Oct 31, 2026News & Insights
How to Choose a Cow Chain: Medium Link Chain for Livestock Tethers
A cow chain has to hold an animal that pulls, rubs and steps on it, without cutting the animal or failing at the stall fitting. What to look at in link form, finish and fittings.
A cow chain is among the least glamorous products in a farm catalogue and among the most heavily used. Tied, dragged through bedding and left outdoors, it is chosen for lasting in a wet, abrasive place and for treating the animal well.
What a Cow Chain Actually Is
Cow chain is the trade name for ordinary mild steel medium link chain used on farms. It is not a special allo
Link Form and Why It Matters
Medium link sits between short and long link. Short link bends tightly around small fittings and is least comfortable against an animal; long link is lighter per metre but gives more room for a leg or horn to catch. Medium link resists catching and wears slowly, hence its use for tethers.
The link form also decides which fittings pass through it: a hook too large will not seat, one too small will bind and wear. Chain and hooks ordered together should be specified as a pair.
Material, Finish and the Wet Stall
The standard product is low carbon steel, zinc plated. A stall is wet and ammonia-rich, so the finish is not a detail. Electro galvanizing suits sheltered use; where the chain lives outdoors or is washed down often, ask for a heavier galvanized finish.
Stainless costs several times more and is rarely needed. The practical test: if the old chain was replaced because it rusted through rather than wore out, the finish is the problem, not the steel.
The Animal Side
A chain strong enough can still be the wrong chain. A heavy chain hanging from a halter pulls all day, and sharp edges rub: a cut end, a burr or a rough hook throat turns int
What to Specify on an Order
Four things carry an order: diameter, length (or weight), finish, and end fittings. A longer chain in the same diameter weighs more, so a quote by weight and an order by length can differ by metres.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cow chain made of?
Ordinary mild steel, low carbon steel in the common commercial medium link form, usually zinc plated. It is not a high tensile or grade-marked chain.
Is cow chain the same as a lifting chain?
No. It is general purpose chain for tethers, stall fittings and farm work, not grade-marked or proof tested as lifting equipment, and must not be used for overhead lifting.
Which finish should I choose for a stall?
Electro galvanized suits sheltered indoor use. Where the chain stays outdoors or is washed down often, ask for a heavier galvanized finish. Stainless is for severe corrosion but is rarely justified for a tether.
Should I order by length or by weight?
Say which you mean. A chain quoted by weight and one quoted by length are not the same. Give the diameter, the length, the finish and the fittings together.
Boyuan Metal supplies ordinary mild steel medium link chain in low carbon steel, zinc plated, with other finishes on request, and can quote cut lengths and hook fittings. Tell us the diameter, length and where the chain will be used, and we will confirm.o a complaint.
Ends handled or resting against the animal are better fitted with a smooth hook than left as a bare cut. Length should let the animal lie down and reach water but not wind the chain around a rail.y or a grade-marked product: it is low carbon steel, usually zinc plated, in the common commercial medium link form. A buyer expecting high tensile chain will be disappointed.