Feed rail height.

dgjeynes

Member
Looking to put our feed rail up on our new shed and wondering if there’s an ideal height. Cows are big Holsteins have a 600mm tall x 150mm concrete panel feed fence and feed passage is 150mm higher than cow passage. We have 100mm spacers for the rail but not sure if we need them as we’re fixing to a 255mm steel so are already nearly 100mm stood off of the panel.
 

Old apprentice

Member
Arable Farmer
One idea is to make the standing area lower than the feed area if you put digonal bars in lean them away from the cows so they don't rub the shoulders if you put diagonal barriers in just go as high as you can as high as the cows so top bar does not rub on the cow neck shoulder..
 

dgjeynes

Member
One idea is to make the standing area lower than the feed area if you put digonal bars in lean them away from the cows so they don't rub the shoulders if you put diagonal barriers in just go as high as you can as high as the cows so top bar does not rub on the cow neck shoulder..
Standing area is 150mm lower than feed area. Just a single horizontal bar
 

Horn&corn

Member
Looking to put our feed rail up on our new shed and wondering if there’s an ideal height. Cows are big Holsteins have a 600mm tall x 150mm concrete panel feed fence and feed passage is 150mm higher than cow passage. We have 100mm spacers for the rail but not sure if we need them as we’re fixing to a 255mm steel so are already nearly 100mm stood off of the panel.
We drilled a few holes so we have flexibility. Try a ratchet strap initially to get an idea. Some cows seem to rub necks more than others but depends how keen they are to reach out.
if you keep it pushed up I doubt you’ll need the spacer
 

Barleycorn

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Hampshire
We had a lot of callouses on the cow's necks so we replaced the steel tubing with a steel cable threaded inside MDPE water pipe. Just gives a bit of flexibility.
 

Sandpit Farm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Derbyshire
Start with 1.25m and have a look monthly to see if you are getting rub marks on the cows, if you are, raise it a bit more (but close the gates in case they get out). Anything you can do to reduce stretching will increase feed rates (eg resin, bunkers, regular push ups etc). Slight height difference from standing area to feed area will help but too high and they will chuck food everywhere.
 

rusty

Member
IMG_20211130_221910503.jpg
130 cm to the bottom of the rail from cow side. Feed passage is 6" higher. One of my smallest cows next to one of the bigger ones. I think having a good offset really helps prevent neck rubbing.
 
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