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Shelf life of cattle slats

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  • 02-01-2014 7:48am
    #1
    Mustymantipp
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭


    Alrite folks
    Just wondering if any1 out there knows if there is a best before date for the normal cattle slats you would find in a normal slatted shed. Iv heard of cases wher slats have collapsed, which as you can imagine could be disastrous. I'm just wondering if the slats havens started to sag in the middle are they safe for another while?????
    Cheers


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    #2
    KCTK
    Registered Users Posts: 378 ✭✭KCTK


    Mustymantipp wrote: »
    Alrite folks
    Just wondering if any1 out there knows if there is a best before date for the normal cattle slats you would find in a normal slatted shed. Iv heard of cases wher slats have collapsed, which as you can imagine could be disastrous. I'm just wondering if the slats havens started to sag in the middle are they safe for another while?????
    Cheers
    Had to replace one house 2 years ago here after 20 years, becoming totally unsafe, huge pieces coming away leaving large holes animals legs would go through and starting to sag. Took them out and you should have seen state of them, don't know how they did not collapse as they fell apart in yard trying to load. These were bought from a company who I've heard this seems to generally happen to their slats from talking to other farmers who also bought from them. Know of another companies slats which are down 30 years in many farms and no problems yet(bought from them when replacing so hoping tthese ones will last 30 years or more this time!!)
    If they are sagging I would not be leaving in, can you see the steel in them? If so not much longer left as thats probably all that's holding them if they have a big sag


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    #3
    Mustymantipp
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Mustymantipp


    They were checked 4 sag last November b4 cattle were housed Ann they all seemed very straight These slats were power washed almost every year from when they went in and apart from one piece that chipped away the rest seem to be in great condition They look to be fully intact from new


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    #4
    moy83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,701 ✭✭✭moy83


    I think someone here said he got insurance for slats collapsing last year for small money . Its probably worth getting when your slats are getting older .


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    #5
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    moy83 wrote: »
    I think someone here said he got insurance for slats collapsing last year for small money . Its probably worth getting when your slats are getting older .

    Anyone got a link or details on this ?

    Ours went in in 1974, most look good, but I have noticed about 6 looking tatty.. We're looking into putting in one gang at the door with an agitating point, that would eliminate the shabby ones, and having to lift slats to spread..


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    #6
    MfMan
    Registered Users Posts: 3,383 ✭✭✭MfMan


    Would fitting mats prolong their life?


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    #7
    munkus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 531 ✭✭✭munkus


    bbam wrote: »
    Anyone got a link or details on this ?

    Ours went in in 1974, most look good, but I have noticed about 6 looking tatty.. We're looking into putting in one gang at the door with an agitating point, that would eliminate the shabby ones, and having to lift slats to spread..

    Same way here. Balls to have to lift off the single slats on the outside


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    #8
    Mad4simmental
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭Mad4simmental


    Anyone ever hear of a bad slat collaspe? Just wondering is it more common than people think on old stats that may be in for 20 or 30 years!


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    #9
    moy83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,701 ✭✭✭moy83


    bbam wrote: »
    Anyone got a link or details on this ?

    Ours went in in 1974, most look good, but I have noticed about 6 looking tatty.. We're looking into putting in one gang at the door with an agitating point, that would eliminate the shabby ones, and having to lift slats to spread..

    No but I think it was blue5000 that said it in an insurance thread if thats any help


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    #10
    jomoloney
    Registered Users Posts: 859 ✭✭✭jomoloney


    moy83 wrote: »
    No but I think it was blue5000 that said it in an insurance thread if thats any help


    fbd usually include it in their livestock policy ,, we always include it even on new slats


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    #11
    himwdah
    Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭himwdah


    was told concrete only has a life expectancy of 25 years, its not that long really in farm conditions


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    #12
    dzer2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,938 ✭✭✭dzer2


    himwdah wrote: »
    was told concrete only has a life expectancy of 25 years, its not that long really in farm conditions

    Thats wrong takes 10 yrs to cure properly then in Irish weather conditions it would be at full strength for 50 yrs then they start to detireorate


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    #13
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,650 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Our slats are 35 years old - or so I'm told. I've never paid them much attention as they seem ok but in light of some of the comments here I'll give them a good look over next time I powerhose the place.


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    #14
    tomwaterford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,768 ✭✭✭✭tomwaterford


    Lad I work a few mornings a week for have slats dat well over 40 years old.
    they are old individual/single type he havd 1 collapse the other day and got a 2nd hand on off an neighbour with the neighbour took out 15 years ago:rolleyes:.....ill say he'll soon have to replace them...cracks coming into a few of them and an odd one sagging


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    #15
    Hershall
    Registered Users Posts: 336 ✭✭Hershall


    Had to replace slats a few years ago after 20 years down. They were cracking and Chipping. Am with aviva they cover collapse of slats for a small fee


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    #16
    49801
    Registered Users Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭49801


    We replaced old single slats that were installed in the early 70s in 2007. So roughly 30ys. We had been having a some break in the winter for a few years before replacing with the gang slats.
    I'd say lifetime should be 30-50yrs for a modern gang slats.
    Did hear at the time that there was a bad run of slats from a certain company.
    If you have them you probably know already.

    Well worth inspecting them yearly. Obviously mind the slurry gas!!!


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    #17
    KCTK
    Registered Users Posts: 378 ✭✭KCTK


    49801 wrote: »
    Did hear at the time that there was a bad run of slats from a certain company.
    If you have them you probably know already.

    A company down Munster way would it be???


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    #18
    agriman27
    Registered Users Posts: 496 ✭✭agriman27


    I had to replace a four bay double shed of single slats that were 35 years old, could have chanced it for another while but decided to stick into it and replace them. The top of the old slats looked perfect from the top but were all gone underneath, couldn't believe there wasn't nearly one slat that wasn't cracked when ya see them out in daylight. Glad when the job was done not be thinking about it. If even one slat goes down and injures one animal you'd buy a fair few gangs with the price of one animal.


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    #19
    49801
    Registered Users Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭49801


    KCTK wrote: »
    A company down Munster way would it be???

    You'd be thinking correctly.


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    #20
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    bbam wrote: »
    Anyone got a link or details on this ?

    Ours went in in 1974, most look good, but I have noticed about 6 looking tatty.. We're looking into putting in one gang at the door with an agitating point, that would eliminate the shabby ones, and having to lift slats to spread..

    Well I can confirm that the life of ours was 30 years !!

    Went to feed stock tonight and we found one slat collapsed, and it wasn't even the few that we'd been lifting that collapsed !!

    Was awful lucky as the slat that collapsed was directly over the beam in the tank so it didn't go into the tank, just broke and the break went down 18 inches or so..

    Had to turn stock out for the moment even though ground is very soft, thankfully none hurt which is very lucky...

    Need to make some calls tomorrow about replacing..
    Can't see how this will go though as the doorway is only 7ft wide, and they're 10'6 slats..
    Anyone replace them where door access was so poor, feeding passage is closed over and only 12ft wide with access only from one end..

    What sort of cost are 10'6 gangs ??


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    #21
    agriman27
    Registered Users Posts: 496 ✭✭agriman27


    I replaced slats in a shed with a nine foot feed passage, put in the gangs from the passage with an eight tonne zero swing digger, got it tight enough though. Think it cost about five and a half grand including vat for 4 bay double of 10'6 gangs and 2 manholes. Getting them fitted was extra cost


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