Hi,
We have three 2 year old heifers (2 Angus / 1 Jersey) and are currently running with the neighbouring farmers angus bull.
We always house them November - April every winter in a well ventilated back end of a steel barn. With the possibility of calves being born in the new year while they are still housed we are contemplating concreting an area outside the barn and gating it off so they have an inside/outside area to get more space.
The husband is worrying about the slurry that will be created on the yard area. We usually deep litter on straw each year and the neighbouring farmer clears it out for us. But on an outside concrete area we will have slurry to dispose of.
Is it mad to be considering an outside concreted area without proper drainage or a slurry pit etc or do all of you smallholders with cows just wheelbarrow it onto a muck heap somewhere?.
Would be interested to hear how you manage this. I would love them to have the outside area to prevent any sweating on milder days but don't want to create another problem with slurry issues.
Thanks in advance
Steph