Beef building - green field site

[mo!]

Sheds not that full this time of year, only half has 500-600kg cattle in, one pen had some autumn calvers in with the next pen as a creep for the calves and one pen has 32 spring born stirks in. Currently using about 10 5' bales a week. They're fairly clean but not spotless. Finished ones still need a bit of clipping out. Before christmas had 80 spring calvers in with calves. Sheds split into 6 pens so 3 lots of cows with a creep pen for calves. Was using 14 bales a week but cows were getting dirty.

We're using 10 5' spring barley a week for 80 600-700kg steers. They are getting cleaner but we don't clip for StM. ABP want them spotless so we put them in a well bedded pen for a week then clip.

 

[Andrew1983]

We're using 10 5' spring barley a week for 80 600-700kg steers. They are getting cleaner but we don't clip for StM. ABP want them spotless so we put them in a well bedded pen for a week then clip.

It’s amazing the difference a well vented shed makes to bedding. I have a 60s built shed with crap ventilation, been using 2x 5 foot bales a day for a pen of 28 5-600kg cattle and it still isn’t keeping them clean. Another shed with 50 350-400kg cattle is a bale a day to keep clean. They are thriving much better too.

 

[mo!]

It’s amazing the difference a well vented shed makes to bedding. I have a 60s built shed with crap ventilation, been using 2x 5 foot bales a day for a pen of 28 5-600kg cattle and it still isn’t keeping them clean. Another shed with 50 350-400kg cattle is a bale a day to keep clean. They are thriving much better too.

Totally agree, we have been round our old sheds and removed the ridges and it has improved them no end. The extra light is a huge bonus too. We managed to do them from below as they are steel purlins so just chopped the hook bolts and wriggled the ridge through. New bolts and jobs a good un.

 

[franklin]

Just out of interest, when you design your shed layout and pens etc, do you have a range of pen sizes for different weight of beasts and move them about, or do you build them with fixed pen sizes and tollerate them having a bit more room than they really need when smaller? For example if my shed was split up into pens 37.5ft x 30ft holding 12 600kg beasts ready to go to market, then its going to be a bit sparse when a new batch of animals half that size come in?

 

[organicguy]

Just out of interest, when you design your shed layout and pens etc, do you have a range of pen sizes for different weight of beasts and move them about, or do you build them with fixed pen sizes and tollerate them having a bit more room than they really need when smaller? For example if my shed was split up into pens 37.5ft x 30ft holding 12 600kg beasts ready to go to market, then its going to be a bit sparse when a new batch of animals half that size come in?

We have younger cattle in different sheds, dont like sharing air space with young and old cattle. The shed |I am building will only be for 2 year old cattle in their fattening period. When they are mainly gone we may move other cattle in if the stocking density is really low.

 

[kps]

We're using 10 5' spring barley a week for 80 600-700kg steers. They are getting cleaner but we don't clip for StM. ABP want them spotless so we put them in a well bedded pen for a week then clip.

Interesting I've been told st merryn want them clean and abp aren't bothered they'll clip them when dead.

 

[mo!]

Interesting I've been told st merryn want them clean and abp aren't bothered they'll clip them when dead.

I don't think ABP have that capability at York.

 

[kps]

I don't think ABP have that capability at York.

That'll be why then. Thanks.

 

[M-J-G]

I would put the feed barriers on the outside rather than a feed passage which would mean you could feed with a loader if your feeder / mixer wagon broke down.

That's not a problem in a central passage, I do it regularly.

 

[M-J-G]

I had the same situation a couple of years ago - although for slightly less cattle.

Here is what I have done, very pleased with it, 20 minutes a day to feed and bed about 45. Cost about 50 K with us doing the internals, concrete scrape, chalk under bedded area. Flip over troughs in between the scrape and bedded areas but only accessible from the scrape side.

View attachment 619420
120 by 40 with a 5 foot cantilever. Handling back right outside and along the rear to let cattle back in through either of those little doors in the back wall, although this bit is still under construction.

4 foot panels along the feed trough to stop draughts and sliage going all over the yard. Open ridge.

