Cattle-Grids in the Northern Territory, Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (339295)
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.
13 people like this
13 responses
@JudyEv (339295)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 16
There is always a gate next to them for the movement of stock. I would think that in Europe the paddocks are much smaller so it wouldn't be viable to have dozens of grids.
@JudyEv (339295)
• 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
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Nov 16
some, not as much anymore, they hurt horses and sometimes other animals
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@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
8 Nov 16
@JudyEv It can catch feet of the unwary horse etc
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@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• 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 :(
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@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• 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.
. 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 (339295)
• 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
@arthurchappell (44998)
• 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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@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• 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.
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@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
8 Nov 16
@JudyEv I think so. But I'm not a good judge of this.
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@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Nov 16
Yes, there are cattle grids on back roads in the American west.
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@JudyEv (339295)
• 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
