Cost of building a cattle pen and new crush

k mac

Thinking of availing of the TAMS II scheme to build a cattle pen which I think is covered under animal welfare. Looking for any tips or ballpark cost. It will be built behind a three bay shed which has a crush already on the outside wall but while I am at it am thinking of installing a new crush and automatic gate the old crush can be put up again at fields away from the yard. So one side is already covered with the shed was think of putting 14ft gates at either end and mass concrete walls on the other side and concreting all the floor area. Was thinking of changing where the crush was located so I could have a walkway either side.

k mac

Anyone here built anything similar

I says

Why bother with such cost for something that is used less than ten times a year. You mention moving the old crush up to fields your better of leave it where it is and use old telegraph poles and crash barriers for up the fields for a crush save yourself a fortune

Fine Day

k mac wrote: »

Anyone here built anything similar

Planing on doing one myself. Old crush & pen is gone beyond repair after many years of services. I got some crash barriers for the pen. I priced crush gates a midland decent gate is from €450 up. As was mentioned its not a something used on a regular bases never the less it needs to be right. My saying is do it once & do it right and it will serve many years of service.

k mac

I says wrote: »

Why bother with such cost for something that is used less than ten times a year. You mention moving the old crush up to fields your better of leave it where it is and use old telegraph poles and crash barriers for up the fields for a crush save yourself a fortune

Its more of a safety measure and a more practical one, as the set up at the minute is the cattle come out the door of the shed and into the crush which can prove both difficult and dangerous as the cattle are kind off going out blind and can be very hard to get out of the shed into the crush. Figure if I had a pen could just let them out of the shed into it and then drive them up the crush. Also was thinking if I designed the pen probably at the start could possibly roof it in the future so it could double up as a dry shed for calving etc. While the tams grant is going if I could get the grant plus the vat back, and claim tax back as a capital investment it might not cost an awful lot for something that will make life a bit easier.

Muckit

I says wrote: »

Why bother with such cost for something that is used less than ten times a year.

Health and Safety
Also 10X10=100 and that's only ten years.

Dakota Dan

Muckit wrote: »

Health and Safety
Also 10X10=100 and that's only ten years.

I’ve a crush here built it myself in 1990 for £70 and still going strong. I did get cheap metal pipes from mallow beet factory and free cement that was left over from the Cork Mallow road.

SuperTortoise

I'm in a similar boat, fragmented land, shed and crush on one part and nothing on the other half with about 1 mile apart.
The ideal place to put it for me would be in the middle of a block of land, the downside is it's on top of a hill with no roadway up to it.
It would be hardship trying to build a new shed there so i'm thinking of putting up a decent handling yard with crush.
I gather i need a tank for the crush, is there a minimum size required?

k mac

[QUOTE=
I gather i need a tank for the crush, is there a minimum size required?[/QUOTE]

I would hopefully be able to just slope the floor of the pen into a pipe to the slatted tank

Hard Knocks

k mac wrote: »

I would hopefully be able to just slope the floor of the pen into a pipe to the slatted tank

If the handling yard is uncovered, you would want to allow capacity in the tank for surface water from the yard.

St.Senan

@k mac : Unfortunately, you have missed this TAMS tranche (#13). It closed on April 5th. You will have to wait until the next tranche (#14) opens in a few months time.

I submitted an application for a new crush and enclosure in the tranche just closed. It's handy enough to get a ballpark figure for the costing. Measure the location. Draw a sketch. Use the dimensions from the sketch in conjunction with the Reference Costs document to calculate the costs.

Condon Engineering sent me a quote for the crush I have submitted. It is in line with the costings obtained from the reference costs.

Bass Reeves

A TAM's specified crush will last 50-80 years. If you have to pipe it into a shed just put in a diversion manhole to divert clean water into a soakaway . If near a shed there is usually stone adjacent to the tank. When doing for TAM's putting a second set of bars on the run so you can access cattle from both side of run as opposed to up against a wall. If you do leave at least a meter gap for safety reasons. However consider putting it in shed if an option as it is great when cattle are housed to be able to dose and inject cattle within the shed. When drawing the grand the difference between a TAM's job and a botch job is miniscule. A fully automatic gate is a must. Not sure if you will get away with a gravel base under the gathering pen to TAM's spec. If you will it great most pens will grow enough grass 2-3 times a year to hold a Bullock's or two for 1-3 days with a few nuts if they need injecting.

Angle the gathering pen from the run as opposed to 90 degrees as this encourages animals into the run. If you use a double sided run slope the second side a small bit as well you will handle cattle by yourself very easy. Consider buying a portable crush and head gate as well it is very handy for outside farms or rented places a basic one after vat will cost no more than 5-600 euro

Muckit

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Consider buying a portable crush and head gate as well it is very handy for outside farms or rented places a basic one after vat will cost no more than 5-600 euro

Technically can't reclaim VAT on MOBILE crush

dunlopwellies

St.Senan wrote: »

@k mac : Unfortunately, you have missed this TAMS tranche (#13). It closed on April 5th. You will have to wait until the next tranche (#14) opens in a few months time.

