Commercial livestock trailers do the required job for most cattle in most situations but the “doghouse” compartment at the rear of standard trailers can be a problem for large breed cattle because their backs can rub on the structure above them.
An innovation developed by Gateway Carriers and Wilson Trailers addressed the problem. They developed trailers with liftable doghouses to provide more clearance.
Gateway now has 10 trailers incorporating the innovation and hopes to add more.
“The Holsteins are the ones we have the most problem with. We had a couple incidents where we had some animals having contact with their backs in the doghouse,” said Gateway logistics manager Trevor Currie.
The innovation recently earned Gateway the award of distinction for innovation from the Alberta Farm Animal Care Council.
