Post by justearthfarm on Mar 6, 2015 1:25:05 GMT -5
Hi everyone --
After two building SNAFUs as we prepare our milk house, I am trying to figure out the best way to proceed.
What I cannot seem to find anywhere on the Web is this: what kind of traction does a 6-inch minus gravel surface provide for cows? This means it's a rocky surface; with large rocks and small ones in between, but it's been mechanically tamped down to create a flat walking area that will not shift under the cows' weight.
The issue is, this "flat" area is not "level" ... there is a pretty steep grade in places, up to 20%.
I am trying to stay calm -- our much-researched and beloved four cows are coming home in three weeks. I have been so careful about safety up to this point, and now I am wondering how to work with what we have in a way that creates a safe walk for them up to the milk house.
I know the rule of thumb is for ramps to be no steeper than 20%, so in theory it should be fine. But I'm not about to create a problem for our cows because the "theory" didn't prove to be correct when the rock is wet. I would be so devastated to have one of them fall because of a poor design and foresight on our part!
In your experience, will cows' hooves grip the spaces between the rocks sufficiently to allow for good traction up a short climb? I know it's a bad scene if the ramp is sloped to either side, so we'll be sure to make it level side-to-side.
Any insight would be really helpful. We are at an impasse here and it's very frustrating, as we have put 2 years' worth of planning and work into preparing and retrofitting this building to be a good milk house, and now we are faced with a seemingly dangerous approach up to it. I'm tempted to have the gravel guy who thought he knew best and laid out the entire area with this rock, come and take it all away, and have the cows step on pine needles and roots... not the best design. but at least it wouldn't be treacherous and they'd be able to get their footing, and we could go from there on how to make a more permanent, cleanable holding area.
I will post photos in the morning, though I am rather embarrassed that we got to this place! The original plan was to have a flat landing where the cows would gather, but the gravel guy couldn't fit his equipment between the trees at the flat place, so he convinced us that cows could maneuver where he could fit his equipment (first mistake -- taking cow advice from our gravel guy). Thank you for any help you can provide.
I'm desperate to create a safe lead-up to the milk house so I am forever grateful for any help or experience you can offer. Photos to come.
After two building SNAFUs as we prepare our milk house, I am trying to figure out the best way to proceed.
What I cannot seem to find anywhere on the Web is this: what kind of traction does a 6-inch minus gravel surface provide for cows? This means it's a rocky surface; with large rocks and small ones in between, but it's been mechanically tamped down to create a flat walking area that will not shift under the cows' weight.
The issue is, this "flat" area is not "level" ... there is a pretty steep grade in places, up to 20%.
I am trying to stay calm -- our much-researched and beloved four cows are coming home in three weeks. I have been so careful about safety up to this point, and now I am wondering how to work with what we have in a way that creates a safe walk for them up to the milk house.
I know the rule of thumb is for ramps to be no steeper than 20%, so in theory it should be fine. But I'm not about to create a problem for our cows because the "theory" didn't prove to be correct when the rock is wet. I would be so devastated to have one of them fall because of a poor design and foresight on our part!
In your experience, will cows' hooves grip the spaces between the rocks sufficiently to allow for good traction up a short climb? I know it's a bad scene if the ramp is sloped to either side, so we'll be sure to make it level side-to-side.
Any insight would be really helpful. We are at an impasse here and it's very frustrating, as we have put 2 years' worth of planning and work into preparing and retrofitting this building to be a good milk house, and now we are faced with a seemingly dangerous approach up to it. I'm tempted to have the gravel guy who thought he knew best and laid out the entire area with this rock, come and take it all away, and have the cows step on pine needles and roots... not the best design. but at least it wouldn't be treacherous and they'd be able to get their footing, and we could go from there on how to make a more permanent, cleanable holding area.
I will post photos in the morning, though I am rather embarrassed that we got to this place! The original plan was to have a flat landing where the cows would gather, but the gravel guy couldn't fit his equipment between the trees at the flat place, so he convinced us that cows could maneuver where he could fit his equipment (first mistake -- taking cow advice from our gravel guy). Thank you for any help you can provide.
I'm desperate to create a safe lead-up to the milk house so I am forever grateful for any help or experience you can offer. Photos to come.