Straw use reduction

[Jz2017]

Morning all. Has anyone have any methods to keep cattle dryer/cleaner without blasting more straw under them? This wet atmosphere is really using up my straw stick

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Lower stocking density
Other than that sawdust

 

[KennyO]

Drier feed?

 

[tr250]

Diet has a massive impact as does yard shape without obstacles for them to walk round long way to feed water etc. Also yards with outside space they tend to take a lot of wet in with them

 

[foxbox]

Diet has a massive impact as does yard shape without obstacles for them to walk round long way to feed water etc. Also yards with outside space they tend to take a lot of wet in with them

Totally agree and mucking out more regularly can help too. We feed the cows on rapemeal and ad-lib straw, it produces a very dry bed usually but the autumn has left us with needing more straw to keep them clean. Really need to muck out in the next week, it'll help massively to reset the shed.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Totally agree and mucking out more regularly can help too. We feed the cows on rapemeal and ad-lib straw, it produces a very dry bed usually but the autumn has left us with needing more straw to keep them clean. Really need to muck out in the next week, it'll help massively to reset the shed.

I find mucking out more means you use more straw...you never have a base

 

[Sid]

Has anyone used a mix of rape and wheat or barley as a mix of bedding?
Would that help?

 

[Hilly]

I find mucking out more means you use more straw...you never have a base

I’ve tried all ways, it’s hard to save any really , this winter I’m mucking out little n often did them all last week it won’t save straw but I think it’s better for them and better for me , little n often easier really .

 

[som farmer]

rape straw will reduce usage massively, also cattle will keep cleaner, the problem is getting it.

 

[Hilly]

rape straw will reduce usage massively, also cattle will keep cleaner, the problem is getting it.

Do you use rape 100% or mix it with barley or wheat ?

 

[som farmer]

bloody hell, that was a quick reply, straight rape, small stock not so good, but larger fine, have used it for milkers in a straw yard, keep as clean as a whistle, store stock, once you have a bottom, straw up once every week, longer if on a dry ration. Problem is getting it, we had some lined up, farmer chopped it, as didn't think we would have, as straw was so cheap !

 

[Hilly]

bloody hell, that was a quick reply

Day off

 

[tr250]

Has anyone used a mix of rape and wheat or barley as a mix of bedding?
Would that help?

I do quite a bit put a bale of rape on the Bottom of the chopper then a bale of barley on top mainly it helps tangled spring barley straw through the machine.

 

[Sid]

bloody hell, that was a quick reply, straight rape, small stock not so good, but larger fine, have used it for milkers in a straw yard, keep as clean as a whistle, store stock, once you have a bottom, straw up once every week, longer if on a dry ration. Problem is getting it, we had some lined up, farmer chopped it, as didn't think we would have, as straw was so cheap !

Is it quite fragile?

 

[glasshouse]

Morning all. Has anyone have any methods to keep cattle dryer/cleaner without blasting more straw under them? This wet atmosphere is really using up my straw stick

Straw is cheap this yr

 

[icanshootwell]

I find mucking out more means you use more straw...you never have a base

Agree, but if you can clean where they feed your on to a winner as that,s where it,s really wet and mucky.

 

[Hilly]

Agree, but if you can clean where they feed your on to a winner as that,s where it,s really wet and mucky.

Scrape passage along feed barrier are the biggest saving you can have imo.

 

[Sid]

Straw is cheap this yr

Cheaper

 

[Forever Fendt]

I find mucking out more means you use more straw...you never have a base

Since I had a straw chopper /blower cleaning out more often uses a lot less straw in my opinion straw choppers save no straw if any at all but the time saving and convenience here is massive

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Since I had a straw chopper /blower cleaning out more often uses a lot less straw in my opinion straw choppers save no straw if any at all but the time saving and convenience here is massive

Well I’ve found the more you muck out the more straw you have to put it in to get a bed so the p!ss drains through and churning it up