About mud - We usually get a deep enough freeze/thaw zone so I am hoping most of the hoof compaction will be broken up. The strip till unit also works to 5-6" deep. I don't think hoof compaction will go deeper than that.

The key is to get them off of the stalks before the spring thaw. Compaction was not problem last year. If it gets soupy wet before freeze up I'll just put up a "slinky gate" (marvelous invention!) and keep them off of the stalk ground.

Let's see: If we say that each hoof is about 4 x 4 inches or 16 sq inches of area x 4 hooves = 64 sq inches of contact area if equally divided among all 4 hooves. (let's not get into standing on one hoof etc!) I am trying to keep cow weights to 1200 lb max.

1200lb/64 sq in = about 19 psi Ok now if a cow is on two hooves only (dancing maybe??) maybe 38 psi? Not too bad. Calves will be somewhat less. And this is on continuous strip tilled corn on corn so there are a lot of roots and soil structure there. I think the WI freeze/thaw plus 5-6" Strip till should be ok as it was last year. Thanks for your comments.

Jim at Dawn