Advice on Calf slats for sucklers

50HX

looking for advice on above

currently have the old pig type slat - on brick 3" from the ground - work fine except they are very heavy so not a long term option as i need the loader to lift them

i want a slat that's light enough to lift up and clean out once a week say

could make up the timber version of them but i want a long term solution - part time so time is tight

what are ye using at the moment?

ideally would want something to hold up to 200kgs

anyone have these in use

http://www.recycledplastic.ie/index.php?&pcID=root&cID=4

50HX

anyone??

Farrell

50HX wrote: »

anyone??

Don't have a creep ourselves, but have seen a 4 bay slatted shed with 10ft lean to just behind.
Farmer has made a wooden slatted pad which can be lifted with a balelifter

milligan2

Easyfix slats used here and we are happy with them.They are timber with a plastic cover over each slat and rubber chocs underneath to protect the timber from rotting.
Had a few of the hard plastic ones but the calves were not too keen and used to end up laying on the concrete.They are very slippy too.

50HX

milligan2 wrote: »

Easyfix slats used here and we are happy with them.They are timber with a plastic cover over each slat and rubber chocs underneath to protect the timber from rotting.
Had a few of the hard plastic ones but the calves were not too keen and used to end up laying on the concrete.They are very slippy too.

that's what i was wondering about the recycled plastics one

must make an enquiry on the easyfix ones

any idea of price off the top of your head?

milligan2

Bought 10 of them for circa 1200 euro,have them for 5 years now.They are not bullet proof but are easy to repair and should last me another 5years

TITANIUM.

50HX wrote: »

looking for advice on above

currently have the old pig type slat - on brick 3" from the ground - work fine except they are very heavy so not a long term option as i need the loader to lift them

i want a slat that's light enough to lift up and clean out once a week say

could make up the timber version of them but i want a long term solution - part time so time is tight

what are ye using at the moment?

ideally would want something to hold up to 200kgs

anyone have these in use

http://www.recycledplastic.ie/index.php?&pcID=root&cID=4

I'm probably wrong for allot of reasons because I don't know your set up but would it not be easier to just bed um down with straw?

Reggie.

TITANIUM. wrote: »

I'm probably wrong for allot of reasons because I don't know your set up but would it not be easier to just bed um down with straw?

I find plenty of straw is just as good

milligan2

Reggie. wrote: »

I find plenty of straw is just as good

Straw is great but it's €25 euro a bale in the west

Reggie.

milligan2 wrote: »

Straw is great but it's €25 euro a bale in the west

True

Good loser

milligan2 wrote: »

Straw is great but it's €25 euro a bale in the west

Could you pay a lorry to bring a load west? Or share one?

Maybe a return load?

milligan2

Good straw is making €15 a bale in most places and trucks would need a tenner to haul

charolais0153

milligan2 wrote: »

Good straw is making €15 a bale in most places and trucks would need a tenner to haul

https://www.donedeal.ie/farmproduce-for-sale/barley-straw/13730346

https://www.donedeal.ie/farmproduce-for-sale/straw-4x4-round-bales/13074231

milligan2

charolais0153 wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/farmproduce-for-sale/barley-straw/13730346

https://www.donedeal.ie/farmproduce-for-sale/straw-4x4-round-bales/13074231

Delivery to the extreme southwest?

charolais0153

milligan2 wrote: »

Delivery to the extreme southwest?

I thought you meant Connacht

milligan2

No,on one of those tentacles in the southwest!

old deere

Advice on Calf slats for sucklers
Had the same problem last year, got plastic pig slats rated to carry 350kg , simple to fit ,and clean ,not cheap but happy enough with them. google premium s series slat. crowd in letrim doing them.

50HX

TITANIUM. wrote: »

I'm probably wrong for allot of reasons because I don't know your set up but would it not be easier to just bed um down with straw?

straw not an option, v limited space so need a designated area for calves in a calving shed plus we never did the straw option and i still lean on the aul lad and if i started bedding straw down like that then lets say it wouldn't go down too well:) ......not worth the hassle from him in the long run:D

stantheman1979

25 for a bale of straw!! Sh1t the bed!!! We got barley and wheaten straw for 10 delivered here in the south east!!!! Also some clean 2015 bales for 8

L1985

Hi guys sorry to resurrect an old thread but I'm thinking I may have to invest in some calf slats given the shortage of straw....i do find that in bedding straw over the pallets works well and they need less cleaning out but the pallets tend to break....Does anyone have any companies they could recommend for the plastic slats and an idea of prices?

Reggie.

L1985 wrote: »

Hi guys sorry to resurrect an old thread but I'm thinking I may have to invest in some calf slats given the shortage of straw....i do find that in bedding straw over the pallets works well and they need less cleaning out but the pallets tend to break....Does anyone have any companies they could recommend for the plastic slats and an idea of prices?

Just use peat. No troubles then

charolais0153

Reggie. wrote: »

Just use peat. No troubles then

Theres no peat in Kilkenny sure

L1985

charolais0153 wrote: »

Theres no peat in Kilkenny sure

That's v v true!! And I'm also thinking it would be a bigger pain in the backside!! I have never seen calves bedded in peat down here....

Farmer

I find mayo mats on a sloped floor good. They need a quick brush down every day but are very easy kept clean and calves really seem to like them and will huddle together on them. Cost about 60 eur each which may be prohibitive if you need large numbers

Reggie.

charolais0153 wrote: »

Theres no peat in Kilkenny sure

Ya can get it delivered

Reggie.

L1985 wrote: »

That's v v true!! And I'm also thinking it would be a bigger pain in the backside!! I have never seen calves bedded in peat down here....

Not yet but in the future I can see farmers turning to it. I did it last year and will never go back to fully straw

L1985

Reggie. wrote: »

Not yet but in the future I can see farmers turning to it. I did it last year and will never go back to fully straw

Honestly we only use it for suck calves and would have between 15-20 that time of year usually for 3 weeks roughly....I have run a system where the calves can go in and out of the shed into the field and have a lie down area there that they tend to use so they aren't very hard on straw. It's only the week after they are born that they are on fully straw. The calf slats wouldjust make my life easier with cleaning out from them and I'm not mad on the pallets because they break too easy.

50HX

jfc do 4x3 plastic slats but they are around the 90 euro mark......mad money

thinking of making them out of 3" x 2" or 4" x 2" timber and paint on a shot of protim green e wood preservative