Buildings

Covered yard for expanding suckler herd

I had an interesting visit recently when I called to the farm of Sean and Delia Roche at Castlerickard, Co Meath, to look at their new suckler set-up.

Paul Mooney

Wed 27 March 2013 12:00 AM

Paul Mooney

Wed 27 March 2013 10:00 PM

Picture one The new set-up consists of two sheds. On the left is the suckler shed with feed passage and crush. On the right is a portal frame shed containing a calving area plus machinery and storage areas. Both sheds run to six 20 foot bays, or 120 feet in all (6x6m=36m). Together, the two A-roofs likewise span 120 feet, making the whole set up a square. The roof of suckler shed has a span of 70 feet and the portal frame roof on the right spans 50 feet.

Picture two The portal frame shed is open down its side. The first two bays are taken up by the calving area. The middle two bays will be used as a machinery shed. The final two bays will be used for storing straw, etc.

Picture three The slatted tank on which the cows stand runs the full six bays and is 13 foot six inches wide to carry a 14 foot six-inch slat. There is 0.7m of toe space at each end of the slats. The two pens here each run across two bays and so measure 40 feet by 20 feet (12m x 6m=72m2). There are 15 cows in each pen and this is very comfortable stocking. Sean noted that if he was feeding a mixed ration through a feeder, he could then stock up to 25 in each pen. Meanwhile, nearer to the camer

Picture four The passage is 20 feet wide with a sliding door at each end. Not surprisingly, Sean put a bit of thought into the handling chute. It is just over 40 feet long and has an end gate and an automatic IAE headgate. This work area is well lit with three fluorescent lights over head. There is also a power point for working a clippers, etc. The chute has a catwalk — but it is quite narrow, so as not to intrude into the feed passage. The wall running alongside the chute divides the suck

Picture five Most modern chutes have hinged sections. However, the chute here goes one step further as each section has spring latches at one end for even easier opening. As the latch handle is lifted up, it automatically slides back and will then rest in the open position. This will allow one animal be drafted out of the chute, etc. Here, we also see the vet gate behind the headgate. A drainage channel runs the length of the chute, flowing on into the slatted tank.

Picture six This is the calving area which takes up the first two bays of the portal frame shed. There is a bedded area with three calving pens at the back. The sheeted gates at the back of the pens open for cleaning out.

Picture seven This is the latest calf meal feeder from Condon Engineering. The rubber flaps hang down to keep out birds. The Condon gates seen here can be easily raised as bedding builds up — you simply lift it off the pillar, turn it upside down and resit it. Because the hinges are not centred on the gate pillar, it will now sit 12 inches higher.

Picture eight Sean Roche with sons Jim and Eamon. Sean and Delia’s other three children are Pasca, Aoife and Cliodhna. The Roches run a herd of 50 suckler cows but plan to increase this to 70. By the time this new suckler yard is finished, the investment will be over €150,000 plus VAT. Most of the heavy lifting is now done: steelwork for the sheds, including doors cost €64,000, plus VAT. The tank, stone fill and other concrete cost €65,000 plus VAT. Barriers, gates and crush cost €1

Cheetah Electronics Ltd has introduced a remote on/off switch for electric fences, which allows any mains fencer to be turned on/off with a mobile phone.

What’s happening here is actually the building of a bang-up-to-date new farmyard to replace an out-of-date set-up, with expansion of the herd in mind.

One reason I was interested is because Sean is a vet and I wanted to see what animal health features he had designed into his sheds.

This is a sizeable investment and it is being spread out over a number of years. Sean built the tank in 2011, the sheds last autumn while the front apron was concreted a few weeks ago. Another apron is planned for later this year.

The shed steelwork was put up by Mooney Sheds based in Slane, Co Meath. Concrete work is being done by Maurice Dillon of Rathcore, while internal fitting out was supplied by Condon Engineering and erected by Tommy Browne.

Remote on/off switch for fencers

Cheetah Electronics Ltd has introduced a remote on/off switch for electric fences, which allows any mains fencer to be turned on/off with a mobile phone. It uses gsm phone signal but there are no running costs, so farmers can turn their fencer units on and off as often as they wish for free.

The switch will allow farmers to carry out repairs to fencing and move stock between paddocks without having to walk back and forth to the yard. It will save a farmer huge amounts of time when doing these very frequent jobs, the Carlow company says.

The recommended retail price is €225 and the switch is available from farm co-ops and from other Cheetah Electronics stockists. It comes ready to plug in and use and was an innovation award winner at the 2012 National Dairy Show.

Farmyard Investment Shed

Covered yard for expanding suckler herd

I had an interesting visit recently when I called to the farm of Sean and Delia Roche at Castlerickard, Co Meath, to look at their new suckler set-up.

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