Rumen Nation

13/05/2026

07/05/2026

New yards at Struan between Roma and St George, Western QLD

By this time next week, they'll be handling their first mobs of cows and calves.
Here's what went into the design:

6-way pound draft with crow's nest — gives the operator full visibility and control when cutting cattle into multiple mobs. No guessing, no stress.

5-way race draft — efficient separation straight off the race without pushing cattle back through the system.

Serpentine race — keeps cattle calm and moving forward. They can't see what's ahead, so they walk on rather than baulking.

The whole yard is built around a big, open bugle shape — simple by design. When cattle can flow naturally, you need fewer people, less noise, and less time to get the job done.

That's the goal every time.

17/03/2026

One of the perks of our job is getting up close and personal with the wildlife.

Out on the Western Downs in western QLD, this big legless local turned out a lot friendlier than expected. Always a good reminder you’re working in their country.

We’re thinking it might be a woma python, but happy to be corrected. Any experts care to weigh in?

21/02/2026

Kiandra Yards, Kilcummin QLD.
350 head breeder yards, nearly ready to go.
Circular layout with a 180° race and forcing tub for smooth, low-stress cattle flow.
Fully adjustable race. Hay rack and troughs built into the fence line. Roof over the crush and cradle. Small details that make a big difference every day.
Post and rail welded construction through the working area.
Rail and cable construction in the outer yards for strength and visibility.
Rumen Nation. Proven layouts. Heavy-duty materials. Built properly so it lasts.

05/02/2026

Drafting cattle shouldn’t feel like wrestling steel and dodging hooves.

This Darling Downs cattle yard is built around flow, safety and speed — so you can get the work done and get on with your day.

Bugle + curved forcing tub + 180 degree curved race: cattle keep walking, less baulking, less pressure on staff.

Working Race Overhanging Rail: full access to cattle anywhere in the race without losing strength or top rail height. No more “can’t quite reach that spot” moments.

Split slide gate upgrade: leverage-assisted with auto lock, around 3× faster to operate. Far-side closing blocks the next beast’s head and can be run from either side with dual handles.

On-site poured ramp floors: high-grip, long-lasting concrete for fast, confident loading in all weather.

Yard posts tied into the shed: shorter rafter and purlin spans mean we can offer very competitive shade and shelter over the working area.

5 way draft module with easy to operate levers at the crush - easy drafting of 160 cows & calves or 250 young cattle.

Less mucking around in the race. More safe, efficient throughput. Better use of every labour dollar and every square metre of steel and concrete.

04/12/2025

A Western Downs family grazing business has commissioned the design & construction of these yards to tie straight into the existing coolers and holding paddocks.

The yards incorporate:

- Teardrop force
- Twin bugle
- Big curved race
- 5-way lane draft after the crush

Comfortably handling 600+ cows and calves or up to 900 steers, without everyone going home sore and cranky.

02/12/2025

Watching the blank canvas turn into a set of yards out at Eulo, west of Cunnamulla.
First posts going in, lines marked out, steel starting to rise — this is the fun part.

25/11/2025

Designed for a family place on the western end of the Darling Downs, this yard will comfortably work 150 cows and calves or mobs of 250–300 weaners.

Interconnected pens mean you’re not double-handling cattle all day, with a bugle layout and 180° curved race keeping them flowing onto the crush and 5-way draft. Cooler pens up front let you break big mobs down into 150-head lots or less, and you can add sheeting, walkways and other extras where they make sense.

Simple to run. Easy on cattle. Built to earn its keep out west.

22/11/2025

This 3D concept is the 150–200 cow-and-calf version of our 300-head system — same flow, just trimmed to suit a tighter operation.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀:

𝟱-𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁
Main workhorse for sorting trade cattle, PTICs, culls and calves without stopping the flow.

𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘂𝗯 + 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲
Keeps cattle stepping forward, keeps eyes off the operator, keeps everyone calmer.

𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲
No gymnastics needed for preg testing, vaccines or tags.

𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁
All pens link cleanly so you can shift mobs without backtracking or tearing gates off in frustration.

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁
Handy for holding, weighing, or if you get stuck overnight.

𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆
Remote hydraulics or pneumatics optional, and the design is ready for auto crush + auto draft when you’re keen to upgrade.

We’ve still allowed for a drafting pound and calf race — not for everyday work, but there as insurance if the place leans harder into breeding down the track.

20/11/2025

We are heading out past Cunnamulla next week to start smashing some posts in for this yard on some classic Paroo River grazing country.

Most in the industry would call this a 2,200 head cow–calf holding yard. We don’t like mixing holding and drafting capacity, so we rate our yards on what they can comfortably draft without double-handling. This one will easily work 800 cows and calves.

Key details:

-- 5-way pound draft and 5-way crush draft working together

-- Curved snake race fed by a teardrop force

-- Calf race and cradle tucked under the same roof as the crush

-- Operator’s hub in the middle – a genuine cattle-free zone