Cattle-Grids in the Northern Territory, Australia

Cattle-Grid, Northern Territory, Australia
@JudyEv (339930)
Rockingham, Australia
November 7, 2016 6:52am CST
On our recent three-week trip to the centre of Australia, we flew to Adelaide, picked up a hire motor-home and headed north. The second day saw us driving through station country. These outback farms are huge in terms of acreage as the land does not support large numbers of stock. The individual stations are divided from each other and have internal divisions in the form of 'grids' – a barrier of iron rails sunk in the ground. Vehicles rattle over them but stock will not cross them. The grids take the place of gates. We were actually driving through someone's property and their stock were wandering freely so there were many signs warning motorists to keep a wary eye out for domestic and other large animals as well as kangaroos. We saw signs for sheep, cattle, horses, camels and kangaroos – oh, and push-bikes. So I'm wondering if farms in the UK or USA use these stock-grids. Perhaps you'd like to comment if you know the answer.
12 people like this
12 responses
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Nov 16
I've seen them in use here, they are quite effective and you don't have to get out of your car to open a gate.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Nov 16
@JudyEv Ha - you weren't silly!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
We had a gate at the entry to our farm and if we went to the drive-in I'd always pretend to be asleep so my brother would have to open the gate. :)
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17713)
• South Africa
24 Nov 16
I know that I saw a few in Ireland. We have MANY here in SA and there are in Botswana too
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17713)
• South Africa
24 Nov 16
@JudyEv I actually asked my hubby why they still have them, he did tell me but I cant remember.
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@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Nov 16
@Inlemay Do you mean why they still have them in SA? or everywhere? Don't they still have cattle in SA so the grids would keep them where they're supposed to be?
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@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Nov 16
Oh, that's interesting. I just love learning stuff like that on here.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471497)
• Switzerland
7 Nov 16
I have traveled a lot in the United States and I have never seen those stock-grids, I do not know about the UK, but I have never seen them in other European countries.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471497)
• Switzerland
8 Nov 16
@JudyEv May be in some rural places there were those stock-grids and I have not seen them. I know that we have none here in Switzerland, it would be far too dangerous in winter for the cars, the ice sticks to the metal.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
That's interesting as it seems they are used in the UK and USA. Now that the subject has been raised perhaps you'll see some soon. Do you find that? You discover a new word somewhere and suddenly you come across it a couple more times.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Nov 16
@LadyDuck I hadn't thought of that. We don't get much ice at all on our roads - ever. :)
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Nov 16
some, not as much anymore, they hurt horses and sometimes other animals
1 person likes this
• Centralia, Missouri
8 Nov 16
@JudyEv It can catch feet of the unwary horse etc
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@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Nov 16
Yes, I guess from time to time an animal tries to go through one and gets stuck.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Nov 16
yes ma'am, they're quite prevalent 'round these parts if'n ya stay'n the back roads. sadly some critters do try to cross 'em though fer whate'er reason'n pay a horrible price :(
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Nov 16
@JudyEv they'd a horse fall through one last year near albuquerque, broke her leg tryin' to get out 'n nobody found her fer a few days. an awful way to die . i'm thinkin' the lands ya went through'd be akin to the b.l.m. lands out here? where folks lease 't cheaply from the government, yet the general public still's access to 't? yepperz, those gates 'd be a disaster 's many'd not bother to shut 'em :( the hubs here 'tis prone to that very thingy....one'd ne'er guess he grew 'p with ranchers'n the family.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
I've never seen animals caught in them but I guess it happens. With tourists going through such vast areas gates would be hopeless.
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@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Nov 16
@crazyhorseladycx That is terrible about the horse. Animals caught in these on the main roads would be found very quickly. I think the land is owned by the stations but they wouldn't be allowed to stop public access.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
7 Nov 16
I don't seem to travel where livestock are, and haven't seen any where I've seen livestock in the U.K., Asia, South America, Africa, or the US. If I have, I didn't know what is was.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
You'd know if you rattled across one I think. They are possibly only in the wide, open spaces type of country.
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@DianneN (247186)
• United States
7 Nov 16
@JudyEv We've rattled over many things. Lol!
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
7 Nov 16
we have them in the UK
1 person likes this
• Preston, England
11 Nov 16
@JudyEv they tend to be where roads cut through farmland to stop cows and sheep straying into the path of oncoming cars
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@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
I don't remember seeing them in the UK or Ireland but possibly they were only 'in-farm' not on public roads.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
7 Nov 16
They are used quite a lot in the UK. When we're out walking in the country we sometimes have to carry Hugo the Dog across them. They are obviously very effective for animals other than cattle!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
Lucky Hugo the Dog is 'carriable'. Do the grids have gates next to them?
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@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
8 Nov 16
@JudyEv A lot of them do but it's sometimes just easier to walk across them and carry Hugo.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Nov 16
I don't travel where there is live stock, but I seem to remember seeing them in farm areas when travelling with my family as a child.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Nov 16
@JudyEv I think so. But I'm not a good judge of this.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
It seems they are used in some areas at least.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Nov 16
Yes, there are cattle grids on back roads in the American west.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
They are effective barriers for animals that's for sure.
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
7 Nov 16
Yes, we have cattle grids here.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
They are not a bad solution I guess. I can't imagine hundreds of tourists bothering to close gates.
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@Ronrybs (19271)
• London, England
8 Nov 16
We get cattle grids over here, but I think they aren't as common as they used to be
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@JudyEv (339930)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Nov 16
It seems stock get caught in them occasionally although I don't think I've ever heard of it happening here.
1 person likes this