This week, I feature a new cubicle house and parlour in Co Kilkenny. It’s on the farm of PJ Murphy of Ballyragget. This was not a greenfield site; instead, PJ incorporated an existing suckler shed (Figure 1). This was a sizeable shed: four bays long with a span of 21m (70ft). It was only 10 years old and steel and concrete were in good condition, so PJ was obviously keen to utilise it. In particular, it had:
A 5m (16ft) centre feed passage.Slatted tanks on either side, both four bays long.After much deliberation, and looking at other farmers’ sheds, PJ decided to:
Lengthen the existing shed by five bays.Convert part of the original suckler shed into a collecting yard – utilising one slatted tank.Place the new milking parlour in the five-bay extension.Extend the feed passage by five bays, under the new roof.Likewise, extend the second slatted tank by five bays. This was actually done by building a separate new tank, in line with the existing one.Finally, he would build a nine-bay cubicle house directly alongside, A-roof beside A-roof. It would open directly on to the extended slatted tank and utilise the extended feed passage.PJ designed the new setup himself. He had drawings done up by his brother-in-law, Philip Maher, and he called in local builder Matt Bergin and his son, Micheál, of Bergin Farm Buildings, based at Ballyragget, to put up the new shed. PJ installed Easyfix Green flexible cubicles and cubicle mats. The setup was finished last January.
Picture one
On the left are the five bays that were added to the original suckler shed. In there are (at this end) the milking parlour and (at the far end) the collecting yard.
The doorway opens into the 16ft feed passage, originally four bays long, now nine. To the right of the passage is the slatted tank. All of these are under the 21m (70ft) line of PJ’s original suckler shed.
The A-roof on the right covers a new nine-bay cubicle house. Its roof span is 15m (50ft).
Picture two
Here, we see where the two roofs meet. The side wall of the original four-bay shed was knocked. The cubicles now run in under the original roof span, into what was previously lie-back for young calves. The 180-cubicle rows run at a 90o angle to the tank and feed rail. This layout made good use of the existing tank, feed passage and roof. Cows can eat on both sides of the feed passage in four of the nine bays. This gives 63m (205ft) of rail for 180 cubicles. PJ said he will need more feed rail if he expands from 125 cows.
A benefit of this layout is that it is straightforward to divide cows into separate groups for feeding. The Bergins extended the slatted standing area by building a new tank, five bays long. Both have an external agitation point outside the shed.
Picture three
The original suckler shed was a back-to-back lean-to with internal pillars used to support feed barriers and pens. The five bays that were added on stuck with this design. However, the new cubicle shed is a portal frame. PJ went for this to have a clear internal space for the cubicle rows. Matt Bergin told me that the stanchions and rafters of the new shed are IPE 225mm x 112mm (9in x 4.5in). The roof is clad with 0.6mm pre-painted steel sheeting. The roof in both sheds has spaced cladding for inlet ventilation. There are no roof clear sheets. Instead, there are clear sheets on the shed side cladding and these let in significant light.
Picture four
The cubicles are laid out in five double rows and a single row at each end. PJ put in three crossover points – taking up the area of 12 potential cubicles – but he is pleased he did so. “There are no dead ends,” he said.
The flexible EasyFix Green cubicles are a radical departure from traditional steel cubicles. Although the cows went into the shed in mid-January, PJ is delighted with how they worked. “I like the way the cows lie down in them. You’d enjoy watching. I went to see them on four farms and only heard positive comments. The cows never look under pressure. If she doesn’t lie down square, it doesn’t matter. I’m looking forward to seeing the dry cows in them, given they’re bigger.”
EasyFix has improved the fixing brackets on the cubicles and added a black rubber loop.
The latter further improves the lying position of the cow, while still keeping the all-important flexibility, Ronan Boyle of EasyFix told me. The interlocking cubicle mats are 25mm thick and fixed in place with a stainless steel screw and a washer placed in a plastic plug. The cubicle, mat and brisket board cost €165 to €170 per cow space, supply only, Ronan told me.
Picture five
PJ, pictured here with his wife Joanne and sons Seamus, Patrick, Micheál and Conor, is pleased with how his shed has turned out.
“I spent a long time thinking about it. I’m not saying it’s right in every way, but it allowed me get the best value out of the shed that was there,” PJ said.
I asked what the cubicle house part of this job cost him per cow space.
It worked out at approximately €600, including the new roofs, the extended feed rail, new tank and slats and 180 cubicles.
This excluded the original suckler shed and the milking machine.
