Stocking numbers for loose shed

morphy87

Just wondering how many weanings would you put in a loose shed, 21ft wide by 30ft long, all in closed including passage way, it’s a good airy shed, it will be cleaned out once a week, would you put in 25 230 kgs weanings?

Silverdream

Not a hope, I'd say you'd be pushing it with 15, and even then you'd want plenty bedding or the place would be a slurry pool by the end of the week

funkey_monkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058321025/stocking-numbers-for-loose-shed

4.0m2 per animal over 275kg

2.4m2 - 3.0m2 for cattle under 275kg

These figures from the Teagasc beef wintering manual.

Your shed = 58m2. So between 19 and 24 at those weights. Probably closer to 19 as you weight is at the high end. Although when I worked out what I'm at it I think that is very very high stocking. You'll need to be needing very frequently - green is cleaning out weekly.

Currently have 9 in approx 48m2 inc. round feeder and it's more than enough. Waiting to get the culls moved on and then they can go onto a tank.

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121324006#Comment_121324006

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121324419#Comment_121324419

Thanks lads, I usually put store cattle in this pen, 11 at 500kgs, I’d clean them out every Saturday and they would be perfect till Thursday and I would then bed them with two small square on Thursday and Friday and they would be very dry so I was hoping I could get a big number of weanings in this shed

Silverdream

You could keep more at the start of the winter but as they grow you'll find they need more room. I'd be sticking with lower numbers to begin with as it's hardship method on you for wintering cattle if they are creating too much of a mess

minerleague

Does everyone with this type of shed clean it out that often? have shed on outfarm and keep adding bedding whole winter. After 3 weeks or so it only takes a very small amount to keep it right ( the stuff on the bottom starts to heat or something)

amacca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121327318#Comment_121327318

Yep, same as that...deeper the bedding area the better...I clean out a strip in front of the passageway every 3/4 weeks

massey 265

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121327318#Comment_121327318

Have a 4 bay dry bedded one here behind slatted area since 20001.I find that a good foundation of bedding at the beginning is very important as it will create a great bed for topping up after that.I use about 12 inches of rushes that were baled after topping low land during the summer with a sprinkling of straw initally and then top up weekly by rolling out a straw bale while cattle are locked out on slats.Then when cattle are let out in spring iheap it all up in 1 bay and leave it there to rot til backend for spreading.It reduces alot as it ferments in the heap over summer and is mighty stuff for land

Jjameson

Theres a serious straw crisis brewing. There’s a couple of thousand acres of barley lost in Co. Wexford, I’d say 3 times that cut and straw wasn’t baled and a large uptake in the nonsensical chopping scheme.

you can’t it a price on a bale because there is non for sale.

Silverdream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121331337#Comment_121331337

Managed to pick up some earlier on, mainly last years barley straw. I bought 4 more rounds 2 weeks ago €40 each at the mart in Ennis. It is wheaten straw and is well weathered. None to be got yesterday as it was sold out. idk what I'm going to do later on in the winter, I will use the straw sparingly, I go into the sheds every day with a wheelbarrow and clean the shite off the straw. I've also stopped access for 2 of the cows as they are like 1100g slurry tanker spraying slurry everywhere.

The main problem is I've cattle in a month earlier than usual, I've loads of feeding, I got some of the best hay I've every saved this year, but I have not got enough bedding and it would be fair bad if I've to use the hay for bedding

morphy87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121334264#Comment_121334264

€40 a bale, I presume that was for square bales?

Jjameson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335216#Comment_121335216

I wouldn’t assume that at all. There’s no straw for sale anywhere.

lakill Farm

bought 3 dump trailer loads of mulch the other day for a dry shed. , a bay (16ft x 20ft is taking 2/3 of a load) so working out about €60 to bed them See how long i get out of it .

Silverdream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335216#Comment_121335216

lol small squares

Suckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121336642#Comment_121336642

How does the mulch rot down before spreading?