There’s More to “Farm to Table” than you’d think

There are very few inventions or advancements that have changed the cattle industry.  For centuries, cowboys have herded cattle on horseback, branded with a fired hot iron, doctored sick cattle by heading and heeling, and driven cattle on foot for miles to turn out on the summer range just like they did when the west was settled.  But there is no denying that the industry can’t boast of its boom without giving credit to the revolution of transportation.

The first and greatest revolution began with the railroad.  The ability to transport cattle beyond where they could get by hoof created possibilities cattle ranchers had only dreamed of as the railways began crossing the country in the late 1800s.  Beef markets began to open up in new ways, making the industry far more profitable.

As technology continued to change transportation with far more fast moving vehicles in the 1900s, new problems arose that spelled the end of the rail-car cattle transport era.  In short, it was becoming harder and more dangerous for large herds to trail to stockyards with the growing traffic of speeding vehicles. Instead of hauling live cattle, the refrigerated rail-car made it possible to transport beef to markets across the country without the long cattle drives.  

With the changing times, growing cities, and new highway systems, there became an even greater need for the means to haul livestock.  Whether it was transporting cattle to new owners, summer pasture, or to be processed, hoofing it was hardly an option anymore.  This necessitated a creative solution and before long, the first livestock wagons were created.  

Most wagons were homemade but eventually the stock trailers made on the assembly line were far superior to what could be with scrap wood and metal on the farm.  The old cowboys working through the transition recalled how the sturdy, yet lightweight trailers were a dream to pull around, whether it was across the range or on the highway.

Continued development brought with it livestock trailers on a large scale.  Known as “bull wagons” or “cattle haulers,” these semi-truck driven trailers once again expanded just how far cattlemen could take their business.  With the possibility of moving hundreds of cattle thousands of miles with ease, ranchers could ship to feedlots or stockyards across the country or run large herds on far off ranges.

It isn’t an uncommon sight to see bull wagons full of cattle running up and down the freeway, bouncing across a dirt road or navigating through a busy city.  Fall often brings a surge in cattle hauler traffic as they are bringing home cattle from summer range or shipping out calves headed to feedlots in the midwest.

Hauling cattle long distances by these means is not just a quicker, more efficient means to get the work done, but it can be a far less stressful endeavor for the cows and the cowboys.  I say “less” stressful intentionally because there is no denying that there is some stress on cattle hauling them.  But it is far less than hoofing it so many miles or the myriad of other risks that arise with long cattle drives.

Bull wagons might appear to be massive trailers used to shove as many animals in as possible, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  They have been carefully designed with the health and safety of the livestock and the ranchers loading them.  

Overcrowded trailers run the risk of injuring cows and cowboys alike, an outcome nobody wants.  When loading cattle, careful planning is used concerning the condition of the cattle, their size, the distance they are traveling and even the weather to ensure a safe haul.  The cattle numbers are also decided on the weight they can haul as the trucks are regulated based on the size of their trailer and number of axles.

The inside of a cattle hauler is designed with non-slip flooring, several partitions, secure latches, heavy duty gates and a series of ramps to easily move cattle through it.  It is divided into four major sections- the nose, the deck, the belly, the doghouse, and the back.  

The nose is the very front of the trailer where it is hooked to the semi.  The deck is the top half of the middle section with the belly on the bottom half.  The dog house, named because it is a smaller space, is on the top of the back end.  As it has less vertical space, it is reserved for smaller cows usually under 700 pounds.

Once the cattle are loaded, the priority of cattle haulers is to them where they are going.  Their goal is to make it to the final destination with as few stops as possible and to have the cattle off-loaded in a timely way.  All in the attempt to cause as little stress on the cattle as possible.

The growth, progress and technology of our present day continues to expand the possibilities of the cattle industry.  Many clever, creative, and capable hands and minds have forged the means to take beef from the backroads of the range to the streets of the inner city grocery store for families across the country to enjoy.  The next time you pass a bull wagon coming down the road, give a little shout out to crucial part they play in helping put food on your table.