This week, I feature a new cubicle house and parlour in Co Kilkenny. It’s on the farm of PJ Murphy of Ballyragget. This was not a greenfield site; instead, PJ incorporated an existing suckler shed (Figure 1). This was a sizeable shed: four bays long with a span of 21m (70ft). It was only 10 years old and steel and concrete were in good condition, so PJ was obviously keen to utilise it. In particular, it had:
A 5m (16ft) centre feed passage.Slatted tanks on either side, both four bays long.After much deliberation, and looking at other farmers’ sheds, PJ decided to:
Lengthen the existing shed by five bays.Convert part of the original suckler shed into a collecting yard – utilising one slatted tank.Place the new milking parlour in the five-bay extension.Extend the feed passage by five bays, under the new roof.Likewise, extend the second slatted tank by five bays. This was actually done by building a separate new tank, in line with the existing one.Finally, he would build a nine-bay cubicle house directly alongside, A-roof beside A-roof. It would open directly on to the extended slatted tank and utilise the extended feed passage.PJ designed the new setup himself. He had drawings done up by his brother-in-law, Philip Maher, and he called in local builder Matt Bergin and his son, Micheál, of Bergin Farm Buildings, based at Ballyragget, to put up the new shed. PJ installed Easyfix Green flexible cubicles and cubicle mats. The setup was finished last January.
Picture one
On the left are the five bays that were added to the original suckler shed. In there are (at this end) the milking parlour and (at the far end) the collecting yard.
The doorway opens into the 16ft feed passage, originally four bays long, now nine. To the right of the passage is the slatted tank. All of these are under the 21m (70ft) line of PJ’s original suckler shed.
The A-roof on the right covers a new nine-bay cubicle house. Its roof span is 15m (50ft).
Picture two
Here, we see where the two roofs meet. The side wall of the original four-bay shed was knocked. The cubicles now run in under the original roof span, into what was previously lie-back for young calves. The 180-cubicle rows run at a 90o angle to the tank and feed rail. This layout made good use of the existing tank, feed passage and roof. Cows can eat on both sides of the feed passage in four of the nine bays. This gives 63m (205ft) of rail for 180 cubicles. PJ said he will need more feed rail if he expands from 125 cows.
A benefit of this layout is that it is straightforward to divide cows into separate groups for feeding. The Bergins extended the slatted standing area by building a new tank, five bays long. Both have an external agitation point outside the shed.
Picture three
The original suckler shed was a back-to-back lean-to with internal pillars used to support feed barriers and pens. The five bays that were added on stuck with this design. However, the new cubicle shed is a portal frame. PJ went for this to have a clear internal space for the cubicle rows. Matt Bergin told me that the stanchions and rafters of the new shed are IPE 225mm x 112mm (9in x 4.5in). The roof is clad with 0.6mm pre-painted steel sheeting. The roof in both sheds has spaced cladding for inlet ventilation. There are no roof clear sheets. Instead, there are clear sheets on the shed side cladding and these let in significant light.
Picture four
The cubicles are laid out in five double rows and a single row at each end. PJ put in three crossover points – taking up the area of 12 potential cubicles – but he is pleased he did so. “There are no dead ends,” he said.
The flexible EasyFix Green cubicles are a radical departure from traditional steel cubicles. Although the cows went into the shed in mid-January, PJ is delighted with how they worked. “I like the way the cows lie down in them. You’d enjoy watching. I went to see them on four farms and only heard positive comments. The cows never look under pressure. If she doesn’t lie down square, it doesn’t matter. I’m looking forward to seeing the dry cows in them, given they’re bigger.”
EasyFix has improved the fixing brackets on the cubicles and added a black rubber loop.
The latter further improves the lying position of the cow, while still keeping the all-important flexibility, Ronan Boyle of EasyFix told me. The interlocking cubicle mats are 25mm thick and fixed in place with a stainless steel screw and a washer placed in a plastic plug. The cubicle, mat and brisket board cost €165 to €170 per cow space, supply only, Ronan told me.
Picture five
PJ, pictured here with his wife Joanne and sons Seamus, Patrick, Micheál and Conor, is pleased with how his shed has turned out.
“I spent a long time thinking about it. I’m not saying it’s right in every way, but it allowed me get the best value out of the shed that was there,” PJ said.
I asked what the cubicle house part of this job cost him per cow space.
It worked out at approximately €600, including the new roofs, the extended feed rail, new tank and slats and 180 cubicles.
This excluded the original suckler shed and the milking machine.
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