Automatic Manure scrapper.

[Davy]

Are you short of oil in the resevoir. I've seen that happen on a different system after a burst, on that particular one the bottom of the sight glas wasnt enough.

I'm not familiar witj the storth system, but a lot of systems has one solenoid valve on each ram that prevents them going forward and an automatic reversing valve on the hudraulic unit that reverses the oil flow when a certain pressure is reached. If you have enough oil in there and other passages work I'd be looking at the solenoid valve.

Found a wire pulled out from the return solonoid. Coincidental it happened same time as a pipe burst, why I never took any time to investigate the wiring.

 

[Tarw Coch]

I’d personally avoid the hydraulic ratchet systems like the plague. If the shite isn’t dried on so the ratchets can’t work througbh summer, it’ll frozen so they can’t work in winter. And unless it’s recessed into the floor you’ll get a daily shower of shite as any nearby cows feet slip off the guide bar and send shite flying.

Rope for me every time [emoji106]. Most rope systems will scrape 2 lanes in half the time a hydraulic one could do 1 lane

Surely you overstate the problems with hydraulics, yes muck can dry on the track which needs cleaning in dry weather, our cows are out the summer but go in the feed passage for buffer feed daily, we might have to clean the track once or twice over the summer to keep them going, just drag the yard scraper over the track usually does the trick, we haven’t had to do it yet this summer.
Frost can be a problem in the winter but only a severe one, hasn’t been a problem here for quite a few years, we are more likely to get problems with freezing in the parlour than the scrapers.
And yes occasionally a cow will put her foot on the track and it will slip off and splash some Sh!t, it certainly isn’t a daily occurrence here, you’d be unlucky to see it a handful of times in a year in my experience.

Hydraulic scrapers like any machinery aren’t without their problems but I’d rate mine as one of the most reliable pieces of machinery on the farm

 

[jerseycowsman]

I have 2 DeBoer cable scrapers systems in for 15 years now. Usually replace one of the 3 cables on each system each winter as the cables eventually snap. Our shed is 180ft long so quite a long pull. The scraper carriages are starting to wear out so will probably replace the systems in the next year or so. Favourite to replace is a rope scraper system.
I have never been a fan of the hydraulic systems as I felt the ratchet bar down the middle of the passageway was to intrusive.

We’ve got hydraulic scrapers that are 30 years old. Only been replacing the worn out track for the last couple of years. So I think a 28 year life span trumps the 3 years of the rope!
And I haven’t noticed the track causing any problems for the cows

 

[Bullet9]

Have fellow members installed the manure scrapping system?


If you've installed of which company, what types of technologies it uses: chain, hydraulic,etc. ?

And finally why do you think its better and the price of system.

I am going to start a small size dairy farm, with 100 cows capacity, I am thankful for your input.

Stay safe.

Me personally I've had storth Hydraulic scrapers and chains. I took the Hydraulics out after 5 years. They were so slow and track played havoc with the cows feet. Hose would burst and ran seals would burst. If you want to waste money on electric then go for Hydraulics. I've got rope scrapers in now Pollock Rope scraper best decision I've ever made. Can scrape more often passage ways are lot cleaner. And I'm saving money on electric win win

 

[ollie989898]

The rope scrapers are so simple. It's a control board, an electric motor and a gearbox. Very, very simple. Nothing to freeze or seize up. If you paid your local dairy engineers to change the ropes every 6 months they would never break at the wrong time. Even if they do it's not difficult to back a scraper tractor in and scrape over the rope if that makes sense.

Just make sure you have a system that pushes/pulls slurry in both directions, the one way versions can't clean the passages fully so you are left having to do it manually each day. I know that involved slats and a channel each end of a shed but it's definitely the best way to do it.

 

[Bullet9]

The rope scrapers are so simple. It's a control board, an electric motor and a gearbox. Very, very simple. Nothing to freeze or seize up. If you paid your local dairy engineers to change the ropes every 6 months they would never break at the wrong time. Even if they do it's not difficult to back a scraper tractor in and scrape over the rope if that makes sense.

Just make sure you have a system that pushes/pulls slurry in both directions, the one way versions can't clean the passages fully so you are left having to do it manually each day. I know that involved slats and a channel each end of a shed but it's definitely the best way to do it.

