Un-attended cow crossing .. for Robot system

[Foregoneconclusion]

a few folk on here have said they get loads of trouble just moving cows across the road with people there, I really cant see how this would work

Cows - especially robotic cows have a great ability to know where they should go.. i know of one chap who astonishingly lets his cows out of the parlour to cross the road to grazing completely unattented apart from the tail end charlies..admittedly this is in a big mob and not bit by bit. However.. it is NVS!

But perhaps by trouble you mean human trouble.. yes.. the risks are certainly there especially as some cows may enjoy standing in a pool of light on the highway enjoying the view.. and yes some tool may leave horse access gates open but technology these days can surely be employed to activate an interlock?

I would certainly have cctv on site and warning lights etc.. but can't mitigate all the risks. In the case of a power cut some gates can be set to close off the access until power was restored.. the bots etc wouldn't work anyway if power went down. Sensors on the lanes could be employed to block cow crossing if cars are detected on the highway too..

In this day and age surely we have the technology...

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Anyone an idea of the cost of an underpass?

As above, £40-£50k depending on what you find when you start digging.

That's assuming there are no services like gas, water or phone under the road.

 

[Foregoneconclusion]

Is that just for cows to walk through or would it allow tractors through?The road crossing would be a lot cheaper I suppose, any idea of the cost of it?

Just for moos.. drainage is a bit of a challenge too..
don't know about cost of automated crossing but will need to get my abacus out soon..

 

[Henarar]

But perhaps by trouble you mean human trouble.

yes

 

[Henarar]

how about a bridge ?

 

[llamedos]

Hi . I'm in the throes of getting my team revved up to begin build of our replacement dairy unit.. which is all robotic.
In our plans we intended to use an underpass to cross under an unclassified road which is on the approach to the village. As our budget is getting a bit pressured i'm looking to reduce costs by going for a surface crossing.

This would take the form of a well lit crossing on a straight section of road with grids each side of the crossing and automated warning lights each side of the crossing point.

The crossing point is hoped to be towards the north end of the gentle bend in this link..

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.7...4!1s3XTq8ozeVDxoINds1oZ_rw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I have begun a conversation with local highways team and they are engaging but rather hesitant as they say there is nothing of this sort in the uk..

Being a crossing for robotic cows the cows will at some point be crossing in the dark. Visibility is good and if well but sympathetically lit (the bats will love the lights as all kinds of beasties will be attracted) with warning beacons activated by cow presence i cant see the issues..

Is anyone aware of anything like this anywhere they have been.. ie a totally un- gated cow crossing on a public highway?

Anyone got ideas to help move the discussion on to a happy ending?

How will horse riders use the road if there are cattle grids each side? Sorry if I have misunderstood your intention

 

[Clay52]

Cows - especially robotic cows have a great ability to know where they should go.. i know of one chap who astonishingly lets his cows out of the parlour to cross the road to grazing completely unattented apart from the tail end charlies..admittedly this is in a big mob and not bit by bit. However.. it is NVS!

But perhaps by trouble you mean human trouble.. yes.. the risks are certainly there especially as some cows may enjoy standing in a pool of light on the highway enjoying the view.. and yes some tool may leave horse access gates open but technology these days can surely be employed to activate an interlock?

I would certainly have cctv on site and warning lights etc.. but can't mitigate all the risks. In the case of a power cut some gates can be set to close off the access until power was restored.. the bots etc wouldn't work anyway if power went down. Sensors on the lanes could be employed to block cow crossing if cars are detected on the highway too..

In this day and age surely we have the technology...

With all the extras you are adding it seems like it won’t end up much cheaper anyway. Remember sensors break and malfunction too.


To me this just sounds like more work, stress and not a big enough cost benifit to be worth it.

 

[Clay52]

Also what are you going to do when people complain about cow shît on the road.

 

[Beef farmer]

As above, £40-£50k depending on what you find when you start digging.

That's assuming there are no services like gas, water or phone under the road.

For single track or main road?

 

[yin ewe]

Just for moos.. drainage is a bit of a challenge too..
don't know about cost of automated crossing but will need to get my abacus out soon..

Maybe if you add cameras, sensors, lights, beacons, auto gates, alarm systems etc. it might not work out that cheap?
I don't like cattle grids at all, we once had some cows got spooked on the road and went over a grid, 1 got stuck, broke her leg and had to be put down. Now if we're moving cattle on the road I will close the gate on the grid if there is a gate, or get someone to stand in front of it.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

For single track or main road?

Single track, but you can get a good discount if you do a few on the same farm or in the same area. I reckon you'd get 3 single track crossings for 100k if they were close together.

 

[Foregoneconclusion]

Also what are you going to do when people complain about cow shît on the road.

aplologise profusely and then walk off muttering..

 

[Foregoneconclusion]

How will horse riders use the road if there are cattle grids each side? Sorry if I have misunderstood your intention

I would probably employ a horse bypass gate system..

how about a bridge ?

I'd love to do that... my neighbour with her static caravan park... might not..
never really thought about a bridge but likely not going to be popular in the national park.

 

[Henarar]

I would probably employ a horse bypass gate system..



I'd love to do that... my neighbour with her static caravan park... might not..
never really thought about a bridge but likely not going to be popular in the national park.

build a bank both sides of the road then stick a bulker body with the front cut out over the top on a sunday morning, concreate ramp each side, job done for 5k or so

 

[llamedos]

Maybe if the crossing is 100 yards between the cattle grids...

Has no-one on here ever driven through Beverley Westwood Pastures ?

There is a totally un-gated cow crossing on a public highway on what I believe is common land there.

http://www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com/Beverley-Beverley-Westwood/details/?dms=3&venue=2297230

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/cow-killed-crash-left-driver-679401

 

[Irish NZ]

I'd love to do that... my neighbour with her static caravan park...

The absolute irony is she'd probably claim it would be an eye sore.

 

[Courier]

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/cow-killed-crash-left-driver-679401

Had to be a BMW driver [emoji36]

 

[mushnt grummmble]

I would probably employ a horse bypass gate system..



I'd love to do that... my neighbour with her static caravan park... might not..
never really thought about a bridge but likely not going to be popular in the national park.

As long as the bridge is 16ft 8 high...

 

[betweenthelines]

3 Points:

1. You cows will not be "Robotic" even if your setup is

2. Cows will not walk far to drink so, not being "robotic" I very much doubt they will walk any great distance to be milked

3. I suspect you're more interested in willie waving about your new fancy setup than getting an answer to your question.

 

[Nearly]

If you're walking cattle across a road that often, are the robots in the right place?

We walked cows across a road for 50 years because the parlour was on the wrong side of the road.