cattle on outdoor slatted tank

st1979

Am thinking of putting a slatted tank at the end of the cubicle shed. But probably wont get around to covering it this year. Was thinking of putting yearling heifers on it. They would be in the shelter of the existing shed from the prevailing wind but no roof over them. What you reckon

49801

st1979 wrote: »

Am thinking of putting a slatted tank at the end of the cubicle shed. But probably wont get around to covering it this year. Was thinking of putting yearling heifers on it. They would be in the shelter of the existing shed from the prevailing wind but no roof over them. What you reckon

Go for it!
Neighbour has outdoor slats for year for cattle to access feed rail.
Think his cattle can access a roof though.
The pillars are there for a roof so I suspect there was a ventilation problem and the roof was removed.

1chippy

We have one that was built a good few years ago at the front of a cubicle house. works grand but they do have access to the cubicle house.

restive

Will it not overflow with water?

Bizzum

We had a similar set-up. Tank and rails etc went in before the roof. They had a lie back area but were wintered one winter with no roof and not a bother on them.

Sam Kade

st1979 wrote: »

Am thinking of putting a slatted tank at the end of the cubicle shed. But probably wont get around to covering it this year. Was thinking of putting yearling heifers on it. They would be in the shelter of the existing shed from the prevailing wind but no roof over them. What you reckon

No problem I have seen cattle on a farm on slats with no roof not much shelter either and they don't have a bother on them.

blue5000

Same as chippy here, only problem we had was during the cold winter 10-11 sh1t froze on top of the slats. Wouldn't normally be a problem:D every winter.

Good loser

Silage will get wet. Does that matter?

Sam Kade

Good loser wrote: »

Silage will get wet. Does that matter?

If you put it in every day it won't be a problem.

royalmeath

if you get snow like we had in 2010 you will have a total mess with compacted ice sitting on the slats, then when it thaws your tank will be full with no land fit to take it.

Sam Kade

royalmeath wrote: »

if you get snow like we had in 2010 you will have a total mess with compacted ice sitting on the slats, then when it thaws your tank will be full with no land fit to take it.

The heat from the cattle would prevent that.

st1979

royalmeath wrote: »

if you get snow like we had in 2010 you will have a total mess with compacted ice sitting on the slats, then when it thaws your tank will be full with no land fit to take it.

I actually have more than enough storage and by doing this I would actually have an extra 40k gallons storage and be reducing outdoor yard that presently goes into lagoon. This is a reception tank that will be pumped into existing lagoon

bob charles

works the finest. had cattle completely outdoors in slatted pens during 10/11 during the bad weather. They look miserable for only 3 or 4 horrendous wet days out of the whole winter. other wise they were happy out and these were fattening cattle

just do it

Definitely worth considering. Cattle would appreciate rubber on the slats more than the roof. I worked out at one stage rainwater in an average year will only account for ~1ft of water. Sure aren't lads diverting all the rainwater that falls on the shed roof into it?!

td5man

You need extra free board for an unroofed tank cant remember if its 800mm or 1m.

Muckit

bob charles wrote: »

works the finest. had cattle completely outdoors in slatted pens during 10/11 during the bad weather. They look miserable for only 3 or 4 horrendous wet days out of the whole winter. other wise they were happy out and these were fattening cattle

Hit the nail on the head there. ......fattening cattle. Who feels the cold more the fat b**ch or the skinny mini? What would a pen of light 250-280 kg weanlings fair out l wonder? Perhaps it makes little difference when they are all wear ing leather jacket s!!

just do it

Jeez lads this is not a cold country. Most of these cattle are from colder regions. They've also only spent only a fraction of their evolutionary existence inside so they are much healthier out. Cattle outwintered on sand hills not a million miles from me, or those in the burren, are much healthier outside

grazeaway

just do it wrote: »

Jeez lads this is not a cold country. Most of these cattle are from colder regions. They've also only spent only a fraction of their evolutionary existence inside so they are much healthier out. Cattle outwintered on sand hills not a million miles from me, or those in the burren, are much healthier outside

shelter shelter shelter, out wintering cattle is grand but you will notice that cattle outside are clever enough to find a shelterd spot to lie down. can your open slatted unit provide them with that? the big thing i find with open yards/tanks is not the rain but the wind, they'll get over being wet but cold and wet is a different thing.

longgonesilver

The roof on a slatted unit is for the comfort of the farmer not the cattle. Cattle are far healthier without the roof. Teagasc trialed roofless cubicles once, not very successfully, it was hard to keep the cubicle-bed dry. They had mats but no roof!!

