Feed barrier Dimensions

bbam

Both the Teagasc And Agriculture websites drive me mad...
I'm looking for the minimum specifications for diagonal feed barriers..

We're looking to get some made up by a local chap and I need the recommended dimensions... Can anyone point me in the right direction..

Also.. We only winter smaller stock, <350kg, can I go for a smaller size in the diagonal barrier spacings??

Help appreciated...

vanderbadger

bbam wrote: »

Both the Teagasc And Agriculture websites drive me mad...
I'm looking for the minimum specifications for diagonal feed barriers..

We're looking to get some made up by a local chap and I need the recommended dimensions... Can anyone point me in the right direction..

Also.. We only winter smaller stock, <350kg, can I go for a smaller size in the diagonal barrier spacings??

Help appreciated...

some general dimensions from journal
Some general dimensions recommended for feed barriers are as follows:

The height of the stub wall should be around 530mm for cows and big cattle.

420mm to 470mm for weanlings.

The stub wall should be narrow - 75mm to 100mm, if possible.

The neck rail should be adjustable and easy to adjust and should be secured on the outside of the stanchion. The height of the neckrail is the distance from the animal standing to the underside of the neckrail.

The height should be adjustable from 1,150mm to 1,250mm for cows and big cattle (ideally in 25mm steps or less).

The height for weanlings should be adjustable from about 900mm to 1,100mm. It is more difficult to recommend for weanlings because there is such a variation in size and they are growing throughout the housing period.

The aim is to ensure that animals have as much reach as possible without being able to get out through the barrier.

An animal resting a leg on the stub wall is a sign that they have just a bit too much room. The height of the stub wall and the distance between the stub wall and the neckrail are interdependent. For example, the correct height for the neckrail when used with a low stub wall will be different than when used with a high stub wall (for the same size animal).

Reach with diagonal and dovetail barriers is affected by their design, the number of animal spaces and the way they are installed.

The bottom rail should not be too high and the neckrail should be high enough so that an animal's neck should barely, if ever, have to rub off it. Generally, there are 10 spaces per bay which means that there are usually three free spaces per bay when cows and big cattle are lined up to feed.

Manufacturers are making a 'one size fits all' or they may be afraid that wider spaces could lead to two animals putting their heads into the one space at the same time. Fixing diagonal barriers at a slight angle out (about 20 degrees) or allowing them to pivot out will help to improve reach.

After observing faults, some modifications may be on the cards. Modifications should be minimal and not too costly. Why not just modify a barrier at one bay first to see the difference.

Pen divisions, dividing gates, cubicles and any other fittings like that take a lot of punishment from stock. Where they are welded and secured is also affected by rusting and corrosion. Bolts on clamps and brackets loosen. All of these fittings should be checked and fixed up before stock are housed. Latches on gates, doors and barriers should be checked and repaired, if necessary. Keeping animals secure in sheds or pens is essential.

bbam

Thanks.. I had read that..
It doesn't give the space per division for the diagonal system..
Out bays are small at 10'2 or just over 3 meters in new money..

I think that would give me 9 divisions @ 333mm each..
For small stock could I have one with 10 divisions at 300mm each??

Cheers

blue5000

Hi OP

I think ours are 11 inch clear space between the bars, 13 inch centre to centre, will get back to you tomorrow!

9935452

Ours are a foot/12 inches between the bars. Anything smaller and animals with big heads will get stuck. Animals with horns will hurt themselves if they jerk back suddenly and then wont go near the barrier for a week.
The father cut the bars out of one barrier with narrow spacings and welded them wider.
My advice is make them wide enough. it will save you trouble in the long term. If you are worried about smaller animals getting through the barrier. Bolt on a length of piping horizontally about half way up

Also if you go diagonal barrier spacing (27degrees is standard i think) you will loose about a space at each end.
But on the plus side they say that the animal when it pulls out of the barrier has to open its mouth and drops what it is carrying so doesn't pull silage back into the pen

blue5000

Hi bbam

Measured mine this evening and they are approx 13 1/4 inches of a gap(330-340mm) between the bars, not 11 inches as I said above, sorry didn't get back to you sooner. There are 11 spaces in a 5m bay.

I've had weanlings, cows, and finishing bulls in the shed. If weanlings are getting out I put a ratchet strap about half way up the barrier, and tie it here and there to the bars. Never had anything stuck and cattle with horns have no problem getting heads in and out. My advice would be make the gaps wide, that way you can use it for all sizes of cattle.

blue

bbam

Thanks for that...
Fed up with cattle pulling silage onto slats :rolleyes:

Dupont

just watch when you get to the end and have a small space. boss lost a bull couple years ago that got its head stuck. same happened when we were there and had to cut bar off with con saw. welded them all up after that

feckin day gone again!!

My cows must have funny mouths....they'd drag me through the barrier never mind a bit of silage!!! Get ur bales chopped or keep ur pit silage out a bit or you'll be graping!!:D

just do it

Yeah I drop the round bales 1ft from the barrier and it stops them pulling the silage in. It also allows me to limit the intake as all the cows need for the winter is maintenance levels of feed. This works ok for me though as I've an open single bay shed and can reverse in and push the bales in each morning.

9935452

The chap i work for scrapes the first few feet of slats inside the barrier daily with a yard scraper when he is feeding bales.
It is well worth doing . We have no problems agitating the slurry.

A customer we work for doesn't (he heaps the bales against the barrier) and its savage hard to agitate his tank. The agitator keeps getting blocked every few minutes.
We are running a Cross agitator which are meant to be unblockable