Author Topic: Plant for mucking out (Read 3686 times)

pointer · « **on:** January 06, 2017, 03:00:07 pm »

Hi folks, I'm looking for any bright ideas for kit to make mucking out in-wintered cattle easier. They're bedded on straw. I'm basically looking for the smallest / cheapest thing that will do the job - I thought mini-diggers might be the answer, but the prices are pretty eye-watering! Anything that's an advance on graip and wheelbarrow!
thanks

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2017, 05:10:17 pm »

we usually, yes I hate to say this, use a muck fork and a tractor bucket, load muck into the tractor bucket and dump on the muck heap, not only easier, but you get more into the loader

How accessible are your building btw?

pointer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2017, 12:10:39 am »

Thanks. The building is perfectly accessible. no problem there. But right now I don't have machinery of any kind, including a tractor. Something to make mucking out easier is my first priority; something that could move bales too would be handy, but not the main requirement for now.

oor wullie · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2017, 08:57:44 am »

I don't think a digger would lift muck very well at all, it digs the wrong way and you would need to modify the bucket.
Also, as you have seen, a digger will probably cost more than a tractor.

A tractor with a front loader equipped with a graip is the usual tool, this will also be good for handling bales.
A tipping trailer would also be handy.

pointer · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2017, 03:12:46 pm »

Thanks, I suppose that's the conclusion I was coming to.

On a related question - is a pallet trolley capable of moving a silage bale? I mean a short distance on a concrete floor.

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2017, 04:31:14 pm »

I wouldn't try it in case of injury!

On another note would it be possible to hire a tractor from a friend/neighbour, or even to get one on finance?

larrylamb · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2017, 08:49:33 pm »

Hi if it's only the odd time your mucking out how about hiring in a skid steer loader with muck grab my local hire company hires them out. The pallet fork will work but it needs to be on level ground if it's haylage bales wrapped then if it's on level ground put a strap round bale and onto your pickup or land rover and pull it along.

oor wullie · « **Reply #7 on:** January 08, 2017, 06:37:20 am »

A pallet trolley is only really much good on a perfectly smooth surface. If you have that then a pallet trolley will easily be good for moving a ton by hand. If you have a hardcore surface like mine you will struggle to move even an unloaded pallet trolley.

A used tractor needent cost the earth, especially if you are willing to do basic maintanance on it yourself. £4k will get you something that will do the job (even if it isn't beautiful) and it might not have lost any value when you come to sell it.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** January 08, 2017, 06:10:39 pm »

My neighbour used to use a bobcat.

Is it not suitable for deep litter - i.e., don't muck out until winter is over?

pointer · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2017, 12:05:25 pm »

I've got a smooth concrete floor in the barn, so that's not a problem for the pallet trolley. A tractor is on the shopping list, just not right now. I am willing to do maintenance myself, it's just that I don't know the first thing about it that puts me off! But I suppose I could learn on the job.
We may end up as deep litter, more by accident than design. Does it require periodically raising the feed barrier? The main problem is the price of straw out here.
I appreciate all the answers so far, thanks

greenbeast · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2017, 08:35:38 am »

From experience, a digger will not shift muck very easily, it tends to tip back over the front of the bucket.
A decent sized bucket with plenty of long teeth would help, but seems like just the wrong tool for the job.

And yes, a loader tractor is a very good alround tool and you will learn on the job. 2 years ago i hadn't done much engine work, now i've repaired starter motors, replaced water pumps, alternators and sensors, rewired the digger (admittedly i've done electrics before), replaced ran seals, started to rebuild a loader that is missing important parts

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2017, 12:05:55 pm »

Quote from: pointer on January 09, 2017, 12:05:25 pm

We may end up as deep litter, more by accident than design. Does it require periodically raising the feed barrier? The main problem is the price of straw out here.
I appreciate all the answers so far, thanks

Yes, you will get quite a build up over a winter, so you'll either need to muck out the few feet in front of the feed barrier by hand every so often, or to raise the barrier a couple of times in the course of a winter.

To reduce straw usage and cost, only bed one area, large enough for them all to lie comfortably. You can go in with a gripe and pick up once a day to prolong the use of the straw you've laid, if you want. Also, chuck scrapings from the feed area onto the bed area to pad the straw out. (Not soily or old silage, though.)

Recognise that they'll eat freshly scattered straw, and that barley straw has good feed value, so don't resent it quite so much! BH used to scatter fresh straw on the bedding area every day or nearly, and plenty of - enough that they would eat their fill in one session and still leave enough for bedding. They won't eat much after it's been laid on, of course, so don't be so generous that there's more left after they've fed than they need to be clean.