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.

Cattle Trailers

Hog Legend Trailers

Livestock Trailer Standard Features

Heavy-duty aluminum roof
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 view of Merritt trailer, showing the punched sheet and post design
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.

Strong, heavy-duty frame beam under the deck of a Merritt trailer
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.

A closeup interior view of the hole punches on Merritt livesstock trailers
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.

top view of trailer deck
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.

Underside of Merritt trailer deck showing cross member beams
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

A roll-up gate to easily enclose cattle
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.

Rear load door
Wall Straddle Angles

Keeps you out of the way of the loading and unloading area.

Closeup of loading door lock
Door Seal Kit

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

Aluminum partition gates shown within a Merritt livestock trailer
Extra Divide Gates

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

Top view of trailer deck showing cleating for traction
Threshold Deck Cleating

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

View from inside of a Merritt trailer looking up at an open roof hatch
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.

A tube-style gate shown inside a Merritt trailer.
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.

Closeup side view of the crank-up front deck
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.

A closed man access door on the side of a Merritt trailer
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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