The new cow shed is finished. The cows have spent the last 3 months using the shed and what is really pleasing is that we can not keep them out of it. The walls at either end have been completed and the Yorkshire boarding gives a very professional feel to the job.
We have decided on the best layout of the hurdles and have installed a series of gates. This allows us to herd the cattle into the race, and eventually the crush, so that they can be properly handled. Long gone are the days of chasing the cows endlessly around a field to try and get them penned in.
We even have a calf creep allowing the youngest animals to get through to make sure they are getting plenty of protein and to put weight on in a more controlled environment.
We just need to put a drain in the field and landscape the area so the cows have a dryer environment. Then all that remains is to find a member of staff to groom some of the younger cows and then we could start showing them!