We've had our ropes in for over 3 years and never broke one yet. But if I does break we will be able to knot it together again as its 1/2 inch rope. Our control panel is so simple non of this digital rubbish. Wouldn't put Hydraulics in again

 

[ollie989898]

We've had our ropes in for over 3 years and never broke one yet. But if I does break we will be able to knot it together again as its 1/2 inch rope. Our control panel is so simple non of this digital rubbish. Wouldn't put Hydraulics in again

Cripes, that is impressive if you have never had a rope break.

I've never looking inside a control box so couldn't tell you what is in there, sounds like some relays and a timer of some sort.

 

[Bullet9]

Cripes, that is impressive if you have never had a rope break.

I've never looking inside a control box so couldn't tell you what is in there, sounds like some relays and a timer of some sort.

Yeah so people keep telling me. Pollock rope I think is 17tone break strain the guys where telling me at the time. Ours has this pressure switch so when it hit the stop on the ground. It triggers something on the drive and cuts out which takes pressure off the rope.

 

[thesilentone]

The first thing to consider is the cows.

The passage width and cow numbers will also have an influence.

Chain ? Wire Rope ? Rope ? or Robotic?

I would not consider chain any good for cows feet, however Rope and Robotic will be the least worst.

No 1 - Which one is best (least worst) for the animals ????

 

[Tarw Coch]

The first thing to consider is the cows.

The passage width and cow numbers will also have an influence.

Chain ? Wire Rope ? Rope ? or Robotic?

I would not consider any good for cows feet, however Rope and Robotic will be the least worst.

No 1 - Which one is best (least worst) for the animals ????

I would consider any better than none provided run frequently

 

[thesilentone]

I would consider any better than none provided run frequently

just added a word I missed

 

[TheRanger]

Anyone got a ballpark figure for a 2 passage 100’ hydraulic or rope scraper system?

Trying to do some rough calculations for a youngstock shed.

 

[jerseycowsman]

Anyone got a ballpark figure for a 2 passage 100’ hydraulic or rope scraper system?

Trying to do some rough calculations for a youngstock shed.

£8 go £10 k at least

 

[bigw]

Anyone got a ballpark figure for a 2 passage 100’ hydraulic or rope scraper system?

Trying to do some rough calculations for a youngstock shed.

Should do ropes for 8k

 

[Jamer]

Anyone got a ballpark figure for a 2 passage 100’ hydraulic or rope scraper system?

Trying to do some rough calculations for a youngstock shed.

There's a hydraulic system coming out here soon. Storth 5 lane but only 2 lanes used for most of it's time here so plenty (c.350 ft) barely used track and c. 350 ft well used. Shed is being refitted for sand this spring so not re installing. Pm if any interest.

 

[pappuller]

There's a hydraulic system coming out here soon. Storth 5 lane but only 2 lanes used for most of it's time here so plenty (c.350 ft) barely used track and c. 350 ft well used. Shed is being refitted for sand this spring so not re installing. Pm if any interest.

@Beef Farmer

 

[Ducati899]

I had a pipe burst on my storth system, now that it's fixed I can't get that ram to work. The 2 solonoids keep pressurising on and off instantly. Have you seen any complications when taking pipes off? Only thing I can think of is dirt has gotten into the ram

I had mine serviced just before Christmas and ever since it’s been doing exactly this,it’ll eventually clear and the ram will then fully extend and work as normal,service guy is saying it’s where we changed a ram seal just over a year ago and we’ve got some debris in it!! Happened Christmas morning New Years morning and this morning,it’s a 2 passage system and one side works fine

 

[Bullet9]

I had mine serviced just before Christmas and ever since it’s been doing exactly this,it’ll eventually clear and the ram will then fully extend and work as normal,service guy is saying it’s where we changed a ram seal just over a year ago and we’ve got some debris in it!! Happened Christmas morning New Years morning and this morning,it’s a 2 passage system and one side works fine

It sounds like air in the system switch the hoses over then switch back should cure the system

 

[Bullet9]

Anyone got a ballpark figure for a 2 passage 100’ hydraulic or rope scraper system?

Trying to do some rough calculations for a youngstock shed.

Should call Will From Pollocks he's always given me a great price on my rope scrapers.

 

[Redcows]

We’ve installed 2 storth hydraulic systems in the past few years, one shed is 2x 120ft lanes and the other 4x 60ft lanes, both cost roughly 12k including installation. IMO the best investment we have made, saves a hell of a lot of Labour and so far haven’t had any issues with them!