General sheep thread

DJ98

Does slurry from a slatted sheep shed need to be agitated before spreading the same as cattle slurry?

White Clover

DJ98 wrote: »

Does slurry from a slatted sheep shed need to be agitated before spreading the same as cattle slurry?

One of the reasons for agitating cattle slurry is to ensure consistency. That in itself would lead me to believe that it is best to agitate sheep slurry too.

wrangler

White Clover wrote: »

One of the reasons for agitating cattle slurry is to ensure consistency. That in itself would lead me to believe that it is best to agitate sheep slurry too.

I'd imagine the solids would float on the top and when you go suck it out you'd get the liquid first

White Clover

wrangler wrote: »

I'd imagine the solids would float on the top and when you go suck it out you'd get the liquid first

Exactly, same as any slurry.

wrangler

White Clover wrote: »

Exactly, same as any slurry.

You'd need it to be 2 mtrs deep to agitate, do they put sumps at the end of sheep tanks so as sheep tanks are only about a mtre deep

wrangler

wrangler wrote: »

You'd need it to be 2 mtrs deep to agitate, do they put sumps at the end of sheep tanks so as sheep tanks are only about a mtre deep

any place i seen em,thats what they do.....one at either end of the shed and agitate for ages

Lads usually put a foot of water into tank starting off aswell.....though some lads,direct rainwater etc into it instead

wrangler

Deleted User wrote: »

any place i seen em,thats what they do.....one at either end of the shed and agitate for ages

Lads usually put a foot of water into tank starting off aswell.....though some lads,direct rainwater etc into it instead

The guys that are just putting the slats on blocks, and cleaning out with a loader, will still have to tank the liquids, I got warned about allowing liquids out of a straw bedded shed, I had a hole in the wall to allow water out during power washing but I've never seen anything come out while sheep are in it yet it was pointed out, It was about 2ins diameter :rolleyes:

Tileman

wrangler wrote: »

The guys that are just putting the slats on blocks, and cleaning out with a loader, will still have to tank the liquids, I got warned about allowing liquids out of a straw bedded shed, I had a hole in the wall to allow water out during power washing but I've never seen anything come out while sheep are in it yet it was pointed out, It was about 2ins diameter :rolleyes:

Yea it’s compulsory now to have a tank for soiled water even in dry shed with tams.

Young95

What are lads paying per tonne of ration / nuts for ewes ? Is 330 a tonne for 19% nut steep?

charolais0153

Our sheep shed us 6ft at sumps and 4ft throughout, needs a lot of water, thicker than cattle slurry

joe35

Not our shed, unfortunately, but no agitating involved, looks like a dirt floor underneath

Green farmer

joe35 wrote: »

Not our shed, unfortunately, but no agitating involved, looks like a dirt floor underneath

I saw that as well, the same place as you :-). Fine setup

eire23

That's one of the tanks here. 4 foot deep and a metre concrete pipe for the sump. 15 mins would have it agitated. The solids are nothing like cattle slurry. More like pig slurry. Great stuff to grow grass. It's ideal stuff for a dribble bar or trailing shoe.

wrangler

Cosby Clelands in the North, the yard is on a slope, he cleans it out with a skid steer, liquid goes to a seperate tank.
He says that sheep manure is ''rocket fuel'' for grass
I think the skid steer can get under the slats in the new shed, the old shed has to have the slats lifted every four years to be cleaned out

https://www.farmersjournal.ie/time-saving-sheep-shed-151758

Even with teh paywall you'll get the pics

eire23

eire23 wrote: »

That's one of the tanks here. 4 foot deep and a metre concrete pipe for the sump. 15 mins would have it agitated. The solids are nothing like cattle slurry. More like pig slurry. Great stuff to grow grass. It's ideal stuff for a dribble bar or trailing shoe.

Are they stainless steel or the fibreglass supports under the slats


Giving serious consideration to doing similar in shed here,i think the plastic slats are much better option

orm0nd

Young95 wrote: »

What are lads paying per tonne of ration / nuts for ewes ? Is 330 a tonne for 19% nut steep?

300/t for 20% delivered in bulk , high quality , maize soya, barley rape, etc,

last del. 3 weeks ago I think some places lifted prices since

lucky john

Deleted User wrote: »

Are they stainless steel or the fibreglass supports under the slats


Giving serious consideration to doing similar in shed here,i think the plastic slats are much better option

I'm considering the same thing. I have very old sheds in a position that would be perfect for a tank to collect dirty water from the handling yard. Thinking of knocking them and putting up a shed with a 4ft tank and plastic slats. It would be long and narrow but kill two birds.. so to speak.

eire23

Deleted User wrote: »

Are they stainless steel or the fibreglass supports under the slats


Giving serious consideration to doing similar in shed here,i think the plastic slats are much better option

They are the fibreglass runners. I've another tank on plastic slats with galvanised runners without the beams up the middle. The tanks with the timber slats have a wall running up the middle of the tank and a 4ft opening at each end for the slurry to go round in a circle. No problem mixing that either.

eire23

eire23 wrote: »

They are the fibreglass runners. I've another tank on plastic slats with galvanised runners without the beams up the middle. The tanks with the timber slats have a wall running up the middle of the tank and a 4ft opening at each end for the slurry to go round in a circle. No problem mixing that either.

thanks,this is exactly what i wanted to know...as regards fibreglass vs stainless


What distance is the beam up the middle at???.....ive a shed here with 24 ft spans,was hoping to put them at 8ft

eire23

Deleted User wrote: »

thanks,this is exactly what i wanted to know...as regards fibreglass vs stainless

The tank with the galvanised runners is a old cattle shed. 11ft 6 wide tank. Not sure how wide they can go without support. The other tanks would be 15ft and 17ft wide so they need the support in the middle.