Sam Kade

td5man wrote: »

You need extra free board for an unroofed tank cant remember if its 800mm or 1m.

It's 300mm or 1'

jersey101

longgonesilver wrote: »

The roof on a slatted unit is for the comfort of the farmer not the cattle. Cattle are far healthier without the roof. Teagasc trialed roofless cubicles once, not very successfully, it was hard to keep the cubicle-bed dry. They had mats but no roof!!

a friend of mine is putting in 150 of em and a lagoon next year, he's mad about them. Wouldn't be my cup of tea now but ye have to do what suits your pocket

moy83

bob charles wrote: »

works the finest. had cattle completely outdoors in slatted pens during 10/11 during the bad weather. They look miserable for only 3 or 4 horrendous wet days out of the whole winter. other wise they were happy out and these were fattening cattle

Were they thriving well on them ? Did you roof them after that , if so why if they were doing well without .
I dont think I could look at them on slats like that unless they could find shelter or have a run back into a straw bedded shed .

bob charles

moy83 wrote: »

Were they thriving well on them ? Did you roof them after that , if so why if they were doing well without .
I dont think I could look at them on slats like that unless they could find shelter or have a run back into a straw bedded shed .

It was phase 2 of a three phase job. They spend one winter in the slats with no roof. Steel and timbers were up alright. In all fairness the shed is the cheap part of a slatted setup and costing only around 25% of total job. It was always to be roofed so we didnt change our mind

manjou

There was a guy in journal i think a few weeks back in england who had 850 cubicles and no roof my vet has always maintained only reason you need a roof is to keep tank from filling with water.Cattle will quickly grow hair if it is cold and wet in winter.

nashmach

This option really depends on where you are in the country.

As mentioned above you need to take into account the freeboard and also the Dept guidelines for the amount of rainfall for tour county.

J DEERE

We always keep a pen of weanlings outdoor on slats. They're not long about getting hardy and put on a good thick coat of hair. Seen them out in rain, sleet, snow and wind and never a bother as long as they are full. They hit the ground running in the spring too, no such thing as a chill. Thinking of putting in another 3 spans in not too distant future and probably wont be covering

Sam Kade

J DEERE wrote: »

We always keep a pen of weanlings outdoor on slats. They're not long about getting hardy and put on a good thick coat of hair. Seen them out in rain, sleet, snow and wind and never a bother as long as they are full. They hit the ground running in the spring too, no such thing as a chill. Thinking of putting in another 3 spans in not too distant future and probably wont be covering

Not much shelter and they are in great condition proof that you don't need a roof. Would they eat more than the indoor cattle?

vanderbadger

would it depend on how sheltery your yard is? my yard is very high up looking over to lahinch and the atlantic and i reckon it would be tough going for any creature to be fully exposed to it now, the weather we get can be desperate

bob charles

vanderbadger wrote: »

would it depend on how sheltery your yard is? my yard is very high up looking over to lahinch and the atlantic and i reckon it would be tough going for any creature to be fully exposed to it now, the weather we get can be desperate

No they would crowd in around each other and take shelter for each other and heat when lying down. More grub needed though but less disease pressure.

Sam Kade

Outdoor cubicles

moy83

Sam Kade wrote: »

Outdoor cubicles

I would much prefer those to the outdoor slats . It would be interesting to have indoor and outdoor cubicles side by side to see which ones the cattle would choose

joe man utd

Im doing the same monday week weather permitting. ..going doing a 90 foot tank 12ft6 slat and going leaving it without a shed until next year.. me and the father are going doing all the work ourselves... im renting a digger and pans and they are coming on monday week.. heres hoping for a dry week.... wish me luck!!!!!

