Thanks for the comments above. I've been out all day or would have replied earlier.   I'll try to answer questions.

The concrete bunks will not be used very often. They are mostly to have a place to feed treat grain (sweet calf feed) to get cows and calves into the corral for sorting/weighing/working/loading into trailer/etc.  The cows and calves soon learn this is the only place they get a treat and come running in when I call them and maybe bang on a 5 gallon plastic bucket.  I go around the outside while they are eating, close the gates on each end and voila! At that point they are safely going where ever I need them to go. 

While putting the bunks in place, it did look like an attractive place to feed some winter corn silage. But silage is just a recent last minute idea. Even if I do it will just be maybe a couple times a week over the winter as a supplement and hay extender.

There are two sections with 10 ft in between them for a drain for the concrete pad. As in many things, once I saw it in place I realized I could have left the bottom rail off and put another bunk section in....cleanout will be by using the skid steer to push out the ends which now have gates on them. The center cleanout probably is not necessary although there will be a sorting gate across in between the two sections.

As far as a rail and cows falling or being pushed into the bunks, maybe going caste, the point is well taken. I will bolt Weiser posts to the bunks and have probably two heavy cables across the front edge of the bunks. The bunks are predrilled for posts. I'll work something out for the ends.

The corral setup is not really a primary feeding area. I want to keep cows out away from the shed more than inside on the bunk side. This is probably the opposite of the way most folks use bunks along a pen. So I really don't want the bunks on the outside. My plan would be to have the cows outside the corral and gates closed most of the time.

When used, I will fill the bunks from the INSIDE of the closed corral, then open the gates and let the cattle in.  When they are done eating they are to be shooed out and the gates closed. Most winter feeding is going to be in a sacrifice area which will  be easier to pile and compost the pack in the spring. I don't want the cows congregating on the concrete and under the roof over the winter. They can winter in the woods as mine have successfully for several years before building the hay shed.

Thanks for the feedback, especially the "negative" comments Dave and Supa. Negative comments are usually the most useful and educational. I will mostly be feeding hay and baleage bales in the sacrifice area in either cradles or maybe the wagon. I will only be feeding hay at the shed feed panels in extreme weather. But I do need to put up rails/cables to keep cows out of the bunks. The bottom rail would probably be more useful being a neck rail as Garvo has shown.

Thanks all. This will make more sense when I get the inside portion done and pictures and a sketch. the idea is to be able to handle 40-50 cows or maybe 30 pairs in a small space safely and smoothly with minimal fuss.

Jim