If it's just the calves going through without the cows tie pallets to the inside of the race to narrow it. That's the poor mans/bodge way to make a squeeze race
Cattle handling project
- Thread starter Northeastfarmer
- Start date
- Location
- Buxton, Derbyshire
Surely that defeats the object of a handling system if you've got to have 2 seperate set upsProbably better than trying to sort them in the race
I'm hoping our new system will make weaning and separating calves easier, by running them through and drafting them different ways hopefully. Currently we do it in a couple of big pens and it's dangerous for us or calves getting knocked over or cows doing the splits. Would be interested how others do it though. Particularly as we have our first 6mth TB test in November, so calves will still be suckling.
Weaning here we just do in the yards, shed cows through a gate into a different yard.Surely that defeats the object of a handling system if you've got to have 2 seperate set ups
I'm hoping our new system will make weaning and separating calves easier, by running them through and drafting them different ways hopefully. Currently we do it in a couple of big pens and it's dangerous for us or calves getting knocked over or cows doing the splits. Would be interested how others do it though. Particularly as we have our first 6mth TB test in November, so calves will still be suckling.
Like your way better though as it could be done by one person instead of 3 people having a constant argument
Tb testing we don't bother to split them off, young calves just go through with the cows. Older ones we tend to do a few cows and then a few calves however they come. Easier to split as they get older
- Location
- Buxton, Derbyshire
Sorry for the lack of posts, can't do much from a Turkish beach
The roof is finally finished
We've got most of the post holes pecked out, and have made a start on setting up the race. Now to get it done before bonfire night
The roof is finally finished
We've got most of the post holes pecked out, and have made a start on setting up the race. Now to get it done before bonfire night
dannewhouse
Member
- Location
- huddersfield
Everything is a compromise size wise with a suckler herd
- Location
- Buxton, Derbyshire
We spoke about this with a contractor who came to do a little job on ours. Basically his answer was which ever way round you want- pouring the concrete first makes it a lot simpler getting the slab down and the levels right on that, however you end up cutting the concrete, the other way its a lot simpler to put the race up before the concrete as your measurements don't have to be spot on, but then you end up having a tricky slab of concrete to pour, setting boxes would mean you either being very accurate with your post centres or allowing for a big margin of error. When I see new builds on Facebook/Twitter most pour the concrete last. With ours it was an existing concrete floor so we had to cut the concrete, we thought we were quite accurate marking out but several holes needed to be extended as just one post being slightly out (because of a couple of degree warp on a curved panel) is exaggerrated as you go down the length of the race.
A couple of bits of advice: the contractor recommended putting a bit of concrete in the base of post holes to help set levels, we had a mix of soft clay and bedrock so having a consistant base depth would have made life easier. He also recommended bending the bolts when fixing curved panels as they are rarely square to the ends and so the bolts don't thread through very well. And one slightly stranger idea I saw on Twitter, set it all up upside down in situ so that you can find precise post centres (didn't see that one until we'd started though). These tips will help particularly with curved sections as the galvanising often warps the panels slightly throwing them slightly off the technical drawings.
I'll try and upload some photos tomorrow of ours now its completed.
beltbreaker
Member
- Location
- Ross-shire
We put up our set up in sockets on site then concreted the sockets and disassembled it before laying the slab. We never put a fall in it which has proven a blessing in disguise as it minimises pollution and SEPA are quite happy with it. If it was on a slope they would not have been happy....
- Location
- Near Colchester
I concreted strategic posts in first then poured and some less strategic ones were chemfixed or parabolted into the slab.
Most of my race is portable so that it can be taken down the fields in summer as that would be easier than bringing cattle back.
Most of my race is portable so that it can be taken down the fields in summer as that would be easier than bringing cattle back.
When you say sockets do you mean wooden boxes or steel box that the gates slot into. Maybe a pic would help.a
Our building will be grant aided under catchment sensitive farming so we can't have anything running out!
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
I just concreted the posts in 4 foot first, setting the whole cattle handling system out....then dismantled it all obviously leaving the concreted posts in......concreted the slab then re erected it all
Forever Fendt
Member
- Location
- Derbyshire
If the posts are to be concreted in and you fancy doing the slab first you could dig the holes and concrete some 10/12" plastic twin wall in and cut of to correct level then concrete slab and erect handling set up and pack it level then fill in around posts inside the plastic pipe
Polystyrene void former would be better. @RWGContracts where would you get them. Or just buy some holes off @Cab Over Pete...
Forever Fendt
Member
- Location
- Derbyshire
Fix them with semi dry?