Paddocks and shelter.

Hill Bill

Hi Folks,
I'm currently splitting fields with temp. electric fences, working well, much better grass utilisation, cattle easier to handle, etc. I neeed to redo boundary fencing and am going to put in permanent paddocks, problem I have is my Father is a big believer in shelter, could often get home and the temp. fence would be moved or cattle let into next paddock for shelter. I can see his point and I'd never neglect stock, but there will be days when there's not much shelter. Dairy cattle seem to manage, just wondering what your views on this are?

patjack

Well Bill,

I had this discussion with a lad lately. I passed a paddock at the side of the road lately, with dairy cows huddled into the corner basically sheltering behind each other. No ditch or hedge worth noting. It was a sleety day and cows looked miserable. Now this man looks after his cows, it's just the day that was in it and they all hunched up with the cold.

Our place wouldn't be as manicured as this place and we don't have dairy, but I'd like to think that even if we were to tidy the place up a bit, that we'd maintain a certain level of shelter for them in most paddocks.

Easier said than done on more intensive set-ups. Interesting topic though, I'd like to hear from the intensive dairy operators on here and their opinions because in fairness they are dealing with this everyday.

jfh

in sucklers now but our fields were split up into paddocks from the dairy days, we have been changing the fields so they're sheltered and planting tree's in corners for the last couple of years.
I think it's more important for guys with calves out than dairy lads but it's worth losing that bit of land for the shelter provided.
2 years ago during that heatwave, we dropped the fence and all stock were under mature trees.

blue5000

I would try let out cows with small calves to sheltered paddock wherever possible. I'd have a few paddocks in the middle of big (20ac+) fields and I try to graze them in spring with yearlings or cull/dry cows. Mature trees are great for shade and in the very hot summers I just open the paddock so cows and calves can get access to the shade if they need it.

On the negative side, where you have lots of trees there's also lots of flies. I haven't actually done it yet but have thought about planting 2 or 3 fast growing trees around water troughs. Very hard to fence them though:o

Sam Kade

As a man once said on the same debate "there isn't much shelter in a strand of wire"

patjack

blue5000 wrote: »

I would try let out cows with small calves to sheltered paddock wherever possible. I'd have a few paddocks in the middle of big (20ac+) fields and I try to graze them in spring with yearlings or cull/dry cows. Mature trees are great for shade and in the very hot summers I just open the paddock so cows and calves can get access to the shade if they need it.

On the negative side, where you have lots of trees there's also lots of flies. I haven't actually done it yet but have thought about planting 2 or 3 fast growing trees around water troughs. Very hard to fence them though:o

That's what I was thinking Blue, thats what I'd be inclined to do, if I was farming a set-up like that if possible. Not always possible I know, but that way on the harshest of days (probably a handful during the year) the cows can basically decide for themselves whether or not they need the shelter.

Is shelter a consideration for planners nowadays when deciding on a paddock set-up for new dairy set-ups?