Outdoor feed pad/area ideas

[j6891]

Have out wintered my spring calving cows last few winters and wondering if anyone has any good ideas for making less mess. Just been using ring feeder but they make some mess in wet times and the cattle "kick back" a fair mound so can make a fair hole. Did think a few concrete panels lying down would be a good temporary feed pad. Can you get these grooved for grip? All ideas appreciated. Cheers

 

[Nithsdale]

Put down whatever you want... make whatever you want...

But if SEPA ever see it you'll have to put in tanks and drains to catch all slurry/effluent/runoff/water from it.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

What about bale grazing?

 

[Davy_g]

Some not so practical ideas but here goes. Try and rent some forest / sandy or limestone ground?

Put up a shed? thats what had to do, my ground gets wet quick and dries quick as the rock is shallow. I cant bear messing the ground up and tramping through gutters. Everything has a cost and the cost of a shed is only paid once.

Rent a shed? Plenty of farmers have retired with usable sheds sitting empty.

 

[j6891]

Put down whatever you want... make whatever you want...

But if SEPA ever see it you'll have to put in tanks and drains to catch all slurry/effluent/runoff/water from it.

Tanks etc for movable base? Surely not?

 

[Nithsdale]

Tanks etc for movable base? Surely not?

If you put any form of hard standing down which slurry and rainwater can run off of for cattle to feed on without a roof it must have tanks - moveable/temporary or not.


As I said, you can do whatever you want until SEPA see it.

 

[Optimus]

If you put any form of hard standing down which slurry and rainwater can run off of for cattle to feed on without a roof it must have tanks - moveable/temporary or not.


As I said, you can do whatever you want until SEPA see it.

Cant see mine for all the sh!te thats on it

 

[Highland Mule]

If you put any form of hard standing down which slurry and rainwater can run off of for cattle to feed on without a roof it must have tanks - moveable/temporary or not.


As I said, you can do whatever you want until SEPA see it.

What if the hard standing was there before the farm existed? Thinking old airport runways, abandoned roads etc.

 

[Nithsdale]

What if the hard standing was there before the farm existed? Thinking old airport runways, abandoned roads etc.

You can't feed cattle outside on man made hard standing - it either needs roofed or catchment tanks.


It's a stupid rule - because you can feed cattle on the same rocky spot year after year after year and that's totally fine. But lay a small area of concrete and SEPA go daft - it changes nothing regarding run off or slurry, but they don't like it

 

[Optimus]

You can't feed cattle outside on man made hard standing - it either needs roofed or catchment tanks.


It's a stupid rule - because you can feed cattle on the same rocky spot year after year after year and that's totally fine. But lay a small area of concrete and SEPA go daft - it changes nothing regarding run off or slurry, but they don't like it

They do come up with some stupid rules.

 

[j6891]

You can't feed cattle outside on man made hard standing - it either needs roofed or catchment tanks.


It's a stupid rule - because you can feed cattle on the same rocky spot year after year after year and that's totally fine. But lay a small area of concrete and SEPA go daft - it changes nothing regarding run off or slurry, but they don't like it

Buried panels? So it looks like rocky outcrop? Or dig a pit and fill with field stones like a giant soakaway? "It's always been like that guvnor"

 

[ollie989898]

As above, lay out bales when the weather is good then move an electric fence and strip graze as you go. Just need to make sure you remove the plastic wrap/net as you go else you'll forget where they are. Best done with careful management.

 

[Werzle]

Design a feed trailer with a roof and a six foot hydraulic standing pad.

 

[Nithsdale]

Buried panels? So it looks like rocky outcrop? Or dig a pit and fill with field stones like a giant soakaway? "It's always been like that guvnor"

If you could do it on the fly and get cattle into very quickly it'd muck over and nobody would ever know - unless they went digging


What you're wanting is a good idea - there were plenty areas like that, or concreted feed barriers along tracks all over the country. We used to have one as does the estate - all derelict now after the rules were laid down by the "experts"

 

[topground]

Move the round feeders daily, accept that they will make a mess but all of the dung and urine is applied direct. Harrow, apply grass seed and roll in the spring. By end of May you wouldn’t know they had been there apart from the amount of grass you will grow and you haven’t burnt diesel moving muck or spreading straw.

 

[beardface]

Put down whatever you want... make whatever you want...

But if SEPA ever see it you'll have to put in tanks and drains to catch all slurry/effluent/runoff/water from it.

Yet they and the EA are perfectly happy for you to have them knee deep in shite in a field corner.

 

[j6891]

Yes seems mad that a well situated outdoor pad isn't preferential for welfare reasons. Even housed cattle are 1/2 ft maybe more deep in dung and thats fine.

 

[cubby]

Depends on soil type we drill crops and move everything down a field as winter progresses.
Makes us spend money in right places reseeding etc

 

[TheRanger]

If you could do it on the fly and get cattle into very quickly it'd muck over and nobody would ever know - unless they went digging


What you're wanting is a good idea - there were plenty areas like that, or concreted feed barriers along tracks all over the country. We used to have one as does the estate - all derelict now after the rules were laid down by the "experts"

Plenty of these still in daily winter use in D&G at the side of public roads. JFDI

 

[early riser]

Concrete sleeper pad. Clean off with bucket brush as required