During the month of September, it can be easy to get caught up in other jobs that may seem like a priority, but preparing sheds and getting your scrapers and cubicles maintained now for the potential long winter ahead, is vital.
A lot of farmers are busy at the moment getting their cows scanned, getting fertiliser out before the ban, building covers and potentially even preparing for a third cut silage in the middle of September.
However, it is very easy to let the autumn months slip by without getting all of your housing maintenance done in time for the winter season.
Preparing sheds
Farmers must ensure that their sheds are fully prepared and that any repairs that need to be done, are done, as soon as possible.
Parts of the cubicle may need a weld, the feed barriers might need some attention, or repairs may have to completed on water troughs by potentially replacing ball cocks, or whatever it may be.
These jobs have to be done now, as you don’t want to be welding the cubicles or feed barriers the day the cows are coming in.
Farmers need to ensure that scrapers are working perfectly and are are fully serviced. If there are grooves on the track or the scrapers look worn, they should be replaced.
Fixing scrapers in the middle of the housed period can be difficult, as it is hard to keep cows away from the area and you will be more than likely working in amongst the dirt and slurry, so getting it done now when it is clean and dry is a lot easier.
Another thing that may get overlooked during the bright evenings, is the lights in the sheds. Farmers should ensure that all lighting inside and outside of sheds is up to scratch.
Lighting during the winter months is vital, as it ensures all work being carried out is done in a safe manner. Working on a farm is dangerous enough as it is, without increasing the risk even further with a lack of light.
Machinery
Now that a lot of the silage cuts are finished up and most of the bale work and fodder preparation work is finished, now might be a good time to fully service your tractor(s), telehandler or loading shovel.
For certain machinery, tires may need to be changed over to fit down passage ways, or the loader might have to be put on the loader bracket of a tractor.
All loaders should be fully greased up, oil drained and changed, and filters changed. Any other maintenance that needs to be done should be carried out over the next few weeks.
Your sheer grab may have become blunt towards the latter end of the housing period last year and so, it may need to be sharpened with an angle grinder to ensure a good clean cut through the silage pit.
Any other maintenance or services that need to be done with your machinery needs to be done now – repairs, lights, heating and air-conditioning, mirrors, etc., all need to be checked as soon as possible.
