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straw bedding dairy cows

  • 25-11-2012 4:02pm
    #1
    case 5150
    Closed Accounts Posts: 197 ✭✭


    i dont have enough cubicle spaces for all my cows and heifers this year, but i have 26 heifers and 9 cows housed in a slatted shed that 3 bay long with matts and a straw lie back area, does any1 else do this. all i worried about is mastits calving down even tho i not skimping on the straw, what ye think am i doing right bedding on straw and what associated risks with straw bedding


Comments

  • #2
    6480
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 725 ✭✭✭6480


    case 5150 wrote: »
    i dont have enough cubicle spaces for all my cows and heifers this year, but i have 26 heifers and 9 cows housed in a slatted shed that 3 bay long with matts and a straw lie back area, does any1 else do this. all i worried about is mastits calving down even tho i not skimping on the straw, what ye think am i doing right bedding on straw and what associated risks with straw bedding

    up till this year i bedded 20 cows till i got more cubicles . i would put woodchip in and then put straw on top ,


  • #3
    case 5150
    Closed Accounts Posts: 197 ✭✭case 5150


    6480 wrote: »
    up till this year i bedded 20 cows till i got more cubicles . i would put woodchip in and then put straw on top ,


    how often would you give a fresh bale of straw, did you put lime r anything else on the straw and any problems with the cows on the straw ie mastitis etc


  • #4
    keep going
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,551 ✭✭✭keep going


    what do you stock your house at-would generally follow the 4 cubicles for 5 cows rule myself


  • #5
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,777 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    The way to help prevent mastitis on straw is to clear out the shed every 6 weeks. Doing this stops the bugs building up. Hydrated lime will also help keep it dry.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #6
    case 5150
    Closed Accounts Posts: 197 ✭✭case 5150


    i have 35 cows in the shed that i could put 28 cubicles in



    and blue 5000 how often and how much lime would you spread, ye plan is to clean out in 1st week r 2nd week of jan just before calving starts


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  • #7
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,777 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    case 5150 wrote: »
    i have 35 cows in the shed that i could put 28 cubicles in



    and blue 5000 how often and how much lime would you spread, ye plan is to clean out in 1st week r 2nd week of jan just before calving starts

    Just a few handfuls each time before you bed it, shake it out. Get the stuff the builder providers sell, better to wear gloves when you do it though:)

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • #8
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    worked on a farm in england that had 360 cows on a straw bedded system- also only had an 8 unit parlour:rolleyes::rolleyes: it had just been set up when i was there, i was on 2 weeks work experience


  • #9
    Markcheese
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,952 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    blue5000 wrote: »

    Just a few handfuls each time before you bed it, shake it out. Get the stuff the builder providers sell, better to wear gloves when you do it though:)

    Limestone flour's a lot better than the hydrated lime (builders lime). anything that burns yr skin and lungs ain't great to be spreading around IMO .

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



  • #10
    Markcheese
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,952 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    whelan1 wrote: »
    worked on a farm in england that had 360 cows on a straw bedded system- also only had an 8 unit parlour:rolleyes::rolleyes: it had just been set up when i was there, i was on 2 weeks work experience

    How big was the shed / sheds , and were ye bedding by hand or with a chopper... ?

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



  • #11
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    this was nearly 20 years ago:cool: they where using a chopper, was a few problems of cows udders being stood on... had 4 groups of 80 cows.. was a massive shed, was a good few teething problems.... they had to put agitatirs built into the tanks as the slurry was full of straw... 2 herds had been amalgamated into 1... the 8 unit parlour was a total joke


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  • #12
    awaywithyou
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,223 ✭✭✭awaywithyou


    whelan1 wrote: »
    this was nearly 20 years ago:cool: they where using a chopper, was a few problems of cows udders being stood on... had 4 groups of 80 cows.. was a massive shed, was a good few teething problems.... they had to put agitatirs built into the tanks as the slurry was full of straw... 2 herds had been amalgamated into 1... the 8 unit parlour was a total joke

    how long did milking take in that system?


