feeding both sides in slatted shed

F.D

we are putting in a 5 bay slatted shed at the moment have the tank done. we only had straw bedded sheds up till now.
our plan was to feed to one side only, but a few people have said to me we are mad not to be building it in such a way as to give access to feed on both sides and get more cattle into the pen, it is a 14.6 slat with a 18" hob planned for both sides of the slat.
what are peoples views on this, how many more cattle could you hold per pen if we done this? or would it be a waste of money.
need to make up our mind really and get the shed underway before the winter is on us.
Have only had straw bedded sheds up till now. and are building up the numbers . Thanks

vanderbadger

F.D wrote: »

we are putting in a 5 bay slatted shed at the moment have the tank done. we only had straw bedded sheds up till now.
our plan was to feed to one side only, but a few people have said to me we are mad not to be building it in such a way as to give access to feed on both sides and get more cattle into the pen, it is a 14.6 slat with a 18" hob planned for both sides of the slat.
what are peoples views on this, how many more cattle could you hold per pen if we done this? or would it be a waste of money.
need to make up our mind really and get the shed underway before the winter is on us.
Have only had straw bedded sheds up till now. and are building up the numbers . Thanks

how big are the pens, if you can hold enough cattle to eat both sides then yes but if not whats the point of having to bring silage both sides when they can all eat from one side..

John_F

id do it, you never know when you have to separate out groups, and if you buy cattle, or buy bulls and isolate them across the way lets say?? if you go ahead id go for a max 14' passage in case you ever buy a diet feeder, 12' should be right id be thinking. Alternativy just allow for it to be added on, i.e. leave the feed passage at the right size and dont build a wall on the other side if you can

what is it going to hold?, cows feed space is 2' per cow isnt it? Also the diagonal feed barriers as opposed to a bar should be used if you will be feeding baled silage or double chop stuff

F.D

vanderbadger wrote: »

how big are the pens, if you can hold enough cattle to eat both sides then yes but if not whats the point of having to bring silage both sides when they can all eat from one side..

pens are going to be 17.6 ft x 15.6 ft

Plan was a lean to type shed open down one side for feeding with a mass conc wall along the back, thats the question would it be worth having it open on both sides with pens that size? so a feed barrier both sides of the slat in effect

vanderbadger

F.D wrote: »

pens are going to be 17.6 ft x 15.6 ft

Plan was a lean to type shed open down one side for feeding with a mass conc wall along the back, thats the question would it be worth having it open on both sides with pens that size? so a feed barrier both sides of the slat in effect

ya i get ya, suppose it would be handy and a feed barrier would be cheaper than a concrete wall but would the shed not be very open being exposed to the weather from both sides, im up on a hill and somedays it looks like the back door of the shed will blow in and thats with walls on both sides

hammer73

F.D wrote: »

pens are going to be 17.6 ft x 15.6 ft

your pens are 25.2 square metres, Teagasc recommend 2.73 square metres per head when finnishing cattle so that leaves 9.2 head per pen.

If you can feed 9 or 10 cattle on one side then your fine, if not and you want them all to feed together you need to feed both sides.

blue5000

Hi FD.

If you're thinkin of using a diet feeder in future put in the second feed passage, You haven't said what sort of cattle you're putting into it? Weanlings I think would benefit more if they can eat both sides with your sized pens. Shelter could be easily sorted with big bales or even a line of pallets.

F.D

we are buying calves and keeping them untill finishing, we finish all the cattle from mid summer to autumn, it will be carrying a mixture but maninly younger animals
I agree we could make provisions for shelter even if it was sheeted down to the top of the feed rail with vented sheeting or a gail break or something, and allow a overhang to keep the feed dry

Tipp Man

Will you be feeding nuts now or in the future? if so they you would have to feed from both sides

With just silage you could get away with feeding from 1 side but if the option was there to feed from both i would definately build the shed to do this, you might decide you don't want to feed both sides but to have the option is pricesless.

Put up a mass concrete wall and your making it a lot harder to adapt in the future. I would put the concrete from the wall into the second feed passage, and buy a good gale breaker