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Western Ohio | KDD,
We pour all our cow lots with a 2x6 form. 4000 psi with fiber. You will get a pile of different opinions but has worked well for us in the exact application you are talking about. We use no rebar with pouring on a 2x6 form.
Not positive how often you plan to scrap and clean your lots but my opinion is you are going to be way to crowded with what you have planned. I am thinking you will want a minimum of 16' all the way around your feeders yes that means 32' between the 2 feed rows you are planning. 7-8 feet for the cow and a minimum of another 8' for cows to walk and poop to build up. On the end of your hay runs I would want at least 20'. So in my mind it would be starting on the end 16'-8'alley-32'-8'alley-16' to get your width. Then if you want to be 30' deep of feed alley for setting bales then another 20' on the end of the feed alley as well. So maybe 80'x50' would be a good idea for me. My guess is you will need 2' of space for each cow to stand and eat so maybe in 30' you can expect to feed 15 cows tops if they have much size at all.
Something to think about is if there are going to be young calves in this system where are they going to hide at? If you have 300# calves in this system be prepared they will be in the feed alley all the time and will be dragging mud and debris into your nice hay. If you have really little calves in this system I would be nervous about getting someone stepped on. Consider building a fence even if it is just 2 strands of hot around this 80x50 pad. Then only let the cows on to eat maybe 2-3 hours a day then chase them back off it will save you a pile of hay as they will not stand there and keep pulling mouth full of hay out and dropping it on the ground cause they are bored.
Concrete is nice wish my Dad had poured more when I was younger.... Heck wish I had poured more when I was younger now as well. It makes taking care of cattle in Ohio much much easier for sure.
Phil A.
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Garvo or others: concrete thickness/feeding pad dedsign
