How to Upgrade Your Current Cattle Crush with Optional Features?

If you’re working cattle often, you already know when your crush is helping you… and when it’s slowing you down. Sometimes the frame is still solid, and you think, “I don’t really want to replace the whole thing, but something needs to be easier here.”We get that. Many cattle operators feel the same way. A few well-chosen upgrades can make your current setup feel completely different without throwing money at a brand-new unit.

Let’s walk through a few things you can add. Nothing complicated, just practical upgrades that make handling easier.

When a Crush Upgrade Starts Feeling Necessary

You usually know when an upgrade is overdue. Maybe your cattle balk every time they reach the headbail. Maybe you find yourself fighting with a gate that sticks. Or maybe you’re just tired of wrestling an animal because the access on one side is awkward.

A crush should help you, not exhaust you. After all, smoother handling means:

• Less stress on your cattle

• Less stress on you

• Better flow through the yards

• A safer workday

  
  

Often, the main structure of the crush is fine. It’s the smaller parts that need attention. 

Upgrades That Can Change the Way You Work

Here are some practical add-ons that many Aussie cattle producers swear by. You don’t need all of them, but even one or two might take the pressure off your daily tasks.

1. Headbail for Better Control 

   
   

If your current headbail is hard to operate or doesn’t hold cattle firmly, upgrading it can make handling much safer and easier. A smooth, reliable headbail:

• Holds cattle firmly

• Stops backward-pushing

• Makes routine handling easier and safer

  
  

Many cattle operators say this one upgrade alone transforms their daily cattle handling experience.

2. Anti-Back-Up Bars

   
   

An anti-backing bar stops cattle from reversing just when you’re ready to work on them. Adding one to an older crush can:

• Keep animals moving forward

• Reduce handling delays

• Improve safety for both cattle and operators

  
  

It’s a simple upgrade that makes your whole setup run smoother.

3. Rear Door Options for Safer Handling

   
   

A secure rear door makes a big difference when handling cattle. You can upgrade your crush with these options:

• Fully Sheeted Rear Door: keeps cattle contained and reduces stress.

• Self-Locking Rear Door: easier, safer operation with no risk of backing out.

  
  

These upgrades improve cattle flow, reduce injury risk, and make handling better.

4. Extra Gates for Better Cattle Flow 

   
   

Adding optional gates can make your crush safer and easier to work with. Useful gate upgrades include:

• Baulk Gates for controlling entry and preventing backing

• Spey & Injection (Vet) Gates for veterinary procedures and pregnancy testing

• Semen Gates for breeding or artificial insemination operations

• Split Gates for smoother cattle movement

  
  

These gates help cattle move naturally, reduce balking, and make handling faster and safer for both you and the animals.

5. Improved Flooring for Grip

   
   

Cattle are calmer when their footing feels solid. A crush floor upgrade, something like a welded drop-in floor and timber floor can help cattle walk in without hesitation.

This matters even more for pregnancy testing or weighing. Cattle that don’t slip stay calmer, which means your work goes faster too.

A Few Things to Consider Before Choosing Your Upgrades

Here are things that you should ask yourself before investing in any new gear:

• What part of the process annoys me the most?

• Do my cattle hesitate at a certain point?

• Am I tired because of my gear or because of the cattle?

• Is my current crush strong enough to justify upgrading?

• Do I want my portable cattle crushes to match my main crush setup?

  
  

When you answer these questions honestly, the right upgrades start to stand out.

When Upgrading Beats Buying New

Buying a new crush is a big step. And sometimes it’s the right one. But upgrading makes sense when:

• Your current crush still has a strong frame

• You want improvements without the full cost

• You’re slowly working toward a bigger yard upgrade

• You only need better handling in a few specific areas

  
  

This approach gives you flexibility to enhance only the areas that matter most, rather than replacing the whole unit. 

Your Cattle Crush Can Work Better Without Replacing It

If your crush is starting to feel outdated or just a bit frustrating, you don’t have to throw it out. A few sensible upgrades, even small ones, can make your cattle flow better, keep you safer, and save you a lot of stress.

If you’d like to look at solid, Australian-built cattle crushes or the optional features available for them, you can check out RPM anytime. You might find the exact upgrade you’ve been wanting.