Patent ID: 7677205

Claim:
An animal alley for handling animals such as cattle or buffaloes, comprising: a frame including an entrance end and an exit end; said entrance end of said frame having first and second spaced-apart infeed alleys, having an entrance end and an exit end, outer side walls and a divider wall therebetween so that two animals may enter the entrance ends of the first and second infeed alleys in a side-by-side manner; a swinging gate at the exit ends of said first and second infeed alleys which selectively closes either the exit end of said first infeed alley or the exit end of said second infeed alley; said frame including a first framework which extends over the upper end of said first and second infeed alleys; a first animal rear-up preventer mechanism secured to said first framework above said first infeed alley so that an animal in said first infeed alley cannot rear up over backwards; a second animal rear-up preventer mechanism secured to said first framework above said second infeed alley so that an animal in said second infeed alley cannot rear up over backwards; said frame also including a third alley, having an entrance end and an exit end; said entrance end of said third alley communicating with the exit ends of said first and second infeed alleys; said third alley having a width which is less than the combined width of said first and second infeed alleys; said third alley including spaced-apart outer side walls; said frame including a second framework which extends over the upper end of said third alley; a third animal rear-up preventer mechanism secured to said second framework above said third alley so that an animal in said third alley cannot rear up over backwards; and said frame including a gate which selectively closes said exit end of said third alley.