Proper barn maintenance

[cat66fish]

Hello,

I'm a new small-time cattle rancher. 4 cows and one bull. I have a 3-sided metal barn with dirt floors. Is it best to keep dirt down or hay? I thought hay, but then I read it is a breading ground for fly's when the cattle go to the bathroom on it. I'm confused, but leaning toward just keeping clean dirt down. Can you help me?

 

[Scroote]

Please buy Storeys Guide to Raising Beef Cattle! Read It! Then bed your cows down till you can afford concrete and bed that down. Makes cleaning out easier. Then pile bedding and make compost. Shed should only be used for winter and give em pasture!

 

[IluvABbeef]

Cowpies breeds flies. It's a bit of a waste to lay hay down as a bedding source in this "barn" of yours (we call it a shed), since you'll have more work for you cleaning out the accumulation of manure built up every year. And with a dirt floor, unless the shed's open side is not towards the prevailing winds you may have a mud problem. Dust can also be an issue with a dirt floor. But it is much cheaper than laying down concrete.

 

[1wlimo]

I would keep the cattle away from the shed in the summer they are better at their pasture, unless it gets very hot where you are and they need the shade.

In the winter I would bed the shed with straw (from oats, barley, wheat, and cheaper than hay) every few days, leaving it to build up over the winter. This is then cleaned out in the spring to make compost and then used as fertilizer.

If it does not freeze hard in your area then it will get very muddy out side the shed and this is the first place to put concrete.

 

[Scroote]

I would keep the cattle away from the shed in the summer they are better at their pasture, unless it gets very hot where you are and they need the shade.

In the winter I would bed the shed with straw (from oats, barley, wheat, and cheaper than hay) every few days, leaving it to build up over the winter. This is then cleaned out in the spring to make compost and then used as fertilizer.

If it does not freeze hard in your area then it will get very muddy out side the shed and this is the first place to put concrete.

Didn't I just write that? Guess there are two geniuses at work here. Well that makes three including Doc.