Speaking to dairy farmers over the last week or two, many have gotten the power washer out, given the cubicle shed a good cleaning and have it all ready for cows to settle into again for another winter.

Many – weather permitting – are hoping to keep cows out for another fortnight at least, but as we all know that could change in an instant, especially on heavier-ground farms.

For those who haven’t tackled the cubicle shed, time is running out to get it in order and see if any repairs are needed.

The basics – i.e. power washing the shed, particularly the cubicles – are important.

Ensuring all feed barriers and cubicles are hanging properly and are secure, as well as ensuring all mats are fit for purpose, are all things that need to be checked.

Furthermore, making sure automatic scrapers are functioning properly is a must and that all water troughs are cleaned out, so as to ensure that the cows have instant access to fresh water when they are moved back into the shed full time.

Many of the cubicle sheds I visit on my travels have either ‘fast empty’ or tip-over troughs installed – which just makes life easier for the farmer in terms of getting rid of stale/dirty water and being able to clean the trough quicker.

As the days get shorter, it’s important that all lights in the shed are working properly, as many will be feeding early in the morning and late in the evening when it’s dark; a well lit yard is a safer yard to be working in.