Calf rearing set ups

[Jdunn55]

Following on form my post about an auto feeder which I don't think will work now, please could everyone send through photos of how they do it, what they do up to weaning and what with?

In addition the photo shows my yard layout, the blue represents my ponds in the middle of the concrete, and red is where the roof is leaking, I need somewhere for close to calving cows to go, new born calves (up to say 2 weeks) in individual pens, group pens up to weaning and an area for a group of 6 month calves to go

Hopefully you'll see my conundrum...

 

[frederick]

When sheds are your problem you won't go wrong with these. Put a blue drum in each corner with 8 peach teats 12 calves in each pen.
You have to remember calves are going to hit you fast you need bigger groups. We train a calf to drink will be in the hutch by 4days.
Symms fabrications

 

[Jdunn55]

When sheds are your problem you won't go wrong with these. Put a blue drum in each corner with 8 peach teats 12 calves in each pen.
You have to remember calves are going to hit you fast you need bigger groups. We train a calf to drink will be in the hutch by 4days.
Symms fabrications


View attachment 998780

That looks really good, it also looks expensive?

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

What’s the idea of having young calves in individual pens? Would that not create more work?

 

[frederick]

What's expensive.mine were £800 12 years or more ago. They won't be as bad as you think only a sheet and a half of ply each side.
Each hutch does 24 calves ayear. 12years old. So they are currently standing at £2.77 a calf investment for a pneumonia free life and freeing up another shed for other things.
We have bought a couple of extra sheets of ply to replace the odd well locked one.

Have a couple side by side and then open up into one big pen when weaned and you can go to 4-5 months.

 

[Jdunn55]

What’s the idea of having young calves in individual pens? Would that not create more work?

Just to make sure they're drinking properly, thinkinh about it though probably wouldn't be 2 weeks, more likely a week based on what I've done this year

 

[Jdunn55]

What's expensive.mine were £800 12 years or more ago. They won't be as bad as you think only a sheet and a half of ply each side.
Each hutch does 24 calves ayear. 12years old. So they are currently standing at £2.77 a calf investment for a pneumonia free life and freeing up another shed for other things.
We have bought a couple of extra sheets of ply to replace the odd well locked one.

Have a couple side by side and then open up into one big pen when weaned and you can go to 4-5 months.

I get whT your saying, and they may only be 3 quid a calf but they still need paying for and I just having got that sort of money at the moment, the only reason I could justify a auto calf feeder was because I was hoping it would save time and therefore pay for itself fairly quickly, they do look good though

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Just to make sure they're drinking properly, thinkinh about it though probably wouldn't be 2 weeks, more likely a week based on what I've done this year

How are you feeding them at the moment?

 

[Jdunn55]

How are you feeding them at the moment?

With difficulty, there's only 3, 1 is upstairs and 2 are in a hurdle pen in the middle of a shed but it won't work when I have loads of them
I was hoping the rooves would be sorted by now but spoke to the builders and they can't get roofing sheets and the traditional buildings aren't being done until next summer regardless
Nothing is bloody easy on this farm

 

[In the pit]

@Beef farmer
Shanty town neede

 

[Beef farmer]

Did the previous Tennant not leave a massive covered silage clamp? Some bales, string and gates. Your expecting 50 calves. 14 bales, 5 12ft gates and some string. Job done.

 

[Beef farmer]

fit 120 calves in there. Feed them in 15 min. Easy. In your situation once its mid/late march, turn them out on milk.

 

[Samcowman]

View attachment 998782fit 120 calves in there. Feed them in 15 min. Easy. In your situation once its mid/late march, turn them out on milk.

Is that sheets of tin over the back part of the bale pens?
We have a calf shed with an auto feeder then do bale pens like this for the overflow. 16ft deep (2 bales) then a 15 ft gate wide in the empty straw shed. Did 120 like this this summer/autumn. Works pretty well. Water along the back in black jfc?? troughs.

 

[Beef farmer]

Is that sheets of tin over the back part of the bale pens?
We have a calf shed with an auto feeder then do bale pens like this for the overflow. 16ft deep (2 bales) then a 15 ft gate wide in the empty straw shed. Did 120 like this this summer/autumn. Works pretty well. Water along the back in black jfc?? troughs.

Yeah roof sheets held down with pallets/tyres.
Water on front gate.
10 in each pen.
4 sets of feeders
Carry milk around in an ibc, its as fast as you can work.

 

[In the pit]

Some people can make looking after calves so easy others make it bloody hard work

 

[Samcowman]

Yeah roof sheets held down with pallets/tyres.
Water on front gate.
10 in each pen.
4 sets of feeders
Carry milk around in an ibc, its as fast as you can work.

Beauty of having milk on tap. We use powder and wydale mobile mixer hot water from the pressure washer, can definitely get through them though

 

[buffalo_soldier]

If there's no budget, the answer is easier to find.
Also the beauty is the system can evolve as you do, rather than being tied to a big spend(the term hampster wheel can be used here)

Shanty town with gates off fields that ain't being used.
Keep an eye on eBay/dispersals etc, for calf feeders. They add up buying all new, I got 10 two teat feeders this spring in a collective sale for £40. They will have been nearer £400 new I guess.

My take on automatic feeding is they work well in bespoke accommodation and excellent management.
Best one I've seen had the feeders on a mesh floor taking all liquid waste away. Which adds up when cleaning 3+ times daily. Which brings me to my other point, if you're time poor, they are not the solution.

 

[Blue.]

I used the top off a 20’ curtain side body once, left the back curtain and welded hinges on the front posts to hang gates off.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

I even built a shanty set up this year, took advantage of the large hole where my fertiliser should be

 

[Cowmansam]

Bale pens for 2 weeks then out to grass on drums of milk