out winter pads

greenpetrol

Does anyone have a woodchip winter pad and are they costly to make ? What size would be needed for say 30 suckler cows !also is it necessary in every situation to have it lined as this would be the biggest expense I imagine

st1979

Not cool any more

greenpetrol

st1979 wrote: »

Not cool any more

what's the latest trend then?

st1979

Outdoor cubicles. Are very in. Out wintering pads are very last season.

st1979

Sorry for the messing but basically Owp were grand when woodchip was freely available during the boom but then in the recession there was a lot less waste timber about. Lads who put in pads generally put in a big lagoon to take the large volume of rain that fell on pad. So these guys had lots of storage when they converted the pads to outdoor cubicles.
But I think if you are starting from scratch or an existing modest size tank the cost of bigger tank plus cost of spreading every year would go along way on payments for a roof.
I have a concrete lagoon and I would cover it if I could as I have at least a meter of rainfall to spread every year.

Carrigogunnell

Neighbour put one in 6 or so yrs ago the problem now is chip to dear he used to put 3 load on it for 2 grand now it's down to 1 load for which I think it 1500 or there abouts. He is puttyimg cubicles on it this year. I actually think lagoons are a good job say right all your land is in 1 block have scrapers putting all slurry into lagoon no slatted tank. very little agitating needed and with the pump/cord system it could actually turn out quite cheap to spread a huge volume of slurry

st1979

I would prefer to keep rain out and dairy washings in the slurry for ease of agitation. Amazing volume of washings over the year when you tot it up. And they have to be collected anyway and have a small nutrient value.
That for me is my ideal way. But at the moment with the umbilical I would say its costing me 500 plus per year just for rainwater.

Bass Reeves

greenpetrol wrote: »

Does anyone have a woodchip winter pad and are they costly to make ? What size would be needed for say 30 suckler cows !also is it necessary in every situation to have it lined as this would be the biggest expense I imagine

In theory there is no need to line however no council will give you planning permission also impossible to get an engineer to certify so if pollution issue down the line you are on your own. In general out wintering pads were only viable as a cost saving measure with large numbers.

From a greenfield site a standard slatted tank and slats would be a more viable alternative for 30 suckler cows. A three bay shed with 14'slats would be more than adequate you could go 4 bay for expansion purposes or so that you could carry your weanlings. It also gives the flexability with a run back behind for calving pens etc.

I think there is a TAMS grant at present of 40% available if not they will reopen one in next 12 months. Under such a scheme a 3 bay shed in general should cost about 20K after grant and a bit less if you are able to do some of the work yourself.

frazzledhome

greenpetrol wrote: »

Does anyone have a woodchip winter pad and are they costly to make ? What size would be needed for say 30 suckler cows !also is it necessary in every situation to have it lined as this would be the biggest expense I imagine

We had 2 of them here. Really healthy place to keep cattle with the exception of milking cows.

10 msq per cow minimum and would need to be feeding off the pad. 15 msq would allow you feed on pad.

You'll need a tank/lagoon to collect dirty water created. Some have slatted feeding area with effluent being pumped to the tank. Most would have lagoons for effluent collection.

Most councils insist on liner but with engineers design and Hydo report it's possible without. The liners will be certified and this is sufficient for council.

Ours was lined retrospectively. When constructing drains need to be dug and piped with drainage stone covering pipes ala field drain. On to that 3" stone and then woodchip.

If lining prepare site ie level and assess falls. Lay out liner, place drainage pipes next covered with stone graduating up to 3" for top layer.

I've forgotten the construction costs but it's a fraction of the cheapest alternatives.

We stopped using them as cow numbers increased requiring more cubicle space for milkers. The wood chip got terribly expensive into the bargain.

It has significantly decreased again as the nutters with the wood pellet burners realise that oil is cheaper and cleaner

I'd really recommend for animal welfare but draw backs are the amount of water needing collection. The wood chip needs 2 yrs to degrade but by god is it serious Fertilizer probably the best I've come across. If you spread on grass straight off pad an extra bag of urea will help break it down.

Sorry I can't remember the costs as its 13 years since we constructed ours.

greenpetrol

I have an old effluent tank that was used for run off from a slurry pit before the pit was sealed ! I taught if I just removed the top soil down to the hard core dug a drain at the end !( It's a natural slope ) filled in with a foot of wood chip this would be suffice! ! There are no water courses anywhere near this site! It's only intended as an area they can come out off the concrete! They have cubicles and are fed on concrete!

st1979

Tank will need to hold whatever rain falls on pad during the 16 WK closed period. Maybe 0.5 meter by the area of pad

Base price

We have one here (built about 12 years old) and it is more or less redundant. It is beside the slatted unit and from memory has about 2' of stone above the eight drainage pipes which are enclosed with pea gravel and they drain into the slatted unit.
We only use it now as a collecting area for the annual herd test and the first enclosed area for suck calves that are reared in the (bedded) slatted unit.
The only reason that we stopped using it was because we changed farming practice and no longer keep sucklers or cull cows. Also the cost of wood chip.
There is a world of difference between the quality of wood chip. A lot of stuff on the market has cheap MDF and such.
If I was to breed pbr beef cattle again I would opt for a stand off pad any day over cold, draughty, slatted tanks.

dh1985

Bass Reeves wrote: »

In theory there is no need to line however no council will give you planning permission also impossible to get an engineer to certify so if pollution issue down the line you are on your own. In general out wintering pads were only viable as a cost saving measure with large numbers.

From a greenfield site a standard slatted tank and slats would be a more viable alternative for 30 suckler cows. A three bay shed with 14'slats would be more than adequate you could go 4 bay for expansion purposes or so that you could carry your weanlings. It also gives the flexability with a run back behind for calving pens etc.

I think there is a TAMS grant at present of 40% available if not they will reopen one in next 12 months. Under such a scheme a 3 bay shed in general should cost about 20K after grant and a bit less if you are able to do some of the work yourself.

Ten incalf sucklers cows wouldn't fit in a slatted bay. They would be walking on each other and would be limited at eating. Would require the full four and then you will need a lie back for calves also.

carrollsno1

Bass Reeves wrote: »

In theory there is no need to line however no council will give you planning permission also impossible to get an engineer to certify so if pollution issue down the line you are on your own. In general out wintering pads were only viable as a cost saving measure with large numbers.

From a greenfield site a standard slatted tank and slats would be a more viable alternative for 30 suckler cows. A three bay shed with 14'slats would be more than adequate you could go 4 bay for expansion purposes or so that you could carry your weanlings. It also gives the flexability with a run back behind for calving pens etc.

I think there is a TAMS grant at present of 40% available if not they will reopen one in next 12 months. Under such a scheme a 3 bay shed in general should cost about 20K after grant and a bit less if you are able to do some of the work yourself.

Out of interest i know a sheds not a shed without a roof over it but would a unroofed slatted tank with concrete lie back with maybe some of it roofed to give some shelter