Options for narrow passageway

tractorporn

I'm looking for ideas for what could be done with a narrow passageway.

We have recently upgraded the tractor and loader to our first 4wd drive tractor. The tractor was bought specifically as it was a compact unit because the passageway in one of our sheds is only 9' 2". However now that we are using the new tractor we are finding that the larger 4wd front wheels are causing a problem when trying to spread out the grab of silage in frond of the feed barrier, a bullocks head got caught between the barrier and the front wheel over the weekend. The bullock was only stunned luckily and not badly hurt but its making the job of feeding a bit more awkward than it was.

Any thoughts on what could be done? Bearing in mind that we have just spent the guts of 30k upgrading machinery so there's not a whole heap of money left.

I did price up those movable cow pow barriers at the ploughing but at 1100 + vat + 110/space for 8 bays I really couldn't justify that sort of investment, the money would never be made back out of suckling.

Thanks in advance
John

Jb1989

tractorporn wrote: »

I'm looking for ideas for what could be done with a narrow passageway.

We have recently upgraded the tractor and loader to our first 4wd drive tractor. The tractor was bought specifically as it was a compact unit because the passageway in one of our sheds is only 9' 2". However now that we are using the new tractor we are finding that the larger 4wd front wheels are causing a problem when trying to spread out the grab of silage in frond of the feed barrier, a bullocks head got caught between the barrier and the front wheel over the weekend. The bullock was only stunned luckily and not badly hurt but its making the job of feeding a bit more awkward than it was.

Any thoughts on what could be done? Bearing in mind that we have just spent the guts of 30k upgrading machinery so there's not a whole heap of money left.

I did price up those movable cow pow barriers at the ploughing but at 1100 + vat + 110/space for 8 bays I really couldn't justify that sort of investment, the money would never be made back out of suckling.

Thanks in advance
John

On the gunthering thread some man made simple light gates that he could wind up and down to block heads from comeing out.
Two 8x4 sheets of mesh behind each barrier hinged somewhere in relation to the barrier should be fit to keep heads out. Even saving the life of a decent suck calf would by simple mesh sheets for a 4 bay house.

tractorporn

Jb1989 wrote: »

On the gunthering thread some man made simple light gates that he could wind up and down to block heads from comeing out.
Two 8x4 sheets of mesh behind each barrier hinged somewhere in relation to the barrier should be fit to keep heads out. Even saving the life of a decent suck calf would by simple mesh sheets.

Yeah sounds like a simple idea. Were the sheets of mesh hinged or did they slide up and down the RSJ's??

Was looking at this as well
http://www.agriaffaires.co.uk/used/forage-wagon/6140153/trioliet-silomaster.html

Not so sure as to how well it would work on our grass silage but if it was effective I could be tempted to take a punt on it!

djmc

We widened our passage some years back by pouring concrete over slats and moving back barriers helped a bit but maybe not the best solution.
Did you ever think about a cheap old skid steer for pushing in silage and cleaning out
I never had one but I'd say they would be fairly handy around the farm yard.

Jb1989

tractorporn wrote: »

Yeah sounds like a simple idea. Were the sheets of mesh hinged or did they slide up and down the RSJ's??

Was looking at this as well
http://www.agriaffaires.co.uk/used/forage-wagon/6140153/trioliet-silomaster.html

Not so sure as to how well it would work on our grass silage but if it was effective I could be tempted to take a punt on it!

The man didn't have the pics, just the explanation. Maybe up the rsj, but even sheets that hinged of the top of the barrier and folded down wen needed would work

tractorporn

djmc wrote: »

We widened our passage some years back by pouring concrete over slats and moving back barriers helped a bit but maybe not the best solution.
Did you ever think about a cheap old skid steer for pushing in silage and cleaning out
I never had one but I'd say they would be fairly handy around the farm yard.

Have looked at a skid steer in the past but never made the jump its not something that will be bought in the near future though.

How did the concrete on the slats work out?

