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NE Iowa | One thing to think about though Jim is that a small concrete pad becomes a complete mess wherever the concrete ends. I'm guessing that you currently move the area where you feed and if you pour a pad you will always feed in the same place. Where they step off the concrete will be potentially belly deep mud in the spring. Where I winter my cows there is no trees for protection so they have access to sheds when it is really cold or snow on the ground. There is also quite a bit of concrete left from the old dairy days. If it is dry or froze I feed them in a feeder wagon (holds 3-4 bales) in a different spot in a bean stubble field so they spread their own manure. If it is muddy they get fed on the concrete. If you pour a pad maybe you should also have a feeder wagon to feed in the field / pasture if weather is good and only on the pad in the muddy season. If you do pour concrete 4" thick is plenty. One yard covers 81 square feet then. The heaviest thing you will have on it is your smaller tractor and manure spreader. One other thought is if you had some concrete you could maybe confine some of your smaller steers / heifers on it when they come off corn. This would be after cows start grazing and don't need the concrete and then you wouldn't have to sell the calves as early if they need more finishing. Just a thought. | |
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Cow/calf feed utilization - Garvo, this mentions concrete!
