They will most likely experience an increase in milk production also which with milking 170 cows even a 2ib per day per cow increase is 340ibs a day or 124,100ibs a year
Those bunkers will make nice buildings. One would make for a super shop! Find a company that shoots lines underground and have them put in a water line and a drain. You’ll be in there washing your tractors, cars, trucks and equipment in there. Add a bathroom - the convenience of having it right there will be worth the expense and the messing about with it. The other … will come in handy for several things over the next hundred years!
Be careful with salt on newer concrete it can cause damage. Made that mistake with our new house and now our concrete has minor salt damage. The rule of thumb tends to be a year but that concrete is very valuable to your operation so maybe wait even longer.
Excited to see these things run. Something to consider for the snow removal along with just summer maintenance for your pathways. Look into a power brush for your skidsteer.
Nice to see you getting things set up the way you want them. On a smaller scale, I've moved workshops and garages a few times. I don't think I could dislike a task any more than that. It's never ending and no matter how many useless things you throw away, there are plenty more to keep. 😁😁
I don't envy you having to more your shop. I did that four years ago and it is amazing how much stuff you find to move. The way they set the bind is really clever. The picture of the new silos and bins is really impressive. Your thought processes are great. Loved this video, thanks.
A hydraulic street sweeping brush for the skid steer might be in order, you'll be able to sweep the lanes in the spring, summer and fall and sweep off snow in the Winter keeping snow off will keep it from melting and freezing at night as ice. Thinking about how they do it at airports
You could make very large work shops out of feed bins. Not very hard to build short walls and a roof, glad you thinking of doing that. Hard part is already done.
Eric, I’m a semi-retired electrical engineer and your channel is in my top five for sure. I love this robotic feed project and this makes your channel number one for quite a while. I know electrical systems and energy, but I learn all of my farming knowledge from YOU! I’m quite confident that your dad is beyond proud of you and how you contribute. You’ve not said much, but I’m guessing that your RU-vid income is helping make the robotics feed system a reality. Anyway, keep up the great work and take care of your wife (and kids second). God bless.
Eric - you and your dad are really on it utilizing new technologies to increase your efficiency and productivity. Have to hand it to you. Best of luck; I know you have the hard work already....
Wow!!! Congrats on getting all that work done as that is one big over all job/as well as planning extra stuff on the go. That company working all the forms and the cement pours must have enjoyed all the extra work and money as well. Nice to see your new bins, still have lots of work ahead of you once things are all in place. Thanks for posting what you could for us.
You answered a lot of questions I had about the robot feeders and the snow along with the grade concerns. I think you did the right thing by going into the side rather than the end, I was wondering how you would solve that problem. Good luck with the rest of the set up, you and your dad are really working hard to get this system in, especially with all the shop items. Thanks and I hope you have a good Sunday and week ahead!
Yeah I’m from near Syracuse NY… we used to get a lot of snow. I mean like when it snows we used to measure in feet… as of late the past few winters have been light… last year think I plowed only one time.. great video
Instead of stone for the garage, check with the local quarries. The larger ones usually will have a "recycled" blend of gravel made from crushed concrete and sometimes has asphalt millings blemded in too. Stuff packs and locks up much tighter than just crushed gravel. Might even get them to take that old concrete pile you have going there.
Looking great brother! I sure hope you saved/sold those brochures!!! Every penny counts when you bite off a committment like this! TY so much for sharing!
Can't wait to see the robots in action. Really happy for you guys! As far as snow/ice management, check out an Echo PAS-2620 and get a bristle broom. If the snow is too deep to push, flip it over and pull the snow towards you. There's so much y'all could use that for and a rubber paddle broom.
Wonder if you could cover the pathways with the fabric buildings like you’re considering for the bunks. That would keep the snow off. Issue would be cost and where you have to cross the pathways with equipment. Something to kick around maybe.
You might want to consider a rotary broom attachment for the skid steer to clear those robot lanes. Several businesses with lots of long walkways around. South Central Montana use them. They work well if the snow has not been driven or walked on, which creates patches of ice.
Nice bulk tech bins! Made about an hour away from me, just ordered 4-45 tonne steel hopper in from them, should be here in a month for my soybean roasting.
Eric instead of sand or salt get a hydraulic angle broom for the skid steer. Those brooms do a great job of clearing ice and compacted snow at airports and universities.
I can see how blowing snow would be a problem. What comes off the roof of the barn might not be very deep but shows up any time the wind is blowing after a fresh snow.
Just a thought, seal the concrete to improve longevity. Do Not use salt on concrete. Our local farmers in SE Pa use a concrete saft product that works to -20 F.
Hey great to watch . Question: How good will the Bot be in winter ... traction in snow etc ... just saying brushing the top while it dries would have been prudent . But they have do have various Anti slip concrete sealer . Bins look 👀 like towers 👍🏻
This project is so coo!! Really looking forward to seeing it running! If it snows heavily this winter at least you can say "I told you so"... not much comfort when you are shoveling it though. Are you going to grow your hair out a bit? You do you, of course...but I think its cool. I say grow it while you got it my dude... it usually only gets thinner with time.
Can't wait to see the robots!!!! This is gonna be fun!! Just to be a smart aleck I was going to suggest heating the sidewalks!! But you beat me to it lol 🙏❤️🇺🇲
That last pathway... You may want to build some sort of retainer wall at some point. Going over with heavy equipment plus the freeze and thaw action of the seasons will tend to squeeze the dirt to the outside and cause your lane to list. Please note that I don't know much about this stuff so I recommend seeking expert advice.
It might be worth putting some steel or some metal edges on the sides of the concrete that you’ll be driving vehicles off of as climbing up and down the edge of concrete like that will eventually break the edges. Or try and raise, compact the soil on the edges near areas you’ll drive off so it’s level with the edges of the concrete or some stones to raise it up.
I imagine that in a few years or less the power plants and traction motors and surface to wheel traction will improve. Which will make the transporting distance easier to traverse no matter the conditions. This is America we always find a away to make it faster, better, stronger.