  • #13
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    awaywithyou wrote: »
    how long did milking take in that system?
    4 hours in the morning, from half 4 to half 8 and 3.5 hours in the evening... total joke


  • #14
    hillclimber
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 54 ✭✭hillclimber


    Used to bed around 70 milkers on straw at one stage, as someone else said cows standing on each others teats was an occasional problem. The labour was something else as we didnt have a chopper and the increase in the price of straw drove us to cubicles. Given a choice , cubicles all the way.;)


  • #15
    freedominacup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    whelan1 wrote: »
    worked on a farm in england that had 360 cows on a straw bedded system- also only had an 8 unit parlour:rolleyes::rolleyes: it had just been set up when i was there, i was on 2 weeks work experience

    Sounds like a DHM job?;)


  • #16
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    freedominacup wrote: »
    Sounds like a DHM job?;)
    yup


  • #17
    freedominacup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    whelan1 wrote: »
    yup

    We couldn't have missed each other by much. '91-'92 here.


  • #18
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    freedominacup wrote: »
    We couldn't have missed each other by much. '91-'92 here.
    92-93 here:rolleyes:


  • #19
    dar31
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,704 ✭✭✭dar31


    freedominacup wrote: »

    We couldn't have missed each other by much. '91-'92 here.

    I'm only a chap then

    98-99 here


  • #20
    freedominacup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    dar31 wrote: »
    I'm only a chap then

    98-99 here

    With the brother-in-law so.


  • #21
    maxxuumman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 592 ✭✭✭maxxuumman


    Cows were on straw beds here for 5or 6 yrs , until we got cubicles in. Never had any mastitis or injuries. System worked very well for me. 60 cows for every 100x50 shed (lying area). Bedded every day, 2 bales per 60. Straw chopper to bed them. Only reason I changed was the cost of straw and bedding was time consuming.

    Edit: cows also calved in these sheds. Bedding not cleared out till end of year.


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  • #22
    jomoloney
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 859 ✭✭✭jomoloney


    blue5000 wrote: »
    Just a few handfuls each time before you bed it, shake it out. Get the stuff the builder providers sell, better to wear gloves when you do it though:)
    Markcheese wrote: »
    Limestone flour's a lot better than the hydrated lime (builders lime). anything that burns yr skin and lungs ain't great to be spreading around IMO .


    wear gloves and a mask , limestone flour is not very effective against e-coli which would be the main worry

    spread the lime put fresh straw on top


  • #23
    sheamuseen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5 ✭sheamuseen


    jomoloney wrote: »
    wear gloves and a mask , limestone flour is not very effective against e-coli which would be the main worry

    spread the lime put fresh straw on top

    Why not try miscanthus bales? They are excellent value and make far superior bedding to straw or woodchips and much healthier as well.


  • #24
    dar31
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,704 ✭✭✭dar31


    freedominacup wrote: »

    With the brother-in-law so.

    Better keep the tales of Debortuary to a min then
    Who is the bil


  • #25
    freedominacup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭freedominacup


    dar31 wrote: »
    Better keep the tales of Debortuary to a min then
    Who is the bil

    PM


  • #26
    TheSunderz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 338 ✭✭TheSunderz


    maxxuumman wrote: »
    Cows were on straw beds here for 5or 6 yrs , until we got cubicles in. Never had any mastitis or injuries. System worked very well for me. 60 cows for every 100x50 shed (lying area). Bedded every day, 2 bales per 60. Straw chopper to bed them. Only reason I changed was the cost of straw and bedding was time consuming.

    Edit: cows also calved in these sheds. Bedding not cleared out till end of year.

    Did u dig tanks out in the sheds? was considering converting sheds before i get into milking cows.


  • #27
    joe man utd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭joe man utd


    I have the same problem this year..my shed id full with dairy stock i have another shed 50 x 20 where im hoping to keep 25 incalf heifers.. in thinking of going with a layer of straw underneath and a layer of woodchip on top...or would it be better going vice versa....and how often would i need to clean out or put down fresh bedding...


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