Bull Beef Shed Ideas

[shields kaiser]

Thinking of a new shed for 12 to 14 month bull beef finishers next year and wondered if any ideas on what you would do or do currently.
I would be feeding ad-lib grain and ad-lib straw, so had wondered about an out of parlour feeder type units and then no need for a feed barrier.
Or if I was to have a single rail feed barrier, would this be suitable for young bulls instead of diagonals?
Would likely look to bed them on woodchip also.

Any thoughts/ideas/photos of current systems would be very much appreciated,
Thanks!

 

[Rossymons]

Out of parlour feeders will need a concrete area and drainage. You would need to be able to scrape them out and the area around them to keep usable. Pellet or blend?

The feeders themselves can usually be picked up quite reasonably priced when they come on the market. A lot of them can be used with a button ear tag. Cut it out when they move off and put it in a new animal when it moves on.

 

[Werzle]

50-60ft wide Roof and legs penned out every two bays with feed bunkers for meal and forage in each which can be filled without entering the pen. Keep moving the next group up as the end pen are sent to kill.

 

[J 1177]

What iv done in mine (on a budget). Is divide it with 10ft x 1.8m cattle hurdles into 3 45x30 pens. Hopper for barley and a ring feeder for each pen. Nice and simple.
The site was built up a 4ft with brick and then chippings with the clay underneath on a slope. I havent put a concrete floor in yet and so far straw usage has dropped. They are dry and comfy.

 

[tr250]

This shed is 88ft wide with feed passage in the middle

 

[deleted user 837354]

Keep it simple and robust. As above, RSJs and steel tube or crash barriers etc. You may not need a concrete floor. Some internal divisions may be useful particularly if you want to pen them back to scrape the standing area out with a bucket but I'd do everything to avoid the need to enter the pens. Unit above very much reminds me of the unit I worked on in my youth. Used to throw bales in which they would beat up themselves though, fed on mostly on rolled barley grown on farm for the job.

 

[shields kaiser]

This shed is 88ft wide with feed passage in the middle

Looks a good solid rail for the barrier, quite pleased and no issues? (We have only ever worked with diagonnals/locking yokes here)

 

[Whitepeak]

For dividing gates go for 6 rail as opposed to 5 rail. We have 5 rail stock yard gates in one shed and were always getting bulls with their heads stuck between the bars. The new shed has 6 rail stock yard gates and we've never had one put it's head through, despite having heifers in the next pen!
And have water troughs outside the pen. Bulls will be less likely to play with it and break it, plus its makes mending it or cleaning it out much safer and easier.

 

[deleted user 837354]

I must say I always enjoy seeing cattle on TFF like that, clean as a whistle and happy as larry.

 

[tr250]

Looks a good solid rail for the barrier, quite pleased and no issues? (We have only ever worked with diagonnals/locking yokes here)

Yes it’s 193mm 6mm wall so it’s not cheap tube but I needed it strong. I welded 150mm channel onto the bar to fit the rsj so that the rail sits in front of the concrete floor panel to allow comfortable feeding. I think a diagonal feed barrier is marginally more comfortable for the cattle and it’s better for keeping calves in but they are not as strong and are worse for tag retention. This shed we only use for finnishing cattle I have made a few other yards the same now as they are good for stock bulls but majority of our cow yards are still diagonal

 

[Werzle]

This shed is 88ft wide with feed passage in the middle

Great shed and fantastic cattle but are they all homebred? i would of thought if someone was buying in bulls 7-12mths, some weaned some not ,that the groups would be to big and the wild and unweaned ones would jump out?

 

[tr250]

Great shed and fantastic cattle but are they all homebred? i would of thought if someone was buying in bulls 7-12mths, some weaned some not ,that the groups would be to big and the wild and unweaned ones would jump out?

Yes every one was born here. We like to run in big lots then divide when near fat up into other yards when cows have gone out in lorry compartment numbers so the whole group go on one compartment. I suppose if buying in bulls op would want smaller yards but they mix pretty well as weaned calves

 

[tr250]

This is one of the four water troughs I concreted in that are bull proof they are gravity fed from a rainwater harvesting tank outside. In hindsight I would have bought slightly wider ones

 

[shields kaiser]

Thanks for the great info, will definately use for planning. Sorry I should have said, will all be home born/grown calves, nothing bought in. Your cattle look great tr250, a credit to you!