A constant water supply, stable fences, well-designed driveways, trapping stands with loading facilities and shelters when grazing on hopeful areas are necessary. If concentrated feed is fed to young cattle, then appropriate automatic concentrated feeders (pasture hatch) are suitable.

Pasture fences and gates

Fences must be sturdy

Depending on the region, there are different types of wooden fences. These typical fences fit very well into the landscape. As a rule, these fences are stable, but they encourage animals to rub against them and can therefore make the fence unstable. Depending on the type of wood, moisture and pretreatment of the wood, fences made of wood last around 8 to 12 years. Constant control and repairs are necessary.

Barbed wire fences are very common in standalone pastures because they last a long time and are respected by cattle because of the spikes. However, it is important to ensure that the wires are well tensioned, otherwise the effect will be lost. The posts must also be constantly checked. As a rule, two to three wires are tensioned. Three are necessary when there are calves and young cattle in the herd. Subdivisions in rotational pastures are often made with electric fences, with the entire area surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Barbed wire fences often cause udder and teat injuries to cows.

Electric fences have become established in rotational and paddock pastures but are also used successfully in standalone pastures. The high flexibility and great security speak for these fences. Electric fences with wires or ribbons are available to suit every need. Strong wires with solar powered cells are often used. These systems are strong and safe, even if the wires are partially covered with grass and therefore partially dissipate the electricity. External fences are often built as fixed fence systems (wood + 2-3 electric fence steel wires), the divisions are usually bands. In the case of standing pastures, electric fences are sometimes combined with wooden fences to provide beautiful landscape fences with the necessary security.

Pasture gates

Depending on the use, it may be necessary to install gates. Electric fences usually only use one wire, which is easy to open and close. In standalone pastures, stronger gates or gates made of wood or iron can be found. The locking mechanism of gates must be secure because animals usually rub against the gate and playfully try to open the gate. Iron gates are very stable if they are well anchored. Self-closing gates are an advantage when hiking trails lead through the pasture. On hiking trails, passages that can only be used by people have also proven to be effective. Wooden gates should be designed in such a way that animals cannot slip through with their heads.

Catching stands and loading facilities

Catching and loading facilities are an advantage when pastures are located away from the stable. Depending on the need, the trapping stand can also be used as a treatment stand - this means that treatments can also be carried out on the pasture.

The more extensively cattle are kept, the more natural their behavior becomes and they react to any restrictions or restrictions on their freedom with panic and flight behavior. Catching or loading facilities must be solid. The design depends on the animals and must be more massive the more extensively the animals are kept. Calves that grow up like wild animals also behave the same way in their later lives, which is why caring for and observing the animals is particularly important. Loading ramps are also necessary to make the transport of cattle as stress-free as possible for animals and people.

Loading ramps are usually combined with the catching stand; occasionally there are also transportable loading ramps that are also used in the stable area.

driveways

Anyone who systematically creates pasture drives saves working time, strengthens hoof and udder health and protects pasture areas.

When kept on pasture, dairy cows have to go from the pasture to the stable twice a day. It therefore makes sense to build animal-friendly, cost-effective and time-saving driveways. The driveways should last at least 10-20 years without major effort and should open up as much pasture as possible. It is beneficial if the animals can go from the pasture to the stable at any time. The cows like to go to cool stables, especially on hot days. In addition, cows coming out of the milking parlor can immediately go back to the pastures to eat.

Path width depending on the herd of cows

The larger the herd, the wider the path should be. In the initial area, a path width of 3 to 5 meters is favorable. For small herds, the path can then be reduced to a width of up to 1 m. Electric fences must be placed approximately 50 cm from the edge of the path, which results in a total width of approximately 2 m. For larger herds of over 40-50 cows, path widths of 3 to 4 m are advantageous, as otherwise the drive in takes a lot of time.

Pay attention to the floor

The durability of a driveway depends heavily on the subsoil and the possibility of water drainage such as drainage. Soft driveways - which dry out quickly - are generally preferable to hard floor versions. These not only protect the claws, they are also preferred by the cows. Cows step on coarse, stony material very easily. When cows have to travel long distances on hard ground, this can lead to strain-clawed deer.

- For long distances, a 10 to 20 cm thick layer of wood chips and bark on a water-permeable surface is recommended. However, the resistance (humusation) is low, especially in moist conditions (water, shade).
- Another option is to use fine sand, which is spread moist and then compacted well.
- Acid-resistant asphalt and concrete paths are very durable, easy to drive on, but expensive and pose a risk of slipping on sloping paths. If there are stones on these floors, cows can easily kick them into defective sole horns. However, these hard surfaces are not recommended for long drive paths.
- Perforated concrete blocks (horticulture) or old slatted floors can also be placed. The cavities are either filled with sand or filled with humus and sown.
- The use of plastic grids filled with sand comes from horse keeping. These are usually also covered with wood chips.
- If terrain gradients of more than 30% have to be overcome, wooden threshold steps backfilled with earth or wood chips (soft tread surface at least 50 cm wide) are recommended.

Motorway crossings

Farm paths can be crossed using electric fence gates, simple tension brackets or pivoting electric fence barriers. The latter consist of one or two electrified barriers and hinges for mounting on posts. They enable vehicles to drive through easily and safely without getting out. After passing through, the barrier rocks back to its starting position.

Tip: At the Moarhof organic teaching and research company in 8950 Trautenfels (Organic Institute), different driveway designs and electric fence designs can be viewed.

Water supply tips

• Grazing animals must have constant access to clean water.
• Lack of water or contaminated water leads to poorer feed intake, increases animal stress and puts a strain on metabolism and animal health. This is how Dr. Leisen 2003 (LWK North Rhine-Westphalia) found increased cell numbers on pasture farms in a practical survey:

             - insufficient water supply (or water quality), sometimes too few drinking troughs

            - Too much distance between lying areas and drinking troughs

Table: Guide values ​​for water requirements on pastures (from ÖAG Info 4/2006)

Accessibility within 50 -150 m

• The higher the performance, the shorter the distance to the water point should be.
• It is very important to have a sufficient number of drinking troughs (at least 2) or a corresponding length of the trough with a high water inflow. If there are too few drinking options, lower-ranking animals consume less water!

Water temperature

Water temperatures below 15 °C should be aimed for. High temperatures in summer provide harmful germs with the best growing conditions. This makes it necessary to frequently replace the drinking water (barrels) or clean the drinking troughs every one or two days.

Contaminated water may not be offered.

Damp drinking places also increase the risk of parasites and diseases. Cheap supply facilities include simple drinking water ring pipes, spring catchments, pasture wells and water barrels with drinking basins. The use of surface water is not recommended.

Pasture pumps must be sufficiently dimensioned to avoid long waiting times at the watering trough. In order to avoid damage to the soil and scars as well as the formation of morass in heavily frequented drinking areas, the supply facilities should be movable or fastened in a water-permeable manner (ÖAG Info 4/2006).

Control the distribution of feces and urine through drinking points.

An even distribution of drinking points improves the distribution of faeces and urine.

Heat protection

Depending on performance level and environmental conditions, heat stress in cattle can be expected to begin at temperatures of 25 to 28 °C in our latitudes. At temperatures above this, the breathing rate increases, the internal body temperature increases, feed intake and milk production decrease and the metabolic load increases. However, this stress also reduces the animals' defenses, which means that udder infections can also occur more frequently. On hot days, this can be remedied by offering shaded areas (free access to the stable, shortened grazing time, shaded areas under trees, etc.) or by installing a sprinkler system. The importance of a constantly accessible water supply is also pointed out in this context.