UK Feed lots ?

[Clive]

Has it ever been done USA style in the UK ?

if not why not ?

 

[GTB]

I'm guessing weather would be the main drawback. Cattle need extra feed to just to keep going when it's cold and wet. They don't seem to mind the cold so much if it's dry.

 

[Hilly]

Has it ever been done USA style in the UK ?

if not why not ?

No idea, if i were you id be doing it, saying that plenty got thousands of head now, how many beasts do you need before your a feed lot ?

 

[Suffolk Serf]

One or two have tried it and end up spending a fortune on concrete- US feedlots only have concrete roadways and in the pens near the feed bunks and gateways.
It works best where there is a dry summer and a frozen winter from what I've seen.

 

[Clive]

No idea, if i were you id be doing it, saying that plenty got thousands of head now, how many beasts do you need before your a feed lot ?

im (clearly) no livestock expert but its not really size that defines a feed lot is it ? more to do with being a fenced outdoor "yard" set-up

 

[Clive]

One or two have tried it and end up spending a fortune on concrete- US feedlots only have concrete roadways and in the pens near the feed bunks and gateways.
It works best where there is a dry summer and a frozen winter from what I've seen.

on light, well drained chalk or sand maybe it could work ?

I expect the EA would not like it

 

[Hilly]

im (clearly) no livestock expert but its not really size that defines a feed lot is it ? more to do with being a fenced outdoor "yard" set-up

Oh, well two or three up here doing it, im going to try it one day, i think it might be the way for spring calving cows, but will have to try it for myself.

 

[Hilly]

on light, well drained chalk or sand maybe it could work ?

I expect the EA would not like it

Straw you have accsess to you could easy have 1000 cows with electric fence, use straw stacks as walls.

 

[GTB]

im (clearly) no livestock expert but its not really size that defines a feed lot is it ? more to do with being a fenced outdoor "yard" set-up

I think under uk weather conditions it would be cost effective to put some sort of roof over their heads. We used to outwinter some cattle in woodland. They did well but similar cattle that were housed and on the same diet would finish rather than be stores like the ones out in the woods.

 

[YELROM]

As others have said i think wet weather is your biggest problem.
You might keep the cattle clean enough for slaughter in summer but think you would struggle in winter

 

[Man_in_black]

Pretty sure bloke up Lincoln way been doing it for few years...

 

[Top Tip.]

There are some in Aberdeenshire feeding thousands but they are under a roof,some folk up here tried woodchip corrals but sepa and the rules and regulations priced them out.

 

[joe soapy]

Was one in South Devon years ago, now one up exeter way , nothing like the scale of the US ones
though. Think there was a out door cow finishing unit on the East coast

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Pretty sure bloke up Lincoln way been doing it for few years...

There is think he has 3000

 

[jondear]

I don't think the UK is big enough .Have you been past a feed lots in Texas the smell is horrendous the nimbys would have a field day .Also you need either hot or cold climate not everything in the middle like our climate!

 

[Man_in_black]

I don't think the UK is big enough .Have you been past a feed lots in Texas the smell is horrendous the nimbys would have a field day .Also you need either hot or cold climate not everything in the middle like our climate!

That's how I heard about it, on local news few years back complaints about smell .

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

In the late '80s we kept most of our suckler herd in an outdoor wire corral on straw as we couldn't afford another shed then. The main cattle shed was used for the weaned calves. It worked but was very messy and didn't seem very welfare friendly. I wouldn't go back to it.


And we're in an area with a kind climate

 

[Fleeced]

By feedlot do you mean outdoor yards or intensive farming?

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

By feedlot do you mean outdoor yards or intensive farming?

I assume it refers to the whole system of large scale, outdoor, intensively fed cattle with high growth rates.

 

[Fleeced]

I assume it refers to the whole system of large scale, outdoor, intensively fed cattle with high growth rates.

I thought this was already done, just not on the same scale as the US.