Mud

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GLZ

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Mar 24, 2008
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385
So after 15 inches of rain between March 10 and April 10, it appears that I am starting to dry out some.  Luckily the cows are all pretty much in pasture which could be considered dry at this point.

However in the cow lots, i have some sections that are just unbelievably deep with mud.  To the point that full grown cows are 3/4 of their front legs deep.  It is just unbelievable.  Unfortunately a lot of these muddy areas are in front of openings to the barn, so the cows constantly trudge through these areas.  Worse yet they are on the east side of the shed, so they don't get much of the afternoon sunlight.

My question is, is there anything I can do to try to fix these spots.  What would a load of lime do to these areas?
 

knabe

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Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
13,639
Location
Hollister, CA
you have basically created a buffalo wallow.  the soil is deflocculated and the water will neigher run off or penetrate.  where they travel, it needs to be compacted with rocks or something to raise the height.

french drain, or use the fabric based solutions with gravel

http://www.joe.org/joe/2007december/tt7.shtml
 

farmboy

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Apr 21, 2007
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south webster ohio
we had a situation like this in the way to the lot, we just got our bulldozer in there and scraped all the dry stuff out, were going to put concrete over it so it dosnt happen again
 

showsteerdlux

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Nov 30, 2007
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Western NC
Gravel with a layer of sand underneath should help you some. Maybe put sand then filter cloth then gravel. Seems to work well around here and its sure cheaper than concrete.
 

red

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Jan 20, 2007
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LaRue, Ohio
showsteerdlux said:
Gravel with a layer of sand underneath should help you some. Maybe put sand then filter cloth then gravel. Seems to work well around here and its sure cheaper than concrete.

It's what the hubby did. Still have slop but it's a little more manageable. Check you drainage also. You might need some tile.

Red
 

CAB

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Mar 5, 2007
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Corning,Iowa
You surely have a rain gutter on your building, if not that would help a bunch if you can catch the rain off the roof and direct it away from the front of the building.
 

Doc

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Apr 13, 2007
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Cottontown, Tennessee
CAB said:
You surely have a rain gutter on your building, if not that would help a bunch if you can catch the rain off the roof and direct it away from the front of the building.

  I take it one step further & have my gutters empty into water tanks for runs around my barn.
 

dutch pride

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Sep 17, 2007
Messages
363
Location
SW Michigan
red said:
showsteerdlux said:
Gravel with a layer of sand underneath should help you some. Maybe put sand then filter cloth then gravel. Seems to work well around here and its sure cheaper than concrete.

It's what the hubby did. Still have slop but it's a little more manageable. Check you drainage also. You might need some tile.

Red

How thick of a layer of sand and gravel did you use?  Do you think crushed concrete world work as well as gravel? Did you put drain tiles in the layer of sand?

On a related note, does antone have mounds in their lots? If so, how and what is the best material to build these. I am thinking clay would be the best but not sure?

I need to do something in the area where my hay feeder and feed bunk and waterer are in my lot where the cows are all winter as well as provide a dry spot for them to lay down on during nice wheather.

DLZ
 

cattlejunky

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Jun 22, 2007
Messages
538
Location
indiana
The hubby did this this fall and it has worked wonderfully.  layer of #7 rock 1"-2" thick them a 3"-4" layer of flume (powdered rock)  spread and flatten with the loader.
This stuff sets up like concrete and drains really well.
 
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