Welcome to Modern Agriculture!
Twenty years ago, Varel Bailey needed to move new calves from his calving paddock to the nursery paddock. With a 6-inch-high deck, he could get a calf in easily and quickly latch the door. After building a trailer to accomplish this goal, he then made a second, sliding gate for moving new litters of pigs from the farrowing house to the nursery.
Then, using the same stake holes for the gates, he outfitted the trailer for fencing jobs with a bracket holding spools of barbed wire.
The trailer’s low deck height is made possible by a drop axle cut from the frame of a sprayer. “It’s low enough that we can flip a salt block right on board or load a lawn mower using short ramps,” he says.
The square box and tongue are made from 2-inch well pipe, and 1-inch well pipe forms the vertical pieces and outside railing. Hog mesh creates the side panels.
Because mama cows can see through the mesh panels, they happily follow their calves.
Stake Holes: A bracket holding barbed wire fits into the same stake holes used for the gates.
Interchanging Gate Panels: A sliding gate is used for moving hogs. For calves, there is a swinging gate.
Family Farm: Along with son Scot, Bailey grows corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and mixed grasses for grazing their cattle and sheep in Anita, Iowa. He and wife Jackie also have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Leader: Bailey is a past president of the National Corn Growers Association. He’s also held office in over 25 other local, regional, and national organizations.
Hobby: Using a memoir kit he received as a gift, Bailey is writing stories. “You’re directed to write for 15 minutes, but I can’t seem to go for less than 50,” he says.
Current Project: He is building a tile boot for a chain trencher.
Email: [email protected]