I submitted an application for a new crush and enclosure in the tranche just closed. It's handy enough to get a ballpark figure for the costing. Measure the location. Draw a sketch. Use the dimensions from the sketch in conjunction with the Reference Costs document to calculate the costs.

Condon Engineering sent me a quote for the crush I have submitted. It is in line with the costings obtained from the reference costs.

Is the best tranche not already open and running for a few months.. I thought that's how they worked it.

Bass Reeves

Muckit wrote: »

Technically can't reclaim VAT on MOBILE crush

As far as I know you can weighting scales and hedging are similar I think. However I have seen basic ones for sub 1k after grant alone they will be sub 600. You cannot draw the grant on them as a single item but thrown in with a crush they will be allowed. You can also include gates as penning but have to have a few.

St.Senan

The tranches dates are in the link.

@dunlopwellies : You are correct - the new tranche opens the day after the old one closes. Tranche 14 opened on April 6th and will remain open until July 5th.

Sami23

Muckit wrote: »

Technically can't reclaim VAT on MOBILE crush

Can you reclaim Vat on any of the following - semi auto headgate, headscoop, dehorning crate, cattle weighing scales, sheep weighing scales and sheep hurdles as I am thinking of applying for Tams grant to buy them.
TIA

k mac

Bass Reeves wrote: »

A TAM's specified crush will last 50-80 years. If you have to pipe it into a shed just put in a diversion manhole to divert clean water into a soakaway . If near a shed there is usually stone adjacent to the tank. When doing for TAM's putting a second set of bars on the run so you can access cattle from both side of run as opposed to up against a wall. If you do leave at least a meter gap for safety reasons. However consider putting it in shed if an option as it is great when cattle are housed to be able to dose and inject cattle within the shed. When drawing the grand the difference between a TAM's job and a botch job is miniscule. A fully automatic gate is a must. Not sure if you will get away with a gravel base under the gathering pen to TAM's spec. If you will it great most pens will grow enough grass 2-3 times a year to hold a Bullock's or two for 1-3 days with a few nuts if they need injecting.

Angle the gathering pen from the run as opposed to 90 degrees as this encourages animals into the run. If you use a double sided run slope the second side a small bit as well you will handle cattle by yourself very easy. Consider buying a portable crush and head gate as well it is very handy for outside farms or rented places a basic one after vat will cost no more than 5-600 euro

Thanks for that some good advice. I would prefer to concrete the base while I am at it.Unfortunately would not be able put crush indoors but as I said might roof the pen in future. Would definitely design crush layout to be able get at stock from both sides. Would be hoping the whole job including new crush piping and fully automatic gate would come in under 6K euro

DaDerv

k mac wrote: »

Thanks for that some good advice. I would prefer to concrete the base while I am at it.Unfortunately would not be able put crush indoors but as I said might roof the pen in future. Would definitely design crush layout to be able get at stock from both sides. Would be hoping the whole job including new crush piping and fully automatic gate would come in under 6K euro

https://www.farmersjournal.ie/new-handling-unit-for-large-suckler-herd-333199

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tonkNWboLU8

This is taken from a year ago. You might have to subscribe to read the article but you can watch the video. The cost came in at 9k plus Vat for penning and crush, 12k for the shed approx. Figures are in sterling. Just to give an idea. Maybe with the grant €6k would be possible?

dunlopwellies

k mac wrote: »

Thanks for that some good advice. I would prefer to concrete the base while I am at it.Unfortunately would not be able put crush indoors but as I said might roof the pen in future. Would definitely design crush layout to be able get at stock from both sides. Would be hoping the whole job including new crush piping and fully automatic gate would come in under 6K euro

I wouldn't recommend a fully atomatuc sculling gate. They are very noisy and cumbersome to operate. Your cattle would want to be mental to close it after it resets. Get a look at one in cation before you spend the money.
Those Morris type ones are the job and the extra cost in the grand scheme worth it. Theres a few other manufacturers making a similar type now too.

Muckit

Sami23 wrote: »

Can you reclaim Vat on any of the following - semi auto headgate, headscoop, dehorning crate, cattle weighing scales, sheep weighing scales and sheep hurdles as I am thinking of applying for Tams grant to buy them.
TIA

The main stipulation, to the best of my knowledge, is that the capital expenditure has to be fixed and not portable/mobile. So if it says these words on the receipt you won't get refund.... if you catch my drift.

Muckit

dunlopwellies wrote: »

I wouldn't recommend a fully atomatuc sculling gate. They are very noisy and cumbersome to operate. Your cattle would want to be mental to close it after it resets. Get a look at one in cation before you spend the money.
Those Morris type ones are the job and the extra cost in the grand scheme worth it. Theres a few other manufacturers making a similar type now too.

They do seem a better design compared to the conventional auto gate. But are those Morris gates strong enough for suckler bred beef cattle? That would be my concern. If bars got bent a bit mightnt work.