Agrotel cosy home calf housing.

[happycows]

They do if calves can kiss through the cage. Also not kept in them till 16 weeks.

Weve put over 500 calves through 30 ibc this summer, longest stay is 36 hours, some if sucking unaided only 12 hours before into groups of 12.

And I think you could tell them too pee off if they didn’t agree with that.
Keeping big conti calves in them for 6 weeks wouldn’t be acceptable.

 

[Case man]

I would say ibc calf hutches are what you want. Cheap, cheerful and most importantly work very well.

View attachment 727888

do you have them outside or in a building

 

[Whitewalker]

We have a shed with 8 ft walls and vented tin on the sides and solid gables. Put in groups of 10 . Never had any trouble apart from the odd navel sucking. High walls cut out draughts and the vented tin draws up the air and through the ridge . Always nice fresh air .

 

[pine_guy]

do you have them outside or in a building

Outside, they do get puddley outside in wet weather and take a bit more bedding. Plan to make a stoned area to put them on to help with drainage.

 

[pine_guy]

I think one of the biggest problems with hutches and even more with converted Ibc is farm assurance and that public perception. They do not meet standards on several fronts.
It’s sad but true.

As beef farmer says, as long as they can ‘kiss’ each other they meet spec. You can keep calves in them for up to 8 weeks as long as they have reasonable space for the size of calf to lie down, stretch and get up. I think you’ll find they’d rub there back on the door bedore they where tight on space. We tend to group up at about 4 weeks depending on space.

I’ve been racking my brains for something to make those bigger calf igloos from, but I haven’t come up with anything yet. I think the big think I like is a feed area outside, as that is where the paddle/wet/dirtier areas always are.

 

[pine_guy]

I really liked the idea and wonder if you would be willing to share it with readers of Practical Farm Ideas? With / without your name attached. Bye the bye one of the best low cost calf systems I have come across involved a floor with a noticeable slope to the front and a false ceiling that sloped the other way, ie higher at the front at about 30 degrees. The ceiling was a timber or light steel frame covered in chicken netting with straw on top, about 5ft from the floor. The back wall was external and he knocked a few holes, placed up so they were just under the straw ceiling. These allowed fresh air in, and the slope kept the air moving so the stale air didn't hang around. The pen, which had about 20 calves on a machine, was empty on my visit but he wanted me to get in anyway, and it was warm! Hard to believe. He thought it helped a great deal with lung probs,even with the calves together. He had quite a bit of straw under them. Another guy showed me calves on baled rushes. Also done articles on some Dutch systems.

Not a problem. I not going to claim the idea is mine as plenty have done it. But happy to provide some photos.
Home made test feeders from 1gallon tubs is a big cost saver though. Plastic isn’t thick enough to seal the tests, but all you need is a 20mm washer.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Any thoughts on this?? Really struggled with calves this summer. Will be only in use from April too September then packed away.
I like the fact I can completely move location maybe to field or wood chip pad and the plastic walls can be disinfected better than wood stock board.

Been considering a shed which could be used for other things but once you get problems I’ll have nowhere too go.

View attachment 727788

Does it not get windy in Devon?

 

[Case man]

Outside, they do get puddley outside in wet weather and take a bit more bedding. Plan to make a stoned area to put them on to help with drainage.

How do you fix them down to stop them blowing away

 

[Beef farmer]

How do you fix them down to stop them blowing away

My calfs put their head through the cage somtimes and walk across the yard towing the hutch.

 

[pine_guy]

How do you fix them down to stop them blowing away

Not had a problem that way. Sometimes a new calf takes them for a walk though.

 

[pine_guy]

http://www.mcgregorpolytunnels.co.uk/product/cattle-polytunnel

This came up on facebook. Would it be an option?

 

[happycows]

Does it not get windy in Devon?

Us have hedges down yer....

 

[farmideas]

Not a problem. I not going to claim the idea is mine as plenty have done it. But happy to provide some photos.
Home made test feeders from 1gallon tubs is a big cost saver though. Plastic isn’t thick enough to seal the tests, but all you need is a 20mm washer.

Thanks for the offer - my best email is [email protected] and if you could send over any pics of pens and feeders ( high res ) we can talk about them.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Us have hedges down yer....

So your hoping the hedge will catch it?