Choosing the Best Cattle Drafting System for Your Farm

When it comes to cattle drafting systems, the “best” option depends on your farm setup, herd size, and budget. Making your drafting (or sorting) cattle system more efficient will save time, reduce labour costs, and keep both livestock and handlers safe.

From manual drafting gates through to automatic cattle drafting systems, there are solutions to suit every type of operation. The key is understanding what level of automation you want and how it integrates with your existing cattle yards, crush, or scale system.

What to Consider When Selecting a Cattle Drafting System

Before investing in drafting equipment, think about:

• Budget – from affordable manual options to high-tech automated systems.
• Infrastructure – the design of your crush, yards, and pens.
• Technology – whether you’re using EID tags, collars, or scale systems.
• Software Integration – connecting drafting decisions to herd management software.
• Labour – reducing the need for extra staff and making drafting safer for less experienced operators.
• Level of Automation – do you want manual control or a fully automated system?

Wire Rope Controlled Drafting Gates

If you’re looking for an affordable way to improve drafting efficiency, wire rope-controlled gates are a solid option.

Te Pari’s 3-way drafting module sits in front of your cattle crush and is operated with wire rope controls from behind the crush. This keeps the operator safely out of the animal’s flight zone while still giving fast drafting control.

Key Benefits:

• Safer operator position.
• Three-way drafting into pens in front of the crush.
• Easy access gates for tagging or treatments.

This system works best if you already have three pens available in front of your crush.

Out-of-Crush Drafting

Many manual cattle crushes allow drafting directly out of the side gates. This can be a cost-effective way to create a three-way draft – straight ahead through the headbail, or out either side.

Te Pari offers both offside draft handles and near-side draft handles:

• Offside draft handle – opens the gate opposite the operator, so cattle naturally flow away from you.
• Near-side draft handle – allows cattle to exit on the operator’s side, controlled from behind the crush.

This option is simple, affordable, and effective for smaller herds or farmers who want manual control.

A step up from a crush with manual controls is our Titan Pneumatic Cattle Crush that has a powered entry gate, head bail and parallel squeeze. The control panel at the rear of the Titan has 3 easy-to-use switches, which means there are 3 less manual levers/handles that you need to pull – making your job easier. 

Powered Drafting Gates

For farmers wanting to save time and effort, pneumatic-powered drafting gates are the next step up.

Te Pari 3-Way Powered Drafting Modules are similar to the manual version but powered, giving you more control with less physical effort. There are 2 options available, one is powered with remote controls and the other can be set for auto drafting when connected to a compatible scale system.

Key Features:

• Remote control or panel operation.
• Auto drafting by weight or EID tag data when connected to a compatible scale system (Te Pari, Tru-Test, Gallagher).
• Manual override option for greater flexibility.

This system is ideal if you already have a crush and want to upgrade to powered or semi-automated drafting without fully replacing your infrastructure. Watch the video to see how it works.

Automatic Drafting Systems

For larger herds and farms focused on efficiency, a fully automatic drafting system offers the highest level of control.

The Te Pari Taurus Auto Drafter is designed to handle big numbers quickly and safely. It integrates directly with your weigh scales and EID system so cattle can be drafted automatically with minimal operator input.

Key Benefits:

• Hydraulic or pneumatic control of entry gates, squeeze, headbail, and drafting gates.
• Integrated weighing & EID reading for automated sorting.
• Advanced sensors that activate gate opening and closing for smooth animal flow.
• Auto-catch headbail to reduce stress and operator workload.

This system is best suited to farms where speed, accuracy, and reduced labour are top priorities.

Drafting by EID Tag or Weight for Smarter Cattle Management

With EID and weighing integration, drafting becomes more than just splitting animals into pens – it becomes a data-driven management tool.

Examples of how automated drafting can help:

• Draft replacement heifers from the main mob.
• Separate purchased cattle from home-bred stock.
• Identify animals with treatment or health alerts.
• Draft into weight groups for tailored feeding.
• Separate cows from calves with minimal effort.
• Group cattle for mating with different bulls.

The right cattle drafting system depends on your farm’s needs:

• Manual drafting gates – best for smaller herds or tight budgets.
• Wire rope or out-of-crush drafting – safe, practical upgrades for existing setups.
• Powered drafting gates – great for semi-automation and labour savings.
• Automatic drafting systems – ideal for large-scale operations focused on efficiency and herd data.

Investing in the right solution will make drafting faster, safer, and easier, helping you save time and improve livestock management.

Contact the team at Te Pari for free advice about which drafting solution will best suit your farm!