Birdnuts

wrangler wrote: »

Majority of families buy on price, it might surprise you how many shop in Lidl/ aldi around you and even on this forum. How many drive through the local village to shop in the big towns.
When I was shearing, farmers would get in the foreigners for 20c/sheep reduction. Covid has pretty much highlighted how much social responsibility the Irish have so why bother taking the high moral ground

The product in Lidl also carries the Bord Bia label and origin Green Guff, they also have their own Organic beef range. A race to the bottom that you seem to be keen on will only place all production in the hands of a few factory farms, just like the pig/poultry sector is now. And even that crowd are struggling with the inevitable tiny margins factory production leads too. Its the same story in the US where factory feedlots depend heavily on farms supports from the USDA, whose budget for such things is actually larger than the CAP despite having far fewer farmers to support. Thats why the CAP has to move further away from supporting further intensification and pointless over production(despite certain farming orgs here constantly whinging about such much needed reforms).

OneMan37

Have a few lads that help me on the farm but they are highly unreliable and break my heart in the way they let me down when I need them, one is an alcoholic which can be excused.

Question is do a need a reliable fully trained sheep dog ? Is this the answer ?

Westernrock

OneMan37 wrote: »

Have a few lads that help me on the farm but they are highly unreliable and break my heart in the way they let me down when I need them, one is an alcoholic which can be excused.

Question is do a need a reliable fully trained sheep dog ? Is this the answer ?

I’d take a good dog over an alcoholic any day 🙈 problem is getting a good dog! It also depends how much work you have for the dog, as it’s hard to get a dog that will do exactly what you want if he’s only really used once a fortnight, takes time to get a dog to settle to that work.

OneMan37

Westernrock wrote: »

I’d take a good dog over an alcoholic any day 🙈 problem is getting a good dog! It also depends how much work you have for the dog, as it’s hard to get a dog that will do exactly what you want if he’s only really used once a fortnight, takes time to get a dog to settle to that work.

I could potentially take the dog out 2/3 times a week to pen and move sheep, if need for her well-being.

wrangler

Birdnuts wrote: »

The product in Lidl also carries the Bord Bia label and origin Green Guff, they also have their own Organic beef range. A race to the bottom that you seem to be keen on will only place all production in the hands of a few factory farms, just like the pig/poultry sector is now. And even that crowd are struggling with the inevitable tiny margins factory production leads too. Its the same story in the US where factory feedlots depend heavily on farms supports from the USDA, whose budget for such things is actually larger than the CAP despite having far fewer farmers to support. Thats why the CAP has to move further away from supporting further intensification and pointless over production(despite certain farming orgs here constantly whinging about such much needed reforms).

Farm organisations are directed by their members, your ideas wouldn't be supported by the farmers responsible for bulk of Irish agriculture production.
The environment is too important to be left in control of the public service, the maintenance of rivers should prove that.
Production won't change, there's arable land all over the world under utilised ready to be brought into production and more can be cleared by burning. No one will pay farmers to half farm knowing that plenty of countries will make up the difference

Kevhog1988

OneMan37 wrote: »

Have a few lads that help me on the farm but they are highly unreliable and break my heart in the way they let me down when I need them, one is an alcoholic which can be excused.

Question is do a need a reliable fully trained sheep dog ? Is this the answer ?

We would never have enough sheep to keep a dog interested so i just keep the sheep well used to the bucket and pen them every time i feed them. Never have any issues bringing them in now. My next door neighbour has some lovely working dogs. Amazing watching one working well after the time and effort he puts into training them.

Green farmer

Have a hogget lamb here. Back legs are wobbly and staggering around the place, like drunk. His fully vaccinated covexin 10 and on meal, any ideas ?

roosky

OneMan37 wrote: »

I could potentially take the dog out 2/3 times a week to pen and move sheep, if need for her well-being.

had the same issue here worried about having work for a dog full time bit the bullet last back end and to be honest if you enjoy the dog and are interested in him/her you will find work for them.....people bring a house dog walking for the dogs sake.

I bring my dog herding every day and she rounds them up and thinks she is killed working, wouldn't take a lot to keep a dog content if she got out for a not of work everyday.

wrangler

roosky wrote: »

had the same issue here worried about having work for a dog full time bit the bullet last back end and to be honest if you enjoy the dog and are interested in him/her you will find work for them.....people bring a house dog walking for the dogs sake.

I bring my dog herding every day and she rounds them up and thinks she is killed working, wouldn't take a lot to keep a dog content if she got out for a not of work everyday.

I've a couple nice sheep dogs, they love getting in the sheep but just as happy going for a walk, they don't need to be worked all the time. Plenty of sheep dogs are only pets

Birdnuts

wrangler wrote: »

Production won't change, there's arable land all over the world under utilised ready to be brought into production and more can be cleared by burning. No one will pay farmers to half farm knowing that plenty of countries will make up the difference

I suggest you read up on the latest CAP proposals and the reasons why millions of farmers in the likes of India are looking for guaranteed prices for their products due to over production across the board. Your logic only plays into the bottom line of Larry et al while causing unnecessary and pointless damage to the environment etc.