Down under farmer
Member
Greg asked for some photos of our dairy and about the steps up to the platform. We are so flat here we kept the pit floor at ground level and made the cows walk up so we dont have to worry about filling the pit up with siltin a flood. Water nealy got to the top of the platform in the 2010 flood we had which is 2nd largest in about 150 yrs. The steps are abit under half a cow long dont have a tape measure lol. Once they get on they keep going up no worries at all. Can be intresting breaking in a heifer but after 1st time or 2 no worries. Its safer than useing a ramp to go up. Once done they exit down a ramp to a holding yard. Its a 90 degree herringbone 10 cows a side but we have only ever got 1 side done. We built it ourselves in 2007 i think into our existing shed that was a fun couple of months. Feed milled grain in bails either barley wheat or corn or a mixture depending on what we have or can buy when we carnt grow enough ourselves. Takes 2 hrs to milk 75 cows crossbred gurnsey,brown swiss, holstiens. We took a drop in liters going away from our pure bred holstiens but lifted our fat n protein have a lot better in calf rate hardly any calveing issues and mow they will fight not lay down n die if they have trouble calveing.