of your cattle.
A Vee race is designed to handle different sized animals by providing restricted leg room but opening into a wider upper area to accommodate all body sizes. The Vee is available in full and half sheeted configurations. It is important for a curved Vee to have consistent angle of the inner and outer panels as this gives a constant width all the way round, whereas a truncated race varies in width.
An Adjustable width race is always designed with fully sheeted inner panels and catwalk. The width of the race is pneumatically adjustable and can be done from a remote location. When adjusted to its narrow width it will suit weaners and fully expanded will suit adult cattle of all breeds.

Summary:

• Main purpose is for single profiling cattle

• Used for indexing, batch treatments or visual inspections

• Inner panels can be full, half or non-sheeted

• Outer panels are fully sheeted and can be opened for cleaning or livestock removal

• Three styles, Fixed Width, Vee and Adjustable Width (if attaching to a lane, the lane will be designed to suit the race)

Features:

• Heavy duty frame construction

• Hot dipped galvanized feet, good for highly corrosive environments

• Adjustable feet can take variations in slab height. Units need to be plumb for optimal operation of all gates

• Feet bolted to concrete allowing for removal and locating during installation (after concrete slab is poured)