I'm looking very carefully at going with sand Bedding. I would like to know if it's worth my while, I have open slurry lagoon. With a flush system installed already to flush my slurry channel out as my sawdust was very thick previous. I can get sand cheaper than sawdust. I well aware is more abrasive and things what changes would you guys recommend I do with my machaniery. I spread my own slurry so contractors ain't an issue as I've heard they refuse to pump and mix slurry for you.
Sand
- Thread starter Bullet9
- Start date
Why?
Moorlands
Member
- Location
- West yorkshire
Gone to sand bedding here put first beds in 18 month ago and wouldn’t go back cows clean, scc down, mastitis next to none existent (touch wood)
Spread our own slurry with tanker had to clean it out a couple of times but not too bad have a big water pump so just washed it out.
Spread our own slurry with tanker had to clean it out a couple of times but not too bad have a big water pump so just washed it out.
I have few options on the table I've got 4" deep beds at the time i matted the cubicles and after the summer I noticed most need replacing and the quote I got would bring tear to glass eye. I can re use the sand at the end of the year its bound to add up to at least a saving. I did have an issue with mastitis but seem to have it under control but its the money aspect really.
MMooo
Moorland what type of sand do you use. Also how deep are the beds? And do you recycle the sand. I've been looking at building sand. I've been to a few farms only thing I notice is cows are red underneath from lying on it. But I've got few cowbrushes but not low enough to take it off.
How are you thinking of separating the sand?
If I was to start again I’d build a sand lane.
Local chap is using beach sand,think it was £13/t delivered in an artic.
Moorlands
Member
- Location
- West yorkshire
Ours is quarried sand although river/estuary sand is good building sand is too course.
These cows are on 2 inch of sand on top of Wilson pasture mats really happy with them.
First ones we did are deep sand but with easifix sand saver mat don’t like those beds they are bad to manage as you can’t clean soiled sand out of the honey comb very well Thinking those beds could become an issue.
As for sand recycling no not doing it don’t think we have the scale for it.
We use screened sand, basically what’s left over from the sand taken for building. It is very fine and soft in the bed. Deep sand beds here about 5 years now, gamechanger for me, mastitis low, hock damage zero, forced culling negligible. Don’t recycle as we only use about 300t at a cost of just over £10/t. Goes in our shuttered pit, spread the slurry then loader and shelbourne side discharge for the sand and slop left.
Milkcow365
Member
- Location
- Sw Scotland
This is what I’m planing on doing soon, but il need to retrofit a curb in, I’m thinking somthing like a parlour curb thunder bolted to the edge of bed? Would I only need 2inch on top of the mattress ? Or should the Curb give 3 inch cover so it gives it some extra volume?Ours is quarried sand although river/estuary sand is good building sand is too course.
These cows are on 2 inch of sand on top of Wilson pasture mats really happy with them.
First ones we did are deep sand but with easifix sand saver mat don’t like those beds they are bad to manage as you can’t clean soiled sand out of the honey comb very well Thinking those beds could become an issue.
As for sand recycling no not doing it don’t think we have the scale for it.
how do you manage the beds just hand raking? And how often do you top them up?
I can get washed sand for £6 a ton collected 1 mile away.
Moorlands
Member
- Location
- West yorkshire
Ours has a 3 inch lip we started keeping sand to top of curb but found it didn’t make any difference if we let sand be lower and sand usage reduced.
We hand rake as we fetch cows out to be fair don’t do much,
pee in bed is a lot bigger problem than muck spent quite a bit of time tweaking cubicles to get them lying right.
I normally go down curb using back of rake pushing sand back onto bed flick odds bits of sh!t a pee out.
If I was you I would thunder bolt a timber down back of bed.
I was thinking the sand will be at the bottom on the lagoon once I load it out we would build a special lane with a decline towards some sort of drain to allow any water out to escape. All under roof of course. Did look at some sort of machine like a massive sive but was thousands of pounds.
I would always aim for gravity or similar doing the job rather than anything mechanical.
@Beef farmer dont you have a settling lagoon?
Ours is quarried sand although river/estuary sand is good building sand is too course.
These cows are on 2 inch of sand on top of Wilson pasture mats really happy with them.
First ones we did are deep sand but with easifix sand saver mat don’t like those beds they are bad to manage as you can’t clean soiled sand out of the honey comb very well Thinking those beds could become an issue.
As for sand recycling no not doing it don’t think we have the scale for it.
Yeah it's very similar to my beds to be honest, I've alot of thinking to do. Do you mix and pump slurry yourself?Ours is quarried sand although river/estuary sand is good building sand is too course.
These cows are on 2 inch of sand on top of Wilson pasture mats really happy with them.
First ones we did are deep sand but with easifix sand saver mat don’t like those beds they are bad to manage as you can’t clean soiled sand out of the honey comb very well Thinking those beds could become an issue.
As for sand recycling no not doing it don’t think we have the scale for it.
I was just thinking if I had unlevel floor so to speak was thinking that would help, if recycling sand was a good idea I would be saving ££. Only problem I see I have auto scrapers in and new mixer will I be for ever spend ££ on them dont fancy going back to tractor scraper for a kick off. The sand I was thing was builders sand
Put in 40 tonnes in every two weeks here 190 cubicles 6 inches deep. 20 tonnes one week in a shed of 95 then 20 tonnes in the other shed 95 the following week. Scrape beds out milking time, barely no muck to scrape off the beds when fresh sand down. Empty lagoon every 2-3 years with digger dump it in the middle of field let it dry out in the sun a discharge it. Would never go bk to mats.
Are you on a flat farm?
If I set off out of my yard with a spreader more than a third full it would be running out of the front or the back,only way for me would be some sort of sealed lid.
I tend to dump it in the nearest field with a dump trailer then when it’s dry enough mixed with a FYM it can be piled up high on rear discharge. Just saves paying contractors to cart slop. Yeah ideally have dump trailer with a door but don’t. But doesn’t matter as I don’t go on the road until it’s dried out. Quite dry coming out of pit if it’s been empty long enough on summer. Big pile in the middle where the stirrer pushes it to.
