A project: straw to sand for transition cows

[Bald Rick]

Been fiddling about as time allowed converting a straw yard to sand cubicles for the mid period dries. Be interesting to see what occurs

Digging out reception pit to avoid sand entering main lagoons

Adding expensive concrete ...

Straw removed and panels to divided close to's installed

Concreting passage and accustep grooving

Centre posts in

Hoops in

Neck rails and brisket boards in

First cows in ... wonder what they thought?

 

[Oldmacdonald]

Is the wiggly grooving a design feature?

Looks great though!

 

[Bald Rick]

Is the wiggly grooving a design feature?

Looks great though!

Think it’s more to do with dealing with a 25’ pole while hanging from a bucket 1’ off the ground tbh

 

[vantage]

Been fiddling about as time allowed converting a straw yard to sand cubicles for the mid period dries. Be interesting to see what occurs

Digging out reception pit to avoid sand entering main lagoons

Adding expensive concrete ...

Straw removed and panels to divided close to's installed

Concreting passage and accustep grooving

Centre posts in

Hoops in

Neck rails and brisket boards in

First cows in ... wonder what they thought?

The problem you have now is all the cows will want sand!

 

[betweenthelines]

First cows in ... wonder what they thought?


"Jeez, they're building everywhere these days. See this around here? I can remember when it was all straw"

 

[Beef farmer]

That jersey is gonna make a mighty mess.in that bed lying that far forward. Sand is great of you keep pi55 out

 

[Headless chicken]

So will you scrape this every day into that little pit?
Looks perfect for some milking cows to me. Just bosh up another dry shed then.
To save some cash on concrete you could even loose house them and just concrete the front then.

 

[Oldmacdonald]

How often do you need to replace the sand? What cost is the sand per cow per day?

 

[DairyGrazing]

How often do you need to replace the sand? What cost is the sand per cow per day?

Depends on price of sand, we have washed silica sand which is expensive.

8.5kg per cow per day or 22p per cow per day.

 

[Wesley]

That jersey is gonna make a mighty mess.in that bed lying that far forward. Sand is great of you keep pi55 out

Brisket board bracket looks to be on the opposite way around from what I’ve normally seen. That would give them a bed several inches longer than normal

 

[Bottom of the pile]

Depends on price of sand, we have washed silica sand which is expensive.

8.5kg per cow per day or 22p per cow per day.

No dearer than us on sawdust and lime then

 

[sheepdogtrail]

Been fiddling about as time allowed converting a straw yard to sand cubicles for the mid period dries. Be interesting to see what occurs

Digging out reception pit to avoid sand entering main lagoons

Adding expensive concrete ...

Straw removed and panels to divided close to's installed

Concreting passage and accustep grooving

Centre posts in

Hoops in

Neck rails and brisket boards in

First cows in ... wonder what they thought?

Looks awsome! Nicely done.

Can I be the first to skate it? Lots of curb grinding and rail riding there.

 

[Chasingthedream]

Currently on with the exact same project here. Converting 105 x 50 dry cow straw yard to 50 sand beds. Doing some serious head scratching about brisket boards.

From people I’ve spoken to:
-Concrete fillet as brisket board
-As above but with a timber fastened to the concrete?
-Brackets and timbers as shown here
-Brackets and timbers as shown here but on 45 angle
-Pipe fastened to the bottom of cubicle loop
-Don’t need one if you don’t mind mucking the beds out!

Any thoughts please??

 

[Bald Rick]

Currently on with the exact same project here. Converting 105 x 50 dry cow straw yard to 50 sand beds. Doing some serious head scratching about brisket boards.

From people I’ve spoken to:
-Concrete fillet as brisket board
-As above but with a timber fastened to the concrete?
-Brackets and timbers as shown here
-Brackets and timbers as shown here but on 45 angle
-Pipe fastened to the bottom of cubicle loop
-Don’t need one if you don’t mind mucking the beds out!

Any thoughts please??

I understand what @Beef farmer is getting at but we have to find a happy medium between jersey heifers to the odd mature Holstein and Danish Red that has crept in to the herd. With our boards, they can be moved if necessary. That is a consideration

 

[S J H]

What sort of kerbs are they please?

 

[Bald Rick]

What sort of kerbs are they please?

Pre-made sand cubicle kerbs. Not sure if they were mainland uk or N Irish sourced. Will ask.

 

[DairyGrazing]

No dearer than us on sawdust and lime then

No I always thought it would be dearer than sawdust but at a meeting the other day and our bedding costs were at the low end.

Fortunate we have a concrete floor in the lagoon so it’s a day with the dual spreaders once a year to empty the lagoon completely.

 

[TheDairyMan24/7]

Been fiddling about as time allowed converting a straw yard to sand cubicles for the mid period dries. Be interesting to see what occurs

Digging out reception pit to avoid sand entering main lagoons

Adding expensive concrete ...

Straw removed and panels to divided close to's installed

Concreting passage and accustep grooving

Centre posts in

Hoops in

Neck rails and brisket boards in

First cows in ... wonder what they thought?

 

[TheDairyMan24/7]

Looks great! We moved to sand 3 years ago and have never looked back. More maintenance but the girls love it and so do we!

 

[Bald Rick]

What sort of kerbs are they please?

Sand Kerbs - SMP Concrete - portable cubicle system, concrete cattle bed,

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