Farm Roadways

Mf310

Have any of ye done roadways on the cheap.. starting into dairy but price for a 1km roadway is running up a nice bit over 10000 which is too much for year one. I saw on the journal about a reversible roadway or invert roadway which is the topsoil put to one side and then dig subsoil and replace topsoil where subsoil was and replace subsoil where topsoil was. Not sure how well itd work but itd be simple in a few years to get the good stone and place on top ... another way i saw that is used alot over in england is concrete railway sleepers any amount of them can be got in portlaoise but there is a large gap when these are placed down as the middle is narrower than the edges of the sleepers any advice appreciated

davidk1394

Is using slig an option? Cheaper than stone, binds nicely and is smooth on cows hooves. Leave the top soil underneath as that gives it structure and support.

Mooooo

Personally I'd try and find it if I could, whatever you do will either have to be done again or replaced with the road in the future a good roadway done right will always return be it in better cowflow and time and less lameness. Have you rock or stone on the farm? Swapp9ng the topsoil and subsoil has worked for a temp fix for some, I know here twud only turn to ****e with rainfall

memorystick

My neighbour uses old concrete sleepers and is happy with them. Milking over 220 cows.

GrasstoMilk

Mf310 wrote: »

Have any of ye done roadways on the cheap.. starting into dairy but price for a 1km roadway is running up a nice bit over 10000 which is too much for year one. I saw on the journal about a reversible roadway or invert roadway which is the topsoil put to one side and then dig subsoil and replace topsoil where subsoil was and replace subsoil where topsoil was. Not sure how well itd work but itd be simple in a few years to get the good stone and place on top ... another way i saw that is used alot over in england is concrete railway sleepers any amount of them can be got in portlaoise but there is a large gap when these are placed down as the middle is narrower than the edges of the sleepers any advice appreciated

The sleepers are a great job if you can get them.
Dig out the top soil and lay them on the subsoil. The centres will eventually fill up with soil and it gives a lovely surface for cows to walk on

Timmaay

It's really a tough job to do on the cheap 2bh. Only way I think you can skimp on it and actually get away is go with less material underneath, but then totally ban any machinery from using the lane ways. I've got away with doing that on a few link laneways here.

Muckit

What would be the most expensive part of this project- the machinery/labour hire or the stone/material?

I see the dairy unit of Mountbellew ag college got a new dairy manager. He has put in new spur lanes. No excavation. Just tipped and spread hardcore. They are over 12" over ground level. Reckons it will sink and level in time. They are very narrow also, at a glance l reckon 8'-10' max.

He has spent a small fortune in gate handles and bungie cord. No run of Ht wire. Every gap between stakes can be opened as a gateway. Very controversal stuff. I suppose it's easy take the 'try it and see' approach when its not directly effecting your own phoca.

rocky bilboa

Probably a stupid question but have you a field with gravel/sand under it that you could dig out and replace with soil from roadway? Railway sleepers look the job done right and you mention them as been a cheap way of doing it? Would be interesting to cost/compare the different methods per 100m.

GrasstoMilk

Muckit wrote: »

What would be the most expensive part of this project- the machinery/labour hire or the stone/material?

I see the dairy unit of Mountbellew ag college got a new dairy manager. He has put in new spur lanes. No excavation. Just tipped and spread hardcore. They are over 12" over ground level. Reckons it will sink and level in time. They are very narrow also, at a glance l reckon 8'-10' max.

He has spent a small fortune in gate handles and bungie cord. No run of Ht wire. Every gap between stakes can be opened as a gateway. Very controversal stuff. I suppose it's easy take the 'try it and see' approach when its not directly effecting your own phoca.

Bit over kill on every post
But that money he spent there will help him get cows to grass very easy without destroying ground

Timmaay

Muckit wrote: »

What would be the most expensive part of this project- the machinery/labour hire or the stone/material?

I see the dairy unit of Mountbellew ag college got a new dairy manager. He has put in new spur lanes. No excavation. Just tipped and spread hardcore. They are over 12" over ground level. Reckons it will sink and level in time. They are very narrow also, at a glance l reckon 8'-10' max.

He has spent a small fortune in gate handles and bungie cord. No run of Ht wire. Every gap between stakes can be opened as a gateway. Very controversal stuff. I suppose it's easy take the 'try it and see' approach when its not directly effecting your own phoca.

What's actually a "small fortune" on gate handles and bungee cord ha? Gate handles are like 2.50 each, and 30e for a full roll of bungee cord, I'm betting he spent max a grand on materials for the whole lot, should be a 10yr job and should pay for itself in one spring with less poaching, more days at grass etc. I did up the main paddock laneways fencing here last winter, gap every 3 posts here now, and I can tell you not one of them were wasted during the year.