Bedding scarcity

puppet · Dec 17, 2020

bluebell said:
trouble today is the mild wet winters ? if dare i say it was a bit like canada in the winter cold but dry you could move about with all these lovely heated 4x4 tractors ? now the grounds wet the weathers mild ? cant get on the land to do anything without making a real mess ?

You will make a mess, there will be deep wheel ruts and your tractor will be filthy all winter. The area around the feeder will just be mud for 30 metres.
But you know what, apart from mud up to their hocks they will be cleaner than inside cattle

Hard Graft · Dec 17, 2020

It not a straw shortage here but a cattle shortage for me with b&b cattle yard will be nearly empty come January and I am not even using the straw house but normally house on straw from September to May but the the rest is on slats any way

Nearly · Dec 17, 2020

Hard Graft said:
It not a straw shortage here but a cattle shortage for me with b&b cattle yard will be nearly empty come January

Bring your own bedding?

Hard Graft · Dec 17, 2020

Nearly said:
Bring your own bedding?

We supply straw at cost plus it is our own straw as we arable

Derrick Hughes · Dec 17, 2020

Has anyone failed to get straw. When you fail to get straw thats when its short

7610 super q · Dec 17, 2020

Plenty of hay about ? Not ideal for bedding, but needs must ?

RAF · Dec 17, 2020

Tbf is straw was free some farms still wouldn’t use much

j6891 · Dec 17, 2020

Bedding with hay is a right PITA. Not much absorption and mats together into one sheet in the shed. Terrible to muck out and spread. As long as cattle are healthy and well fed a bit of muck will be fine.

Plain steer · Dec 17, 2020

The author of this tread sounds like a

stirrer

delilah · Dec 17, 2020

Frank-the-Wool said:
Having seen pictures of Limousin cattle (not Angus x) outside at 1800' on the forum which was certainly in the north to me and they looked fine so I am sure more could be outwintered.
I admit it depends on the soil type, aspect and shelter.

It is a debate that should be had with ever increasing costs of feed and bedding.
Many cattle with some native breeding do very well outside.
I have seen cattle in Southland, NZ that stay out as well as in Canada (Hereford and Angus) where temperatures are extremely low, but also low humidity. Large herds of Angus cattle in Eastern Europe

In the 1960's there were thousands of cattle (many friesians) that were outwintered across southern England on the Moors and Downland. Winters then were just as wet and definitely colder!!

All of which is correct. However, there is one thing now that wasn't an issue in the 60's. Public perception. And yes, there's a whole load of hypocrisy within that public perception, but nevertheless it is an issue.

Henarar · Dec 17, 2020

Derrick Hughes said:
Has anyone failed to get straw. When you fail to get straw thats when its short

This
I wonder if all the straw in the country was with the farmers that need it for this winter would there really be a shortage

topground · Dec 17, 2020

Derrick Hughes said:
You need sacrifice ground . Stubble fields of some sort , feed with forage wagon and move to a new strip every day . Take the feed to the cattle. Not bring the cattle to troughs

Sacrifice permanant pasture ground with a hard standing with water trough on it works here. Round feeders. Chain harrows over the ground they churn up as soon as it dries up in March , broadcast grass seed mix and roll. Rotate around so each piece of ground gets a winters worth of muck and urine without the cost of straw and deisel to spread the fym.Cattle knock the ground around enough for a tilth to be created with minimal cultivation limited to chain harrows and roller.
Sucklers and spring born calves all out until calves weaned in the new year. Calves in shed with Somerset version of an Orkney floor.

Cows 'n grass · Dec 17, 2020

7610 super q said:
Plenty of hay about ? Not ideal for bedding, but needs must ?

Every second day I'm blowing out 2 round bales of hay that have been outside since summer 19 and then just a sprinkling of straw on top. It's very dusty but there are no animals in the shed when I do it and it's keeping them lovely and clean and dry.

PaulNix · Dec 17, 2020

To answer the question, neither.

FarmyStu said:
They're not anybodies cattle. But it is a scenario I've come across in years gone by and again this year. Saw someone last week who had no straw and was "bedding" on rushes in cubicles. Cows were filthy.

Which one is it ?

jendan · Dec 17, 2020

czechmate said:
A nice look on December 17th

View attachment 927480

Great picture. What are they like for temperament?

FarmyStu · Dec 17, 2020

PaulNix said:
To answer the question, neither.

Which one is it ?

It really is just a general question. Is it ok to keep cattle in dirtier conditions than you'd like because of a lack of straw?

RAF · Dec 17, 2020

No is the answer . Well bedded half grown

Derrick Hughes · Dec 17, 2020

FarmyStu said:
It really is just a general question. Is it ok to keep cattle in dirtier conditions than you'd like because of a lack of straw?

But there is not a lack of straw atm.

thorpe · Dec 17, 2020

RAF said:
No is the answer . Well bedded half grown

we say good bed half fed + dad always said warm underneath cool over the top!

z.man · Dec 17, 2020

Not sure.... what about the cattle that are straw bedded everyday but there is still some (mainly native bred) cattle that actually seek out the dirty bit to lie on

Bedding scarcity

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