The last 12 months have seen Ballymena farmer, Gareth Hayes, commit to a significant investment programme, designed to improve the efficiency of the business at Loughview Farm.
Farming on the outskirts of Ballymena, Gareth milks 100 dairy cows. The farm is also home to 60 suckler cows and 150 breeding ewes.
Fencing has become a recurring issue on Loughview farm and Gareth decided it was time to remedy this with a more permanent solution:
He explained:
“Keeping the fences in top shape is a continuing priority on the farm. However, recent years have seen a deterioration in the quality of the wooden posts and strainers available.
“I wanted a job that would last for decades. And that’s why we went with Moore Concrete’s Ox Fence strainers and posts. The strainers are designed to last for 50 years while the posts have a design life of 30 years. A big plus is the fact that both posts can be driven in, saving any additional hassle or equipment costs.”
Gareth continued:
“We started the latest round of fencing work last autumn: the plan is to get on with the work again over the coming weeks.
Moore’s Conal McMahon was a recent visitor to Loughview farm.
He explained:
“Both the Ox Strain and Ox Post include a cast in 2m nailing strip, which is embedded into the face of the concrete post.
“The strips are made from recycled plastic, materials such as old CD cases and coat hangers that would otherwise end up in landfill or incinerators. Resulting in a durable, no maintenance product with a reduced carbon footprint.”
Conal continued:
“Ox Fence is a completely timberless fencing solution, that is easy to install with both the Ox Strain & Ox Post designed to be driven in using a standard post driver. This has led to a tremendous increase in demand as farmers are growing tired of replacing rotten fences before time.”
Feeding the dairy herd throughout the winter months in the most efficient way possible is also a priority at Loughview Farm.
Gareth has recently invested in some Moore Concrete precast feed troughs. The feed troughs run 72 feet long and extend along the entire length of the cubicle house.
Gareth explained the reasons behind the new investment.
“The new precast feed troughs from Moore Concrete fully complements the height of our feeder wagon and are very easily cleaned out using a brush and shovel.
“They have replaced an older feed passage that had been built from concrete blocks, this time the precast feed troughs offered a quick installation and more robust solution, so it was a no brainer.”
Moore Concrete Products Ltd has a long history of manufacturing high-quality precast feed trough systems. There are a range of options available that are specifically designed not only to last on the farm but also increase animal feed intake, reduce labour when cleaning due to a smooth finish and allow a quick and easy installation.
“Included in our range of feed troughs is a two-sided trough, for use with a diet feeder, a single side sloped trough to be used with an existing barrier and a vertical feed channel for use against an existing wall as well as a double trough, which divides a house into two pens, and feeding options for young stock and calves.”
“Each feeding option has also been designed to complement the feeding systems employed on UK farms.” explained Conal McMahon.
For further information, telephone Moore Concrete on (028) 2565 2566 Ext1 or view the company’s website at www.moore-concrete.com.
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