Wintering ewes on outdoor slats

[irish dom]

Interested in building an outdoor slatted area to feed in lamb ewes and then turn out to grass to lamb. Was chatting to a Welsh guy about it a few months ago and he was very pleased with it for health and feet. Would have to be better than standing in the current clabber. Any one done it with timber slats and interested in what design of tank or pit people use.

 

[Sheep92]

I know a farm outside navan that winters 5 or 600 ewes on plastic slats outside, seems to be very happy with it

 

[irish dom]

I know a farm outside navan that winters 5 or 600 ewes on plastic slats outside, seems to be very happy with it

Must go and have a wee look. Is that the man that had the grass walk last summer? Meant to go but gone shearing at the time. Would seem way healthier than a shed if I could work out how to build it. Might be easier to transition ewes to grass as they have been out wintered. Also not picking up fluke and bad feet in the muck. Are you still at the easycares? How are they going?

 

[Skintagain]

Surely top water will be horrendous? Would it start to be a problem in an nvz?

 

[irish dom]

Surely top water will be horrendous? Would it start to be a problem in an nvz?

Has to be some way around if lads are using system. Know several roofless cattle units and don't seem to be an issue. I always thought the same tbh until I seen that guy in Wales doing it

 

[Al R]

Has to be some way around if lads are using system. Know several roofless cattle units and don't seem to be an issue. I always thought the same tbh until I seen that guy in Wales doing it

We’re not an NVZ yet though. YET!

I can imagine they’d get chilled/pneumonia from wind blowing underneath if it’s not got proper walls/sides underneath. The outdoor cattle systems I’ve seen have all been in the east of England where they get a considerable amount less rainfall than the west, with some even using outdoor straw yards but they have big walls to provide shelter etc..

 

[Sheep92]

Must go and have a wee look. Is that the man that had the grass walk last summer? Meant to go but gone shearing at the time. Would seem way healthier than a shed if I could work out how to build it. Might be easier to transition ewes to grass as they have been out wintered. Also not picking up fluke and bad feet in the muck. Are you still at the easycares? How are they going?

Yes that's him, well his is a purpose built tank don't know what depth it is, theres side walls and the pens are long and narrow, no not really, I kept the two very best rams I had and ran them with 120 texel cross ewes this year, found they're a grand cross off a texel ewe but come too narrow out of a mule or belclare, im sticking with the belclare cross on most of the ewes, i sold some of the easy care crosses that I didn't like, I think they were just too inconsistent, and they brought the overall lamb numbers down a lot last year, going back to a mainly texel cross belclare flock, ewe numbers are back due to loss of land which is maybe no harm as it was too dear anyway you didn't get your shed up yet did you?

 

[irish dom]

No shed yet. Took more dear ground up the country for the winter but I have come to the conclusion that it's too much strain on time running back and forward and its just too dear getting in general. Something is going up this summer either shed or roofless slats. Leaning towards slats for health and because I could do it all myself. I have to say the belcare has improved a sight in recent years with better carcass and more robustness. Probably down to more texel blood in them. First stores I sold this year were belcare off pure lleyn ewes ram lambs. 36 kg €89 Everyone thought they were 3/4 texels. I didn't correct them.

 

[irish dom]

We’re not an NVZ yet though. YET!

I can imagine they’d get chilled/pneumonia from wind blowing underneath if it’s not got proper walls/sides underneath. The outdoor cattle systems I’ve seen have all been in the east of England where they get a considerable amount less rainfall than the west, with some even using outdoor straw yards but they have big walls to provide shelter etc..

I was thinking a 3ft deep pit with a ramp down to clean out and pump out the watery stuff when the closed period is over. A good tarp fired over it when not in use

 

[Skintagain]

I would put a shed up. Outdoor slats are no use for anything else in future. A building is more of an asset imo.

 

[Agrivator]

How big a roofed shed can you build for the same cost as a slatted roofless shed. 4 or 5 times as big. Sheep don't take much straw anyway, particularly if they have plenty of room. And of need be, you can lamb in it.
As far as I can see, a slatted roofless shed for sheep is a daft idea. And in nasty wet and windy weather, what would the tourists think.

 

[irish dom]

I would put a shed up. Outdoor slats are no use for anything else in future. A building is more of an asset imo.
[/QUOTE]
I understand what your saying but I was just kicking the idea around. It would be a quick and handy alternative to tack and I could always roof at a later date when funds allow. A shed would be grand but do my ewes really need it?

 

[irish dom]

How big a roofed shed can you build for the same cost as a slatted roofless shed. 4 or 5 times as big. Sheep don't take much straw anyway, particularly if they have plenty of room. And of need be, you can lamb in it.
As far as I can see, a slatted roofless shed for sheep is a daft idea. And in nasty wet and windy weather, what would the tourists think.

Straw is quite dear here and I would doubt a big shed would be put up cheaper but I appreciate your opinion. I just believe sheep would be better out if it was achievable. My aim is to have healthy fit ewes going to grass to lamb. The cost of the straw labour putting it out and feet problems would veer me off it as an option but open to correction on it

 

[will6910]

I have sheep inside on mesh for around 3 months each year. They have been inside since before Christmas and have used a quarter of a bale of straw so far. Straw up in the north is a lot cheaper this year at £35 roughly for a 8x4x3 bale of barley. But not to long ago the same bale was £100. I wouldn’t go back to straw bedding now. Far as I can see lambing on outdoor slats wouldn’t be good as wouldn’t have the shelter but for ewes I wouldn’t think it be a issue

 

[Nithsdale]

. The outdoor cattle systems I’ve seen have all been in the east of England where they get a considerable amount less rainfall than the west, with some even using outdoor straw yards but they have big walls to provide shelter etc..

You wouldn't believe we were all on the same island when you see guys doing that, would you. They've no idea what rain is...

 

[Al R]

You wouldn't believe we were all on the same island when you see guys doing that, would you. They've no idea what rain is...

It’s a struggle to keep water out from the houses let alone using an absorbent material and keeping it dry I wonder if their up sh!t street this winter though?

 

[irish dom]

I have sheep inside on mesh for around 3 months each year. They have been inside since before Christmas and have used a quarter of a bale of straw so far. Straw up in the north is a lot cheaper this year at £35 roughly for a 8x4x3 bale of barley. But not to long ago the same bale was £100. I wouldn’t go back to straw bedding now. Far as I can see lambing on outdoor slats wouldn’t be good as wouldn’t have the shelter but for ewes I wouldn’t think it be a issue

Wouldn't be lambing on it. Let off to grass fortnight before. Just for feeding in lamb ewes on. Would put shelter from the wind around it. Wouldn't just be open as I wouldn't agree with a gale blowing on them

 

[will6910]

Wouldn't be lambing on it. Let off to grass fortnight before. Just for feeding in lamb ewes on. Would put shelter from the wind around it. Wouldn't just be open as I wouldn't agree with a gale blowing on them

Sounds good from me but I don’t know enough apparently most of the time

 

[irish dom]

Sounds good from me but I don’t know enough apparently most of the time

Not to worry. I know loads of "experts" that know it all and know nothing. I am convinced it would be better than ruining land in wet weather and paying a big rent for it.

 

[Paul86]

Would the way to go be do a tank this year, say a block tank? If ya were handy ya could build it yourself. Timber barriers and slats, oldest sheep tanks here was done in 85 with blocks and not a bother on it to this day. Put up your up rights and build your walls and then close it in down the line of you didnt think it was working? Would spread the cost amd you had a plan b to fall back on