Feed pad fills gap

Operating a grazing system comes with its own sense of challenges, particularly if it comes in wet. To help mitigate some of that risk, Suz and Rob Gundry from Gunbower have built themselves a 100m long hybrid feed pad with enough space for 200 cows to graze comfortably down each side. The feed pad is built to fit slabs and rolls of hay. One side has been cemented and the other is Rochie rock – just in case they decide to extend to accommodate silage and a mixer wagon sometime in the future. A shed could also be easily built over the top if required. “That won’t be a problem for me though,” Rob laughed. “I am happy to keep running a pasture based system supplemented with hay and cereals in our feed pad. “It was a relatively cheap investment, and I can already see some real benefits, particularly in terms of easier management.” Rob said previous to construction of the pad, he used to use a sacrifice paddock with hay rings, but when it came in wet, it was a nightmare. Rob said he ...