Cattle lot help needed

[GLZ]

I need some thoughts on what I can with our cattle lot this spring.

Our cattle lot currently is nothing short of a mud bog.  To get in and out of the cow barn, cows literally walk through mud up to their bellies.

My thoughts are when it does finally dry up this early summer to change it entirely.  I am tired of seeing my cows have trouble get through the lot. 
I am looking for what I can do to change things.  I live in Southern Illinois which bring up the first problem.  Our soil is heavy clay based.  It tends to be thick and hold water like noone's business.

Some options I am thinking about.

Tiling the whole cattle lot (I personally have never tiled, but I thought this might work)
Mixing lime in
Mixing larger rock in

I need to establish a base more than anything, so that cows are not sinking to their bellies.

Any thoughts?

 

[red]

almost lost my boots in the muck this morning. At least didn't fall face forward as it has happened before.

Red

 

[jason]

I will also build some drainage canals, water will eventually ruin anything if given time.

 

[DLD]

I'd sure swap you some of the dry, blowing sand out of our lots for some of your moisture...

Seriously, I wish I could help, but that's not an issue we ever have to deal with here.  Even when we are relatively wet, our lots are all sandy soils and all built on slopes, so deep mud is never a problem for us.

 

[klintdog]

We have a scoria base in all of our corrals. It doesn't make them completely dry, but it definitely helps when it gets muddy. Basically with enough crushed gravel you should be able to build up a decent base and have something workable.

 

[kfacres]

S. IL huh??? Where about?? 

We mix alot of Sand in our lots, and if front of barn doors poor concrete slabs...  Also have alot of rock and lime spread around places.  Lime works real good, haul it in by semi, it will harden up almost like concrete when dry, and when wet repels water so it's like concret on bottome, with a little slugge on top.  We don't usually spread it, just dump it, and let cows trample it in/ level it out... Works real well. 

Might try putting gutters, and a drainage system on the barn... Also could give the tile/ large rock system a work, but more than likely you are just going to loose alot of your dirt, and in the long run will hurt you. 

 

[GLZ]

S. IL huh??? Where about??

Looks like almost due west from you.  Near Waterloo.

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

I would start with some larger rock to get a base started, then when you have that use lime and sand to get the lot to how you want it.  Also drainage is good. 

 

[bcosu]

i know there is some of the black carpet stuff that is buried to increase water flow that works really well. put some big rock down then the carpet stuff (can't remember the name) and then a some more rock that is not huge on top of that. it should drain fairly well after that. we tend to drain pretty well on our farm because we have alot of rock underneath of us.

 

[Cattle Fan]

What we have done here is when the area dries out this spring get the area leveled out and put some grade in it so the water can run off easily.  We then put down a product called Goe-Textile Fabric (kind of looks like weed cloth under landscaping Beds).  Add 6"-12" of # 53 limestone on top and you will have a good base for the cows.  We are form Indiana so Limestone is abundant not sure if limestone is as readily available in your area.  What the Geo-textile fabric does is keeps the stone from pushing through the mud and disappearing each winter when it gets muddy.  This is the best and cheapest alternative to concrete we have been able to come up with.  Hope that helps.

 

[OH HSC]

I need some thoughts on what I can with our cattle lot this spring.

Our cattle lot currently is nothing short of a mud bog.  To get in and out of the cow barn, cows literally walk through mud up to their bellies.

My thoughts are when it does finally dry up this early summer to change it entirely.  I am tired of seeing my cows have trouble get through the lot. 
I am looking for what I can do to change things.  I live in Southern Illinois which bring up the first problem.  Our soil is heavy clay based.  It tends to be thick and hold water like noone's business.

Some options I am thinking about.

Tiling the whole cattle lot (I personally have never tiled, but I thought this might work)
Mixing lime in
Mixing larger rock in

I need to establish a base more than anything, so that cows are not sinking to their bellies.

Any thoughts?

I have a similar, not as bad situation. If it were me, I would first dig a french style drain or two. Then I would buy some of the black fabric that people put under gravel roads and place that up against your barn, out as far as you have mud. Make sure to over lap it. After this I would put about four or five inches of steel mash, if available, or gravel over the entire thing. The steel mash is cheaper. Here in OH, it can be delivered for around 300 for 32 tons. It packs well and turns as hard as blacktop after a year or so. I have it in my barn, and I bucket out the manure just as if it were cement. Also, make sure you don't have drainage coming in to your area. If so you might needs some ditching. Doing all of this can be expensive but it pays off in the long run.
In my experience, dumping in gravel without the fabric proves futile.

Hope this helps, it has for me.

 

[shortyjock89]

i know there is some of the black carpet stuff that is buried to increase water flow that works really well. put some big rock down then the carpet stuff (can't remember the name) and then a some more rock that is not huge on top of that. it should drain fairly well after that. we tend to drain pretty well on our farm because we have alot of rock underneath of us.

We have done almost the EXACT same thing, and it wokrs really well.  We've also used old slabs of concrete and gravel and made a raised path from the bale feeder to the barn for the bred heifers in the show/bred heifer barn.  It really keeps them out of the mud on their journey.  We've also made raised areas out in lots that they can lay on to get out of the mud.  

 

[afhm]

I have seen ads for something called cow carpet that is suppose to help with and i think even eliminate mud.  Search for it.

 

[TJ]

We also use the geo textile fabric & limestone in problem areas. 

 

[CM Cattle]

We have an old diary barn with a concrete lot. The only problem is when it comes a hard rain all the water runs into the barn.

 

[midway6376]

We ended up just digging trenches so the water can get away. And built everthing else up with lime.

 

[keduhpn]

Must be nice to have a wet drainage problem....It hasn't rained in San Antonio, TX in a year in a half. We are in the worst drought in 100 years. Good luck with your drainage problem, but I can't help much.. I would use either lime or alot of sand.

 

[MSweeney_199]

Try removing as much of the muck as possible then put lime down. If you just add lime you'll will have a bigger problem and just wasted a load of lime. Lime for us is the cheapest being ten miles from the sugar beet factory.

 

[jason]

Must be nice to have a wet drainage problem....It hasn't rained in San Antonio, TX in a year in a half. We are in the worst drought in 100 years. Good luck with your drainage problem, but I can't help much.. I would use either lime or alot of sand.

ouch

We are down a bit ourselves, but nothing like that.  Hopefully some rain will come soon.

 

[farmboy]

drainage problems suck. gonna have to FIX it this spring. big muckhole right at the mouth of the barn, cant do anything there because of it.