Did you move the RSJ's as well as the barrier?

tractorporn

Jb1989 wrote: »

The man didn't have the pics, just the explanation. Maybe up the rsj, but even sheets that hinged of the top of the barrier and folded down wen needed would work

I was thinking that a hinge just above the barrier and some spring loaded pins to secure it could work. Would just need to keep the whole thing light or else you could get caught out swinging it down!

Jb1989

tractorporn wrote: »

I was thinking that a hinge just above the barrier and some spring loaded pins to secure it could work. Would just need to keep the whole thing light or else you could get caught out swinging it down!

Aw very light should do well. If the holes are small the cattle shouldn't bother messing with them even if there hungry. Maybe swinging them into the pen would keep the inside flust with no spots for cattle to start noseing at

tractorporn

Jb1989 wrote: »

Aw very light should do well. If the holes are small the cattle shouldn't bother messing with them even if there hungry. Maybe swinging them into the pen would keep the inside flust with no spots for cattle to start noseing at

That's a good point. If they swung into the pen there would be no need to have them locking while they were in the down position. I'd say this could be a runner in the short term. The only issue i can see is pulling them up again will be a bit of a pain.

patsy_mccabe

Could you put pulleys up high on the RSJ's and using counter weights, just have the mesh sliding up vertically. No danger of it swinging down then and hitting someone on the head.

Like below on the left hand side.

djmc

tractorporn wrote: »

Have looked at a skid steer in the past but never made the jump its not something that will be bought in the near future though.

How did the concrete on the slats work out?

Did you move the RSJ's as well as the barrier?

It worked OK at the time we replaced slats and put in new rsjs and barriers covering a foot an a half extra each side so passage about 3 feet wider
It's done around 15 years now only problem when slats need replacing it will be a bigger job
That could be a long way away hopefully a job for the next generation.

tractorporn

djmc wrote: »

It worked OK at the time we replaced slats and put in new rsjs and barriers covering a foot an a half extra each side so passage about 3 feet wider
It's done around 15 years now only problem when slats need replacing it will be a bigger job
That could be a long way away hopefully a job for the next generation.

So are your RSJ's bolted onto the slat or did you have that bit of space to play with?

djmc

tractorporn wrote: »

So are your RSJ's bolted onto the slat or did you have that bit of space to play with?

Can't remember now as it was contracted to shed builder fabricator but the rsjs are set into the concrete passage now and firm out even after belts of tractor or shear grab over the years.

pedigree 6

Maybe you could put straps or ropes along the front of the barriers and ratchet strap them at the end. If 1 rope wouldn't do it use 2 or 3 or use 2 ropes with plastic netting /mesh between the ropes, something that could be rolled up by hand and put up and taken down very quickly.

Genghis Cant

Would locking barriers be a runner for you? Lock them out of them as required.

tractorporn

Maybe you could put straps or ropes along the front of the barriers and ratchet strap them at the end. If 1 rope wouldn't do it use 2 or 3 or use 2 ropes with plastic netting /mesh between the ropes, something that could be rolled up by hand and put up and taken down very quickly.

Yeah it could be a runner but I could see myself getting fed up of rolling up rope and straps for 8 feed barriers very quickly. But for an instant fix it probably would be the job.

Genghis Cant wrote: »

Would locking barriers be a runner for you? Lock them out of them as required.

Yeah Ive been looking into those as well, do they qualify for the grant under TAMS? What sort of money are they? Only thing is I cant see us being ready to tear out the feed rails and replace them with something until the summer. Will just have to be extra careful till then.

djmc

If I was doing it again I would put in the locking barriers
If you catch an animals head with tractor or loader feeding some day it could cost the price difference locking movable barriers would be better again especially on a narrow passage.
They would be handy for doseing or taging too on a wet day rather than running everything through the crush.

tractorporn

djmc wrote: »

If I was doing it again I would put in the locking barriers
If you catch an animals head with tractor or loader feeding some day it could cost the price difference locking movable barriers would be better again especially on a narrow passage.
They would be handy for doseing or taging too on a wet day rather than running everything through the crush.

