Off-paddock investment

A stand-off pad is a drained area where you can keep your livestock for extended periods when pastures aren't suitable. The pad isn't generally for feeding, but rather a place for animals to lie down.

A feedpad is used for regular supplementary feeding and loafing of cattle on an area of land that is either formed with a solid foundation and/or concreted to establish a permanent feedpad.

Freestall barns are permanent, engineered structures, in which dairy cattle are housed and provided with their daily dietary requirements and water. They may be open air, partially, or fully enclosed.

A loose housed barn with soft bedding is a fully covered facility with a base of soft material that allows effluent to drain through into a collection system.

A loose housed barn with slatted concrete is a fully covered facility, usually with a plastic film over a frame type roof, and a concrete slatted floor covering an effluent holding bunker.

Managing your off-paddock facilities with good practice principles ensures your cows' comfort and peak production. This page offers guidance on several crucial principles, including ventilation, shade, and use of woodchip bedding.

Clean and comfortable bedding is crucial for cow welfare and helps prevent diseases like mastitis and lameness. If your cows are frequently dirty, it could indicate issues with your facility's ventilation or cleaning schedule.

Standing on hard surfaces or constantly wet conditions can cause lameness in cows. When kept in off-paddock facilities, cows' hooves can wear and soften, increasing the risk of injury and infection.

Environmental mastitis in cows often stems from prolonged exposure to dairy effluent. Off-paddock facilities may heighten the risk, as cows' teats can easily get contaminated by mastitis-causing bacteria.