dealing with mud: Stabiligrid

   The last 2 winters have been very wet and muddy due to less freezing weather and softer ground. The mud surrounding the feeders and in the barn was often up to a foot deep. I lost 3 calves 2 winters ago due to the mud. I was tired of walking through foot deep mud, so I decided to install a system called Stabiligrid. Stabiligrid is made of recycled plastic and offers a great solution for preventing deep mud. I installed the Stabiligrid around the feeders, around the outside of the barn and in the barn. I started by putting in a French drain system running in the lowest areas in a ditch 2 feet deep around the barn. The French drain pipe was placed in the ditch and covered with gravel.  Next a 3 inch layer of gravel was placed over all the ground that was to have Stabiligrid. The Stabiligrid was placed on the 3 inches of gravel. The pieces connect together like legos. Finally, on top of the stable grid, another 2 inches of crushed gravel is placed.  This top layer of gravel fills the holes in the Stabiligrid and covers it.

   The Stabiligrid works great and provides a lasting solution to deep mud by its fantastic drainage capabilities. Stabiligrid is strong enough for a truck or heavy machinery to drive over it. 

Stabiligrid can be purchased from many different vendors including:
​thestablegrid.com/
​www.stabiligrid.com/
​​stable-grid.com/

   Stabiligrid has proved to be a great success over the past 12 months. Not only do I not have to walk through foot deep mud anymore, but also I did not loose a single calf this past winter.