At Cattlemen’s Congress, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, had the chance to visit with the National Sales Manager of WW Livestock Systems, Sam Eck. Hays and Eck talk about year four of Cattlemen’s Congress and WW Livestock Systems.
“WW started back in 1946 by the Webster family,” Eck said. “We have been building quality livestock equipment and animal handling equipment since then. We started building squeeze chutes back in about 1960, and it has just continued to evolve to what it is today, where we have got about eight different models of squeeze chutes and about anything you need for animal containment.”
One WW squeeze chute will be given to the winner of the Hereford pen show.
“We were contacted by the AHA last year to donate a chute to help generate some interest in this show, and we did it then, and they hit me again this year…,” Eck said.
Eck said that building squeeze chutes is comparable to raising cattle because it is all about listening to what the consumer wants.
“It has got to be manufacturer-friendly, but it must also be something that fits the masses,” Eck said.
While many manufacturers add extras to chutes, Eck said, WW takes pride in keeping equipment simple enough for anyone to operate.
WW Livestock manufacturing facilities can be found in Thomas, Oklahoma, Duncan, Oklahoma and in Livingston, Tennessee.
“We have got about 250 to 300 distributors around the country, and they sell everything from squeeze chutes to panels and gates to rodeo equipment, and hog and sheep pens for the fair and expo world,” Eck said.
WW Livestock provided all of the panels for Cattlemen’s Congress, Eck said, and is greatly involved in other shows and expos in Oklahoma and Texas.
Regarding the fourth year of Cattlemen’s Congress, Eck said he sees the event as a great asset for the state.
“I feel like it is an important thing to keep here in Oklahoma for the agriculture industry,” Eck said. “I think it is really important to give us producers in this state and surrounding areas a place to come and put our cattle on a big stage.”
