Information courtesy of Dairy Source
What is a Feedpad?
A feedpad is a specific area (usually with a firm surface) used to stand dairy cows and feed silage, fodder and or supplements in a controlled fashion.
Choosing a location for your Feedpad:
Consider localised conditions when choosing your feedpad site and talk to other local farmers about their own experience. Some considerations might be situating the feedpad near to the shed so as to allow cows to rest and feed either on their way to or when exiting the shed after milking.
Keep in mind any regulations that might exist for the proximity of the pad (distance) relevant to the milking shed, water supply etc.
Consider how you plan to handle the effluent build-up and its wash-down / rainfall runoff relevant to ponds and waterways etc
Will the pad be covered with a standoffshelter? If so does space need to be allowed for the structure (permits) and its surrounds.
Keep in mind how the cows will flow onto and off the pad when considering its placement.
Size:
How many cows will you plan to feed at one time? – the size of the pad will be dictated by this. Where you plan to locate the feed will also dictate the shape and the size of the proposed feedpad. If using troughs or lining cows side by side then typically up to 600mm per cow should be allowed for.
Consider the type of vehicles you are planning to use on and around the pad also.
The base material:
Concrete is popular for feedpads, however has limitations for cow comfort if it is planned to standoff the herd for long periods of time. Typically the concrete will be four inches thick or more if it is planned to have vehicles driving on top of it.
Allow for a slight fall in when laying the pad to prevent water ponding on the surface.
Using a soft material such as woodchip, bark, post peelings or recycled wood products is an option; however this may require regular replacement unless it is covered by a building of some sort.
Sand or Gravel base pads will require some sort of drainage system for rain runoff to the effluent pond.
Feeding out considerations:
There are multiple ways of feeding out on the pad. Into troughs/bins, Onto the pad directly, Behind hotwires etc. If using bins then ensure their design does not allow the cows to easily fall into them or be pushed into them, bins should be tall enough to help avoid this.
Placing feed and supplement onto a separate concrete race and keeping cows off this area can substantially reduce the amount of valuable feed wastage and loss from the cow trampling it. On a soft floor pad – the use of a hard surface to place the feed is usually preferred.
Labour and time to feed out might also need to be considered and if for instance a feed-wagon is to be used then the access for this around the feedpad & keeping cows at bay whilst feeding out will need to be considered.
Covering the Pad:
An increasingly popular option is to also consider covering the pad with a Redpath Standoffshelter. These shelters are steel framed buildings with clear roofing. The clear roofing allows a substantial amount of natural light to be transmitted through to the flooring below and has a large affect on drying the floor below.
Covering a feedpad virtually eliminates any rainfall run-off of effluent and a covered pad provides a more comfortable environment to hold the cows on in poorer weather. Keeping cows off the paddocks in poorer weather and saving the solid from compaction (pugging) and keeping grass in good condition is another benefit.
Cows also consume considerably less feed when housed for periods under a clear roofed warm shelter.
Effluent management:
High cow density in a compact area such as the feedpad will inevitably produce a intensive amount of effluent.
If the feedpad is uncovered then consideration will need to made for washing down duties or rainfall runoff. Effluent ponds may need to be constructed or drainage from the pad to an existing effluent pond will need to be put in place.
Popular methods for washing down of hard pads include the use of tractor mounted scrapers which will minimise the amount of water use required. Flooding with water is another option.
Soft ground pads woodchip and bark etc will require the top scraped clean on a regular basis (usually every 4 -6 weeks). This is then stockpiled and composted until it is ready to spread onto paddocks in suitable conditions to avoid run-off.
Cost to build:
If building from concrete the great majority of feedpad cost will be in the concrete material itself. Other major costs include labour to install, concrete troughs, Silage racks, fencing, drainage to ponds or construction of effluent ponds, Gates, Hotwire fences etc.
Constructing a Redpath Standoffshelter over the pad is typically cost out at around $300 per cow average.