I put proper ends in to keep the ventilation right, extension would only mean re-hanging the doors and taking down the apex.

Nice shed! Drinkers at the scrape passage are a good thing.
What width is the scrape passage, could you get away with less?

 

[Pan mixer]

Nice shed! Drinkers at the scrape passage are a good thing.
What width is the scrape passage, could you get away with less?

It is 12 feet, perhaps a foot less would be fine but I didn't want it too narrow as there can be conflict at the barrier.

In the end the building turned up with posts for 12 feet scrape and that is fine.

 

[M-J-G]

It is 12 feet, perhaps a foot less would be fine but I didn't want it too narrow as there can be conflict at the barrier.

In the end the building turned up with posts for 12 feet scrape and that is fine.

It looks wider than 12 at a glance.
I'd agree 12ft seems about right.

 

[Pan mixer]

It looks wider than 12 at a glance.
I'd agree 12ft seems about right.

I was in the roof in there today and took another picture.

Yes it does look wider, it may be 13 feet thinking about it.

 

[M-J-G]

I was in the roof in there today and took another picture.

View attachment 620920
Yes it does look wider, it may be 13 feet thinking about it.

Do the cattle have to drink from the feed area side?

 

[Pan mixer]

Do the cattle have to drink from the feed area side?

Yes, the other side is sheeted over to stop water in the bedding side

 

[neilo]

No votes for a Roundhouse for the OP then?

Not cheap, but everyone that has one seems pleased with the way they work.
@Lovegoodstock has a very tidy set up in one, was well impressed.

 

[Lovegoodstock]

Very kind @neilo. Initially my response was going to be its more of a store cattleshed than a fattening one, as I have numerous cattle of varying younger ages that I replace the ones that I have sold from the roundhouse with, but same principle easily could apply with fatteners. I needed a better handling system/ crush and more space, being on 3 sites, although very close together, as in cattle can run across adjoining fields to get to it, I thought better use of money to have a good set up in a RH rather than a set up at each place. The absolute beauty, is I don't believe anything touches it for airflow. Mainly homebred but last year bought in 20, mixed with some of mine, wean in varying stages, no use of those nose things, no vaccinations, im not in the worst part of the country, but I get those misty November, and January days where you see no light, damp and horrible, and pneumonia is simply not a problem, to the point I never walk through the shed to check, done whilst driving feeder wagon around, simply walk for pleasure, put a like for like sized shed up 2 years prior, and for a reason I would explain via PM , was barely any dearer, excluding the crush race etc, but all I found the difference was in cost was the extra pens/ gates, but for me meant steers away from heifers, bunches in same size /age, equivalent sized conventional shed, ie rectangular, feed barrier at front, means a fair bit under half of feed space if I remember correctly. If anyone wants a look they are more than welcome, I was against it at first and my 73 year old father at the time was keen, I know wrong way round, but as normal he was right, short or trying to save labour, this RH definitely ticks the box, the marginal cost I believe is seen back within the year/ maybe 2 depending on peoples situation, but amazed cost with vaccine for pneumonia and time required, and shocked to hear so many saying that it really improves their response when you treat the odd few with draxin/ zactran. Plenty of bad things here I will admit, but not weaning calves, not with any check despite not creeping normally, use probably too much draxin but sheep feet never pneumonia, going there now, what are the odds of 5 gasping for air!!!!

 

[M-J-G]

No votes for a Roundhouse for the OP then?

Not cheap, but everyone that has one seems pleased with the way they work.
@Lovegoodstock has a very tidy set up in one, was well impressed.

To be fair most sheds with no sides are pretty good for ventilation, but that's not always an option, particularly on an exposed site.

The main thing that puts me off the Roundhouse is that it's only ever going to be a stock shed, which is fine if you have stock in it all year round or have a lot of other housing, but it's not the best when it comes to things like harvest time, straw storage or diversifying to anything else.

 

[M-J-G]

Yes, the other side is sheeted over to stop water in the bedding side

That's a good thing!

 

[hendrebc]

Could you have a roundhouse on comfort slats or is it just a straw bedded shed? Or just part of the shed would be better to have some space for cows with young calves