bedding?

[Kenz]

We're gonna be building a new set up for a few head of cattle this summer. I'll be adding sides on to my Dad's garage (since i'm getting kicked out) and making a few pens in there that I can keep cattle in when i need to but also open straight up into the field. It's gonna be three sided, with the front part open leading into the field. It's gonna be on top of red clay, which gets really muddy and doesn't drain well.

So my question is, what do ya'll think would be best for bedding that I can keep clean and dry? Would laying down stall mats or putting down concrete with shavings/straw/mulch on top be best? I really have no idea what to use, so any help would be appreciated. I don't have a lot of money, so I want to do this spending as little money as possible.

Also, I want to make a permanent area to wash/rinse, which would also be on red clay. Any ideas for that?

 

[VCC]

Are you going to tie the calves in this area, if so I wild dig it out so it drains, dig a trench at the low side, put a septic pipe down, gravel over it to the top of the trench and about 2'' deep over the area you are going to tie them in. Cover that with the garden cloth that lets moisture through it. Put about 6'' of cedar chips over that. Put a kick board at the open end to keep everything contained.

Wash rack: we built it against a 5 rail fence so you have a place to tie their heads built a 10'*12' *6" box Filled it with road base material, raked in a 90# sack of concrete, compacted it and them wet it down. Once it was dry it is as hard as if it were concrete. Cover it with stall mats, works great been using it for 4 years. (First one we made worked well for 2 years until the hogs got to it, they can dig through anything)

 

[angie1]

Would laying down stall mats or putting down concrete with shavings/straw/mulch on top be best? ?

If I understand you right, one of the things you are asking is what should you use for flooring in that shed, if anything. If putting down concrete is an option I would highly recommend it! If not I would recommend grass hay, straw does not absorb for anything and is useless in my opinion. You can use old round bales for bedding. Even on the concrete hay is a good bedding. If you choose to use the mats or shavings in a stall, I am thinking you will only chose to do it once. They should, of course no be left to stand on bare concrete, unless it is something they have acess in and out of ~ but are not penned.

And yes, drain the best you can.

 

[Cowboy 2.0]

I'm going to second whag VCC said about bedding. Cedars best because it will also help control odor. Pine would be the second option. I would not use any hay type bedding, too much trouble.

For the washrack, just be sure not to put the drain in the middle, only in the corner. They're prone you stop up and you don't want water pooled up under a calf.

 

[Keren]

in my steer shed we had concrete floor, grooved so it was non slip and also for drainage, and sawdust about 2 foot deep. The pens had a small board about 2/3 way up so the sawdust was kept in the back 2/3 as a bed, the front 1/3 didnt have bedding laid over the concrete, and this was where I put the grain and hay bins. Automatic waterer at the back of the pen. Twice daily scrape out the front 1/3 and remove manure from the sawdust 2/3. Once a week or sometimes once every two weeks (depending on the size of the calf and how many calves were in the pen) remove sawdust bedding completely, allow concrete to dry and replace with fresh sawdust.

I used to get sawdust by the semi load dumped out the front of the shed.

For the wash rack and tie rails, I just had the same grooved non-slip concrete. Also had a tie rail on dirt for heavy steers that were getting hot feet - tied them there all times except when being washed. In my wash rack, I had a couple horizontal bars that go along the sides of the calf, and a couple verticle bars at the back end of the calf, basically forming a bit of a crush or clipping frame type arrangement, which served two purposes. Got the calf used to walking into a clipping frame, but more importantly let me wash cattle that werent fully broken in and a bit flighty without them swinging round all over the place. Water is a good way to break flighty calves. Funnily enough the vertical bars were just at the right place that if they kicked they would get the bar not me. Teach em not to kick cos it hurt them. I also had just a rail next to this little contraption, so they could learn to be washed without being in the rails also.

 

[Kenz]

wow, thanks for all the replies
they'll have access to a field if i open the gate(s) in the shed. there'll be sometimes when i need to contain them for feeding, halter breaking, etc., so there's gonna be pens in there that i can keep them in for a little while. if i don't need to contain/work with them, i'll just leave the gate to the field open so they can come and go as they please
i know this is really confusing, but i just dont know how to explain it so it makes sense

so for a washing area, yall think grooved concrete with a stall mat they can stand on would be the best? and for the shed, grooved concrete with a bunch of shavings on top? i'll have to talk to my dad and see what we can do about draining....yuck

 

[Keren]

so for a washing area, yall think grooved concrete with a stall mat they can stand on would be the best? and for the shed, grooved concrete with a bunch of shavings on top?

:nod:

i know this is really confusing, but i just dont know how to explain it so it makes sense

I get it