Slatted sheds - 6mths idle

Muckit

I suppose the main focus for the majority of us is still getting the maximum from grass.

But is there a case for then looking to maximise the capital expenditure on cattle sheds for the whole year?

I haven't done the figures, perhaps it's a non runner but could idle sheds be used to fatten bulls etc or are the costs just too prohibitive?

blue5000

I used to do it with brewers grains. Problem is when you go to sell you are dealing with factories who are able to get all the cheap cattle they want off grass. The longer I kept the animal to try get fat cover on them the lower the price went. BSE in '96 I think finished it and started grazing them during the summer instead. Bulls are hard on a shed though.

visatorro

i think Bob used to be the only one that regularly fed cattle indoor. reckoned it was to meet demand. i dont know anyone outside major feed lots that feed inside . other than storing straw or machinery its difficult to see anything worthwhile to utilise sheds during summer

patjack

blue5000 wrote: »

I used to do it with brewers grains. Problem is when you go to sell you are dealing with factories who are able to get all the cheap cattle they want off grass. The longer I kept the animal to try get fat cover on them the lower the price went. BSE in '96 I think finished it and started grazing them during the summer instead. Bulls are hard on a shed though.

Hi Blue,
What do you mean by "bulls are hard on a shed"? Do you mean it's hard to manage bulls on slats or otherwise? Sorry just curious.

tanko

Bulls spend a lot of time trying to dismantle their pen. They're constantly pushing against barriers, gates and drinkers trying to break them.

blue5000

patjack wrote: »

Hi Blue,
What do you mean by "bulls are hard on a shed"? Do you mean it's hard to manage bulls on slats or otherwise? Sorry just curious.

They wreck it basically, doors, slats (single) cracked from fighting, scratching off drinkers. Then if you let them out to weigh them, dose or load them you'd want to keep an eye on them!

patjack

blue5000 wrote: »

They wreck it basically, doors, slats (single) cracked from fighting, scratching off drinkers. Then if you let them out to weigh them, dose or load them you'd want to keep an eye on them!

Thanks Blue and Tanko. I have ye.

CloughCasey1

Muckit wrote: »

I suppose the main focus for the majority of us is still getting the maximum from grass.

But is there a case for then looking to maximise the capital expenditure on cattle sheds for the whole year?

I haven't done the figures, perhaps it's a non runner but could idle sheds be used to fatten bulls etc or are the costs just too prohibitive?

We fatten a few bulls on straw but always going in as yearlings in November. They would be going in that time anyway. Only reason I fatten bulls to 16mts is to have a few quid coming in in feb/mar and not having all sales in October/November. Have a batch of end of march/start of april calves this yr that I'm considering letting out on grass early 2016 and start the final 90days feeding on grass if possible and housing for final 60days to finish.

Carrigogunnell

Was at a tegasc better farm walk in Limerick a few months ago farmer calved cows in July August the the following August the Bulls were put into the slatted house and finished under 16 months the house would be empty for the 1st of November and the cows were put in for the winter up until February or March. The house could be used for up to 8 months of the yrHe was a very good operater

poor farmer

blue5000 wrote: »

They wreck it basically, doors, slats (single) cracked from fighting, scratching off drinkers. Then if you let them out to weigh them, dose or load them you'd want to keep an eye on them!

+1 bulls are hard on sheds, the will bend/break gates barriers knock walls etc.
The have the power and lots of time.
Wires overhead are a help .

severeoversteer

bullocks in shed this week, will be killed soon

weigh about 850- 900kg

severeoversteer

bulls in shed this weekend
weigh approx. 650kg

on 5kg meal plus good silage

Western Pomise

In terms of possible use for storage of machinery during summer months is it viable/safe to reverse a tractor in on slats and park up items like transport box,hay bob,disc mower?
Slats in sound shape and approx 20 yrs old,tractor is MF 390.

CloughCasey1

severeoversteer wrote: »

bullocks in shed this week, will be killed soon

weigh about 850- 900kg

What ya feeding them? Is that lad under 30mts

severeoversteer

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

What ya feeding them? Is that lad under 30mts

first bullock is 27 months old

_Brian

Saw an article where the turkey producers were looking for farmers with suitable sheds to consider putting in turkey's for Christmas.
I think it was particularly towards sheep farmers who would be putting on sheep in Jan and sheds would be idle right up to Christmas.

AntrimGlens

_Brian wrote: »

Saw an article where the turkey producers were looking for farmers with suitable sheds to consider putting in turkey's for Christmas.
I think it was particularly towards sheep farmers who would be putting on sheep in Jan and sheds would be idle right up to Christmas.

Anyone up here who puts up a sheep house now uses it for Turkeys for the rest of the year - no really changes to the houses required as they are solid floors and bedded on sawdust.
They are obviously all contracted to one company and paid per bird reared. They have overhead drinkers and feeders which are raised and lowered depending whether its the sheep or turkeys in the house.

lakill Farm

_Brian wrote: »

Saw an article where the turkey producers were looking for farmers with suitable sheds to consider putting in turkey's for Christmas.
I think it was particularly towards sheep farmers who would be putting on sheep in Jan and sheds would be idle right up to Christmas.

I had plans to do the same in my calf shed.

Western Pomise

So would slats take weight of tractor safely?

Bullocks

Western Pomise wrote: »

So would slats take weight of tractor safely?

