corral

A corral is a fenced enclosure used to confine and handle livestock, especially cattle and horses. It is typically built from wooden rails or metal panels and posts, or from wire fencing, and includes at least one gate. Corrals may be fixed at a ranch or farm or set up as portable units that can be moved as needed.

Etymology and history: The word derives from the Spanish corral, meaning an enclosed yard, and entered English in the 18th–19th centuries with the spread of livestock farming in the Americas and other regions. Corrals became a standard feature of ranching, farming, and stock management in arid and grassland areas worldwide.

Construction and design: Corrals are usually rectangular or irregular in shape, formed by a continuous perimeter with gates for entry and exit. Common features include a holding or crowding area near the gate, and sometimes a squeeze chute or handling alley to facilitate safer processing. Many corrals include a loading ramp for vehicles. Portable corrals use lightweight panels that can be assembled and disassembled for temporary use.

Uses: Corrals serve to gather animals, separate individuals, and perform handling tasks such as tagging, branding, vaccination, weighing, or loading onto trailers. They are integral to routine husbandry, veterinary work, and during roundups, auctions, or transport.

See also: Pen (enclosure), stockyard, animal handling.