Walking Distance

[Sparkymark]

How far are you grazing men walking your cows to your furthest fields?

I’m toying with the idea of walking my cows to land currently only used for silage and dry stock grazing.
To the far end of these fields would result in a walk of 2.6 km from the parlour.
No main roads would need to be crossed.
They are walking up to 2 km now without much bother. Cows are crossbred.

How far is too far?

 

[multi power]

2.5 km is not a problem

 

[jimmer]

Can you graze closer paddocks once a day?
A 5k walk on a hot afternoon with a milking in the middle isn't much fun

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Not a bad walk at all, but like jimmer said it’s best only once per day. I prefer the long walks to be after evening milking to maximize time spent in the paddock.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

How steep are your lanes? That is harder on cows than a long flat

 

[Sparkymark]

Its all flat land. I was thinking it would need to be once during a day with near fields grazed at night either side of an epic journey. Daytime would suit us best as someone would need to set off for them half an hour before milking starts.

 

[jimmer]

I was talking to a spring calver the other day, he said he goes up to paddock on bike, opens gate/wire, goes back starts parlour and they all (290) walk back on their own regardless of distance, half hour later someone goes back to change wires for new paddock and let's milked cows go
Unless they are ill or dead they come in without being collected

 

[Homesy]

I was talking to a spring calver the other day, he said he goes up to paddock on bike, opens gate/wire, goes back starts parlour and they all (290) walk back on their own regardless of distance, half hour later someone goes back to change wires for new paddock and let's milked cows go
Unless they are ill or dead they come in without being collected

Tell him to buy a batt-latch. They will come in on their own.

 

[jimmer]

Tell him to buy a batt-latch. They will come in on their own.

He said its too dear and not without issues

 

[Beef farmer]

He said its too dear and not without issues

Not without issues? This farmer been hurt before by a batt latch?

 

[onesiedale]

Not without issues? This farmer been hurt before by a batt latch?

Maybe there is a road crossing or. Footpaths. It's those issues that prevent the use of a batt latch here

 

[O'Reilly]

What is an issue is if you're running late and the cows come in before you're ready for them

 

[lazy farmer]

How often does that happen.

Cows were ever possible should come in at there own pace. Pecking orders are respected and cows walk how and where on the track they want. Less stress all round. And more time in bed.

 

[pappuller]

How often does that happen.

Cows were ever possible should come in at there own pace. Pecking orders are respected and cows walk how and where on the track they want. Less stress all round. And more time in bed.

You could have copied and pasted that from the Lely handbook LF [emoji23]

 

[lazy farmer]

You could have copied and pasted that from the Lely handbook LF [emoji23]

I always was a secret robot lover !

 

[Devon lad]

Once you have a batt latch you won’t go back, I’ve got 2 here

 

[I thats it]

Was talking with someone today who claimed they had worked on a farm where the furthest paddocks were 6km away. Now that's a fair walk.

 

[Sparkymark]

Was talking with someone today who claimed they had worked on a farm where the furthest paddocks were 6km away. Now that's a fair walk.

Crikey that is a fair trek, by the time they get there it’ll almost be time for walking back!

 

[I thats it]

Crikey that is a fair trek, by the time they get there it’ll almost be time for walking back!

I hardly believed it, should have asked if it was on cow tracks or public road. Can't imagine walking cows that far up the road each day.

 

[Sparkymark]

I hardly believed it, should have asked if it was on cow tracks or public road. Can't imagine walking cows that far up the road each day.

Surely zero grazing would be better at that distance