Some are specced to take the weight of tractors on them and some aren't. I don't mind backing implements on them but I wouldn't chance driving a heavy tractor onto ours anyhow

Pacoa

Neighbour put bulls into slatted shed with slat rubber last winter and well all the rubber will have to be thrown out for next winter, they made
sugar of it.

Dickie10

was thinking of buying rubber sheep slats and feeding/fattening store lambs in a bay if i havent money too fill the shed with bought in weanlings, am i mad? just started farming since may 1 st with my own bank acc. and herd no. my father retired so money still tight

ganmo

Dickie10 wrote: »

was thinking of buying rubber sheep slats and feeding/fattening store lambs in a bay if i havent money too fill the shed with bought in weanlings, am i mad? just started farming since may 1 st with my own bank acc. and herd no. my father retired so money still tight

Do you mean those green pig slats?
Could work well. I've been tempted to bring the last of the lambs into the shed for the last few years but have to cross the old lad barrier

younglexus

Slats can be hard on bulls feet especially as they get heavier the closer they are to being finished. However if theres adequate lying area in the shed this shouldn't be a problem.

Username John

Dickie10 wrote: »

was thinking of buying rubber sheep slats and feeding/fattening store lambs in a bay if i havent money too fill the shed with bought in weanlings, am i mad? just started farming since may 1 st with my own bank acc. and herd no. my father retired so money still tight

*i think* I remember reading that rangler beds some of his ewes in a slatted house, on straw. Rolls out the big round bales of straw over the slats, to block or cover em so to speak.

I think you're close enough to a tillage area, so straw mightn't be too pricey? Might be an option - at least you might not have to buy the sheep slats, if 'twas only a short term thing.

Might be best to check with rangler first tho - in case I have it wrong

Farmer Pudsey

The way I look at a shed is that feeding costs go from 50c/day for stores to 1.5/day and from 1.25/day to nearly 3/day for fininshing cattle. No point in competing with cheaper grass if you can avoid it. If you can spend 3-4 days a week at a mart to pick up cheap cattle that will leave a margin then by all means do but not sure if I would dot it juast because the shed was empty.

Store lambs are very inefficient converters would be slow to go finishing lambs indoors especially those that have any mouintain breeding in them. No point in filling it unless it pays to fill it.

Username John

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

The way I look at a shed is that feeding costs go from 50c/day for stores to 1.5/day and from 1.25/day to nearly 3/day for fininshing cattle. No point in competing with cheaper grass if you can avoid it. If you can spend 3-4 days a week at a mart to pick up cheap cattle that will leave a margin then by all means do but not sure if I would dot it juast because the shed was empty.

Store lambs are very inefficient converters would be slow to go finishing lambs indoors especially those that have any mouintain breeding in them. No point in filling it unless it pays to fill it.

Hi Puds,
They say the conversion rate for lambs is about 7:1 (7kg meal = 1 kg meat)

What's the number for bulls & bullocks?

Just out of interest.

rangler1

Username John wrote: »

*i think* I remember reading that rangler beds some of his ewes in a slatted house, on straw. Rolls out the big round bales of straw over the slats, to block or cover em so to speak.

I think you're close enough to a tillage area, so straw mightn't be too pricey? Might be an option - at least you might not have to buy the sheep slats, if 'twas only a short term thing.

Might be best to check with rangler first tho - in case I have it wrong

you have it right....I've been doing it ten years, I wouldn't like to be the one that has to clean out the tanks at this stage

Farmer Pudsey

Username John wrote: »

Hi Puds,
They say the conversion rate for lambs is about 7:1 (7kg meal = 1 kg meat)

What's the number for bulls & bullocks?

Just out of interest.

A few years ago a friend had stores, these were crosses off mountain ewes he was feeding them a good bit of ration he taught the conversion rate poor. Cattle are 8-14/1 depending on breed type age etc.

I am suprised that lambs are 7-1 what is killout 45-48%.

IH784man

Horned lambs in shed are waste of time compared to lowland sheep.Uncle does it and he says the only stores he will buy will be texel Charolais suffolk ect.

Is there money in buying cattle to feed them in a shed Ayr and killing them

Farmer Pudsey

IH784man wrote: »

Horned lambs in shed are waste of time compared to lowland sheep.Uncle does it and he says the only stores he will buy will be texel Charolais suffolk ect.

Is there money in buying cattle to feed them in a shed Ayr and killing them

In general lowland sheep should be killed off grass. Most stores will have mountain breeding in them

Is there money feeding cattle for slaughter out of a shed yes if you can buy them cheap enough, bau your rations at the right price and get a fair price off the factory. Have slipped away from finishing cattle out of the shed as costs are high

Username John

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

A few years ago a friend had stores, these were crosses off mountain ewes he was feeding them a good bit of ration he taught the conversion rate poor. Cattle are 8-14/1 depending on breed type age etc.

I am suprised that lambs are 7-1 what is killout 45-48%.

Yeah, 45% maybe higher em if you were feeding a good bit of ration.

I'd sometimes have a small number of my own yokes, or maybe some bought in stores - and with a small pick of grass, and ration - I'd work on the 7:1 number. They be lowland breeds tho (Suffolk cross)

But I found that small amounts over a longer time (along with a little grass, just enough to keep em ticking over) better than trying to push em on with a high ration diet.
But I wouldn't be an expert by any means...

Edit : never finished lambs indoors, hay or silage is a big cost for me, so would sell em store myself first. So maybe I shouldn't be quoting figures at all really