Sam Kade

joe man utd wrote: »

Im doing the same monday week weather permitting. ..going doing a 90 foot tank 12ft6 slat and going leaving it without a shed until next year.. me and the father are going doing all the work ourselves... im renting a digger and pans and they are coming on monday week.. heres hoping for a dry week.... wish me luck!!!!!

The best of luck, but why are you going with 12' 6" wouldn't 14' or over work out cheaper per m3 storage?

Timmaay

Joe, you worked out how much the tank will cost? What size digger you using? I'll probably fo something similar myself next year.

Muckit

What about the steel fixing? Will ya get someone in to do that?

joe man utd

Sam Kade wrote: »

The best of luck, but why are you going with 12' 6" wouldn't 14' or over work out cheaper per m3 storage?

Yes it does work out cheaper for the storage gained but im tight for space as when eventually I put a shed over it I need the room for a feed passage

joe man utd

Timmaay wrote: »

Joe, you worked out how much the tank will cost? What size digger you using? I'll probably fo something similar myself next year.

Have a 13 tonne booked but he said he might give me a 20tonne for 100 euro extra.... all in im hoping to be done for 13000 with slats on it... theres big deals to be done with suppliers for instance mallow steel wanted 2,700 for rebar and I got it off banner steel for 800 less delivered..

I know there will be a few extras that I will encounter along the way but these will break the bank I hope :O

joe man utd

Muckit wrote: »

What about the steel fixing? Will ya get someone in to do that?

I have a cousin who is home from Australia 2weeks and he was steel fixing out there so he will tie it, and plus I have been working with a builder the odd time doing tanks and walls and plus im a qualified engineer so we will sort it between us...

1chippy

steel fixing is by no means complicated. its just rotten, dirty painful work. something like picking spuds.

just do it

Joe

Will you put in Dept spec amount of steel? Interesting to hear Banner are cheaper. Got stuff off them a few years ago and they were cheapest then as well.

bob charles

1chippy wrote: »

steel fixing is by no means complicated. its just rotten, dirty painful work. something like picking spuds.

and all the lads that are good at it are mental, its the dirtiest job you could be at.

Considering your an engineer Joe get it certified incase of problems down the line. You aint chartered civil by any chance?

joe man utd

just do it wrote: »

Joe

Will you put in Dept spec amount of steel? Interesting to hear Banner are cheaper. Got stuff off them a few years ago and they were cheapest then as well.

No not going for department spec steel...I will go around the tank 14times, doh and I will be placing uprights at 400 centers... grant spec is around 350 (I may be wrong).. ya banner steel had a good lad pricing and he was easy to talk to on the price...

joe man utd

bob charles wrote: »

and all the lads that are good at it are mental, its the dirtiest job you could be at.

Considering your an engineer Joe get it certified incase of problems down the line. You aint chartered civil by any chance?

Not chartered civil no... I did a level 7 course in civil engineering and went on to do a level 8 in civil engineering management... however did not get much work experience and chose not to emigrate because I do alot of work on the farm..and have been doing every job known to man since haha

just do it

joe man utd wrote: »

Not chartered civil no... I did a level 7 course in civil engineering and went on to do a level 8 in civil engineering management... however did not get much work experience and chose not to emigrate because I do alot of work on the farm..and have been doing every job known to man since haha

All you've to do now is an ag degree, an accounting degree and a veterinary degree and then you should be qualified enough to take over the place

bob charles

just do it wrote: »

All you've to do now is an ag degree, an accounting degree and a veterinary degree and then you should be qualified enough to take over the place

one day my son when you have enough experience and your 55 the farm will be yours

joe man utd

Dont forget the degree in mental health. ..

iverjohnston

You could run this little country, but unfortunately you are over qualified!
3 years in teacher training college is the required level .;-)