With the busy silage period subsided on many farms, farmers should make time to inspect the condition of key areas in sheds and yards such as slatted floors and manhole covers.
According to Teagasc, intensive use, slurry reaching the slats, and stocking sheds with bulls, can shorten the lifespan of slats.
The estimated lifespan of a slatted floor is about 20 years, so any farms with slats that are in for that long or are getting close to that, should really consider getting them checked out.
Also, it is no harm for farmers to check their slatted floors regardless of how long they are in, to see what condition they are in.
The entire slatted floor area should be examined. Farmers should keep an eye out for any signs of exposed steel, cracks, surface damage or sagging – especially the centre of the floor.
A good way to see if the slats have sagged is by placing a straight edge across the centre of the slats. Also, by power-washing the slats you will be able to see any faults that may be present much easier.
The temptation among farmers may be to leave the slats for another year or two; however, this should be avoided.
No farmer should attempt replacing slats by themselves. Professional help should be sought. Always think safety first.
Don’t stop there
You shouldn’t just stop there, although checking the condition of slats is important, another key area that should be checked is any manhole covers on the farm.
Again, similar to slats, over time, manhole covers can get beat up and damaged and if that becomes the case, they should be replaced.