I was thinking that alright. Would it be worth going down the route of a cheap second hand tub feeder or would it be a pain to reverse down the shed?

TITANIUM.

tractorporn wrote: »

I was thinking that alright. Would it be worth going down the route of a cheap second hand tub feeder or would it be a pain to reverse down the shed?

Toughen out this year with some easy cheap fix. Then go and get yourself the locking barriers. There worth what you pay for them 10times over. There brillant for a million different jobs. Believe me once you get them you will never go back. If the cost if an issue maybe you could do one side at a time.

tractorporn

TITANIUM. wrote:

Toughen out this year with some easy cheap fix. Then go and get yourself the locking barriers. There worth what you pay for them 10times over. There brillant for a million different jobs. Believe me once you get them you will never go back. If the cost if an issue maybe you could do one side at a time.

I think it will have to be one side at a time. Which locking barriers do lads find best value for money?

TITANIUM.

tractorporn wrote: »

I think it will have to be one side at a time. Which locking barriers do lads find best value for money?

Can't say I've a trial of any other type of locking barriers but ours are by O'Donovans eng in cork I think and I've no complaints. Spose you could price around.

howdee

If there was no sheds to either side could you bed down animals on the passage way and move your feeding passage to the sides of the shed. I'm planning to do it here with an old beef house that has a 13 foot passage way. Even at 13 foot there is very little room to maneuver.

tractorporn

TITANIUM. wrote:

Can't say I've a trial of any other type of locking barriers but ours are by O'Donovans eng in cork I think and I've no complaints. Spose you could price around.

I'm going to have to. I priced a few bits of O'Donovan at the ploughing and I thought the auld lad was going to have a stroke when he heard the prices. But in this case I think you get what you pay for, their stuff looks serious!

tractorporn

howdee wrote:

If there was no sheds to either side could you bed down animals on the passage way and move your feeding passage to the sides of the shed. I'm planning to do it here with an old beef house that has a 13 foot passage way. Even at 13 foot there is very little room to maneuver.

Well the silage pit is on one side but the other side backs out onto a small yard and there's a small lieback on that side. It's definitely worth considering. Only drawback I can think of is the pens would be very large with two slatted pens and the passage merged into one pen. It mightn't be ideal for meal feeding as barrier space would be tight!

farmerjj

I,d definitely consider altering the shed 1st, no matter what head feeder you put in 9ft is seriously tight any cheap way to alter the shed would be my advice on the way to go.

tractorporn

farmerjj wrote:

I,d definitely consider altering the shed 1st, no matter what head feeder you put in 9ft is seriously tight any cheap way to alter the shed would be my advice on the way to go.

I'm starting to veer towards that way of thinking alright will just have to take a good look at it and try and figure out a way of doing it! Will probably get some locking barriers whatever I do!

degetme

We have a narrow feed passage. We got a pushover to push in silage. Petrol driven.it works against the back wall of silage pit. Think you can get a track put down so it will catch on to push in silage

49801

tractorporn wrote: »

Have looked at a skid steer in the past but never made the jump its not something that will be bought in the near future though.

How did the concrete on the slats work out?

Did you move the RSJ's as well as the barrier?

Saw a similar thread somewhere else... Best idea seemed to be a grab that splits the block in half and a V structure upside down that you drop the block onto. Drag the structure along as you go than having anything too permanent

tractorporn

degetme wrote:

We have a narrow feed passage. We got a pushover to push in silage. Petrol driven.it works against the back wall of silage pit. Think you can get a track put down so it will catch on to push in silage

I didn't realise they were still making those pushovers?? Can you throw the silage in the middle of the passageway and use it to feed it out or would you still need to have it in front of the barrier in the first place?

tractorporn

49801 wrote:

Saw a similar thread somewhere else... Best idea seemed to be a grab that splits the block in half and a V structure upside down that you drop the block onto. Drag the structure along as you go than having anything too permanent

Yeah we have a tine grab so something like that could work! I was thinking along the lines of just dumping the silage in the middle of the passageway and then having something like a snow plough on the back of the tractor and just drive through it to push it to the barrier?