rusco
Member
Thinking about put 6 inches of gravel around my water containers to keep the cows out of the muck. Is this bad for their hooves? Thanks
Watering Holes
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preston39
Well-known member
rusco,
It will work for a short tme. They will just shove it into the ground unless you put in sand and a sub liner material for drainage. Tried it and didn't have any hoof problems. But, that may depend on the rock density and grade for drainage. We put in a subliner,15" of 1/2 to 1" rock with 1' of dense sand mixed with p gravel. It lasts for some time with replenishment of the surface.
It will work for a short tme. They will just shove it into the ground unless you put in sand and a sub liner material for drainage. Tried it and didn't have any hoof problems. But, that may depend on the rock density and grade for drainage. We put in a subliner,15" of 1/2 to 1" rock with 1' of dense sand mixed with p gravel. It lasts for some time with replenishment of the surface.
Dusty Britches
Well-known member
when you say 'watering holes' are you talking about your dug tanks or your metal tanks?
We put 6 inches of road base around our metal tanks, out about 8 feet. It works great. I wouldn't put the expense into putting around dug tanks.
We're between Hearne and Cameron, so I think our soils are about the same - clay and sandy loam.
We put 6 inches of road base around our metal tanks, out about 8 feet. It works great. I wouldn't put the expense into putting around dug tanks.
We're between Hearne and Cameron, so I think our soils are about the same - clay and sandy loam.
bigbull338
Well-known member
now the roadbase is great for pads for water troughs branchcrossings or roads.an that stuff sets up like concrete. an is very expensive .have meny aload of that old roadbase.my thinking is it $200 for a 12yrd load or maybe more.its been 15yrs since ive messed with any roadbase. scott
Bama
Well-known member
This reminds me of a time when I was a kid. We had a feeder set up in the pasture with crushed corn, salt, meal, and shredded hay. This worked great except it would get stuck from time to time and would not feed properly through the opening. This feeder would hold a lot of feed in the hopper so the cows would make a big mess around it. My job was to run my hand along the bottem of the slot to get loosen the stuck feed. One day I was down there doing my job, cows waiting for me to open the gate. On the way back through the mud I go stuck. Mud over the top of my rubber boots, suctioned in. All I could do was stand there cows staring at me and bawling for 2 hours. After my dad came home from work and composed himself from all the laughter he put a board across the muck for me to get some leverage on. After that he put some jig gravel around it. Jig gravel is whats left after mining iron ore. That worked great for several years. That feeder is long gone but I remember the exact spot to this day.
Road base can be good, but it does get hard like cement. The cattle will walk lightly over it due to the rocks, especially if they are not use to rocks. I read where a sand top over the rock base might be better. Sooner or later it will be covered in cow manure anyway... :shock:
bigbull338
Well-known member
ive never had any foot problems. with cows walking on roadbase. nor have any been sore footed b/c of it. nor do they shy away from walking on it. scott
bigbull338":3gxmpevp said:
Never said you could get foot problems. Probably good for some long hooved cattle anyway, but my cattle will purposely avoid the cliche road base and purposely choose the grass edge and dirt on the side of the the road anyday. Maybe my cattle are just a little light in the hoof.. :lol: Then again, they are not having to walk on it to get to water either.. ;-)
