Built for Efficiency and Comfort
Livestock Trailers
Discover unparalleled versatility and durability with Merritt’s livestock trailers. We offer a range of trailers designed for both functionality and comfort, keeping your animals secure on every journey.
Livestock Trailer Standard Features

A Roof Designed for Livestock
This roof is designed for livestock hauling and will flex with the trailer. Plastic roofs, glued aluminum and anything other than an .050 fully riveted every 6” inches will not stand up to the rigors of hauling bigger, heavier and taller livestock. This roof is hand buck riveted with over 2000 aluminum hard rivets and has been time tested by over 60 years of Merritt quality.

Side Sheet Structure
The livestock transportation industry long ago realized that the Merritt-originated punched sheet & post design was the strongest, lightest and smoothest inside structure to haul livestock. Merritt uses a high-grade aluminum alloy that is now .080 thickness to resist dents and splits and maintains the 16” post spacing that provides you the durable side toughness you expect. The riveted-on extruded post will not dent and cave in like a formed-in post structure so it will stay good looking longer and with less damage done to it.

Stronger Steel High PSI Frame Beam
You won’t find a stronger, better or more durable rear frame beam in the industry. Stronger than any aluminum beam at the same weight and won’t break apart like aluminum beams under longer rear frame lengths. The steel beam keeps the platform stable and resists the flexing that has caused so many problems with aluminum beam suspensions over the years. Even thicker aluminum beams will not hold up to the strength of the box tubing on the Merritt high tensile beam.

Superior Ventilation
The 3” round hole creates an air vortex that literally sucks air into the trailer as it travels down the road. No other design can create this effect. The double-embossed large viewing hole will resist dents and allow for better visual inspection of your livestock. Using punched side doors your Merritt will have superior ventilation that provides positive airflow and ventilation in any conditions.

The Biggest Box On The Road
Merritt has always believed that cattle being hauled should come off the trailer clean, with less bruising and stress. This way of thinking has always led us to have a slightly more expensive trailer but now with more interior clearance than our competition. This has become more apparent with Merritt’s leadership in designing and promoting the “DEEPER BACK END” trailer designs. We now have three backend styles to choose from that will give you the best-condition cattle coming out of the truck.

The Strongest Deck in the Industry – Top View
Merritt uses a thicker .125 tread plate with six stiffener corrugations in the floor to reduce slipping and split outs by livestock and dipping over time. Longitudinal floor plates eliminate unnecessary butt joint seams in the floor which have been proven to crack when the floor flexes. The longitudinal seam is overlapped and welded both top & bottom to give you the strongest deck in the industry. No floor rivets mean no bio-security problems for you.

The Strongest Deck in the Industry – Bottom View
Our 3” custom I-Beam cross-member that is welded in has outperformed any “Z” or “U” style riveted in cross-members in every way. Thicker where it needs to be and resistant to torsional stress, it is stronger, lighter and provides a solid base using 13” centers for the deck structure.
Popular Livestock Trailer Options

Roll-Up Door/Swing Gate
Keeps livestock where you want them. Tube style gate closes off rear door for easier cattle handling. Completely removable if needed and works with the main access door.

Wall Straddle Angles
Keeps you out of the way of the loading and unloading area.

Door Seal Kit
Cargo seals that are easy to use and quick to install. Perfect for hauling imported or quarantined livestock.

Extra Divide Gates
Need more compartments to haul split loads? Adding extra center gates is the answer.

Threshold Deck Cleating
Deck cleating at ramps and thresholds increases traction and allows for better footing at these critical areas.

Roof Hatch
Keep your drivers safe and give your livestock extra ventilation when the weather requires it. The Merritt roof is built to handle this popular option.

Front Funnel Gate
Tube or panel style for better and safer livestock handling. Double-locking stainless steel pins mean more strength when you need it. Shown with optional threshold cleating.

Crank-Up Front Deck
No need to throw deck any more. Two or three-position crank-up decks are fast and easy and provide better animal footing than regular planks. A solid deck section means less freezing and worn hinges after years of use.

Man-Access Door
Bio-Security means keeping you out of the confinement barn or the loading chute. Helps you comply with producers bio-security needs and still get the trailer loaded quickly.

Folding Guide Gate
Folding guide gates with protective hiding panels allow drivers to remain safely in the trailer and protected from animals while being unseen providing a smoother loading process.

Guide Gate Support Arm
The folding support arm provides a solid support for the guide panel.

Gate Latch
Spring-loaded drop pins to lock gates are only one of the many latching systems available at Merritt Trailers.
Technical Specs for All Livestock Trailer Models
Length:
48’ to 53’ total lengths
Width:
102” total width; 100” inside width
Height:
13’6”, 13’ 7/16” and 14’ tall
Nose:
Innovative tapered front nose; deck boards or crank lift and tilt options
Side Sheet:
.080 aluminum walls, extruded aluminum post
LED Lights:
2” mirrored truck light, ¾” penny-style lights, load lights
Roofs:
0.50" aluminum skinned fully riveted to roof bows
Flooring:
Standard with .125 high grip diamond plate or optional .157 flat flooring welded to 3" I-beam construction
Gates:
Panel and tube-style gates with multiple hardware options
Rear Frame:
Stationary, ¾, or full laydown
Decks:
Standard two-deck pots, or multiple hog and sheep decks options with varying deck clearance
Suspensions:
Hendrickson Intraax air ride suspensions
Axles:
Hendrickson 22,500 # axles, 5” round with auto slack adjusters
Brakes:
Extended life 16.5 x 7 air brakes, and Maxx22T air disc
Hubs:
Aluminum Hubs – 10-hole uni-mount
Drums:
Centrifuge brake drums
Tires:
Michelin and Goodyear tires
See how quality, design, durability, lightweight and animal health and handling can all come together.

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