How Many Cattle Yard Panels Do You Need?

Order too few panels and your build stalls halfway through. Order too many and you've paid for steel that sits idle.

Getting the number right just takes a bit of planning. It's not complicated. You just need to work through it step by step.

This guide walks you through it, part by part.

Why the Right Count Matters

A yard built with the wrong panel count causes problems. A pen was left half-fenced. Cattle are held in a makeshift space while you wait on more steel.

That costs time. It also costs money once freight and delays are added up.

Working out the right count before you order fixes all of that. The build runs straight through, start to finish.

Start With Your Yard Layout

Don't count panels first. Plan your layout first.

A cattle yard panel is made up of a few parts. A holding pen. A forcing yard. A race. A crush.

Each part has its own size and its own job. Sketch it out before you order any steel.

Even a rough sketch on paper helps. It shows you where every panel needs to go.

Work Out Each Part

Holding Pens

This is the biggest part of most yards. It's also where people order too few panels.

Cattle need room to move and settle here. Allow around one and a half square metres per animal.

A pen for 50 head needs more space than most people expect once it's actually measured out.

Forcing Yards

This part is smaller and tighter. Cattle yard designs are packed in closer, ready to move into the race.

Allow around one square metre per animal here. The panels in this section take more pressure, so they need to be solid.

Races

A race is long and narrow. Only one animal moves through at a time.

Panel count here comes down to length, not animal numbers. Fencing runs on both sides, so it adds up quicker than people expect.

Crush and Loading Ramp

These are usually bought as their own unit, not built from standard panels. Price them separately from your panel order.

A Simple Way to Count Panels

Once you know the size of each part, counting panels is easy.

Measure the distance around each part. Divide that by the length of one panel. Round up.

Most panels are 3 metres long. A run of 24 metres needs 8 panels.

Always measure the actual yard. A guess is never as accurate as a tape measure.

A Worked Example: 80 Head

Say you're building a yard for 80 head.

• Holding pen: 44 metres around ÷ 3 metre panels = 15 panels, plus a gate

• Forcing yard: 36 metres around ÷ 3 metre panels = 12 panels, plus a gate

• Race: 14 metres long, both sides = 10 panels

• Crush: bought as a standalone unit

  
  

That's 37 panels and 2 gates. And that's before corners and spares are added in.

A Smaller Example: 30 Head

A smaller yard follows the same steps, just at a smaller scale.

• Holding pen: 27 metres around ÷ 3 metre panels = 9 panels, plus a gate

• Forcing yard: 22 metres around ÷ 3 metre panels = 8 panels, plus a gate

• Race: 10 metres long, both sides = 8 panels

  
  

That's 25 panels and 2 gates for a smaller operation. The method doesn't change. Only the numbers do.

Don't Forget Gates and Corners

Every pen needs at least one gate. Each gate takes the place of a panel in your total.

Corners need stronger panels or posts. That's where cattle push the hardest.

Leave these out of your count, and you'll be placing a second order before the build is even finished.

Order a Few Extra

Always add a few spare panels to your order. Panels get bent. Yards get changed as herd numbers grow.

Ordering exactly to the metre almost always means a second order later. And a second freight bill.

A handful of spares now costs less than freight on a small top-up order in six months.

Permanent Yards vs Portable Yards

A permanent yard is counted the same way, once and for good. Measure it, order it, build it.

A portable yard needs a bit more thinking. You might use it in different spots or reconfigure it for different mobs.

For a portable setup, count on the biggest job you're likely to do. It's easier to use fewer panels on a smaller job than to be short on a bigger one.

Talk to RPM Livestock Equipment

Every yard is different. Herd size and layout both change your panel count.

RPM Livestock Equipment builds 100% Australian-made cattle yard panels. We work with beef producers and cattle producers across Australia on cattle stations of every size.

Whether you're building your first yard or upgrading an old one, we can help you get the count right the first time.

Get in touch with RPM today, and we'll help you work out exactly what your yard needs.