Flooring types
Deep-litter compost flooring for superior lying time
The most popular choice for Redpath dairy housing is to combine the natural drying effect of a clear roof with a wood chip based floor system.
The deep litter floor is typically made up of medium to large sized wood chip. The Deep-litter material will last for a considerable time (typically three years) when kept beneath the Redpath clear roof system making this flooring option both economic and effective to consider.
The Redpath Deep-litter system is “hoof and cow friendly” with cows being able to be stood off for long periods of time with little effect on feet, limbs, and joints. The cows are very willing to rest on the soft Deep-litter whilst digesting their feed.
Deep-litter compost flooring for superior lying time
The most popular choice for Redpath dairy housing is to combine the natural drying effect of a clear roof with a wood chip based floor system.
The deep litter floor is typically made up of medium to large sized wood chip. The Deep-litter material will last for a considerable time (typically three years) when kept beneath the Redpath clear roof system making this flooring option both economic and effective to consider.
The Redpath Deep-litter system is “hoof and cow friendly” with cows being able to be stood off for long periods of time with little effect on feet, limbs, and joints. The cows are very willing to rest on the soft Deep-litter whilst digesting their feed.
Concrete feeder lane combined with soft floor
This floor design allows you to combine their traditional feed pad system with Redpaths soft floor loafing barn. The combined floor system has a wide concrete feeder lane path where cows are bought into the shelter and stand whilst fed and are held for short periods.
This feeder path will often manage up to 40% of the effluent produced by the cow as they are feeding. This path can then be scraped clean to a wedge pit or pond.
Concrete base floor
A 100% concrete floor is another option to build a Redpath Dairy shelter overhead. Typically the concrete pad floors are used as only short term holding for feed pad use and standing off for a few hours per day.
Covering your existing or new concrete pad will substantially reduce the amount of water run-off from the pad caused by rainfall. This reduces the filling loads placed on your existing effluent ponds. For some farms this can often be the deciding factor when considering a shelter for your pad. The 15m wide span design is a popular choice for this with either clear or white long life cladding
Slotted or Slatted floor systems
Slotted or Slatted floor systems where effluent is allowed to drop through the base floor into a catch bunker or similar holding area beneath have been in use for animal housing for more than 50 Years. Slatted floors are often made of concrete and have been in use worldwide quite extensively since the 1960’s. Redpath can erect buildings over a range of slatted floor system designs.
Limerock base / floor systems
The use of a limestone floor is another option to build the Redpath Dairyshelter overhead.
Limestone based floors are used for short to medium term holding from just a few hours per day in summertime to 1-2 days in winter. Limerock based floors offer a slight ‘softer’ floor loafing alternative to concrete for cows, with farmers remarking that their cows prefer ‘loafing’ on limerock to concrete with obvious less joint and skin issues. Covering your limerock pad will reduce the amount of water run-off from the pad caused by rainfall and of course keep the limerock in a stable and usable condition. The Redpath clear roofing has a large impact on keeping the floor dry via high levels of sunshine energy. Reduced rainfall substantially reduces the filling loads placed on your existing effluent ponds.
Redpath will supply and construct over existing or new limerock pads and are happy to quote for your individual application, call us with the pad dimensions and any trough spacing’s. Alternatively – if you would like a plan drawing of a typical limerock pad and trough layout sent to you
Choose a 100% containment option for future proofing
There are two styles of Redpath clear-roofed full containment options, with each style designed to suit the individual farmer’s needs.
The shallow bunker with concrete base is simple in design and not unlike a standard feed-pad. Redpath can arrange to pour the floor as part of the build or it may be installed by the farmer’s preferred local concrete contractor.
The deep bunker system incorporates the best of both worlds with 100% containment plus a deep litter floor for superior resting time.
Freestall Systems
A well-managed and designed Freestall barn can support high levels of milk production and animal well-being. The purpose of the Redpath Freestall barn is to provide the cows with a comfortable, clean, dry resting area within the Freestall area. The Freestall is designed to allow the cow to enter and exit the stall using a natural reclining, resting, and rising motion ideally without overly striking the stall structure itself. A well designed Freestall present minimal opportunity for injury, and promote more time for lying / resting.
