Economics of different shed spans

glasshouse · Jan 7, 2018

dannewhouse said:
52 ft here and just feed on front, could go upto 60ft feeding on front as long as adlib

is a feed passage a waste? if you were going to put a cantilever on both sides of say an 80ft span it would cost the same as say a 90ft without cantilevers (if you see what I mean but could be totally enclosed to stop birds getting the TMR?) I suppose 2 5ft cantilevers is ok but a 10ft passage too tight so need 15ft?

If you are tied to ad lib feeding you limit your options

Pan mixer · Jan 7, 2018

40 foot is about the right depth to house the number of cattle that can feed in a 20 foot bay, spreading straw right to the back mechanically is then quite easy.

16 foot to the eaves about right for the cattle, taller than that and you can get problems with the 'stack ventilation' not working properly.

KennyO · Jan 7, 2018

Pan mixer said:
40 foot is about the right depth to house the number of cattle that can feed in a 20 foot bay, spreading straw right to the back mechanically is then quite easy.

16 foot to the eaves about right for the cattle, taller than that and you can get problems with the 'stack ventilation' not working properly.

We don't need as much as 40 foot deep for finishers but would be nice. Current sheds are 27' and 30' deep. Fill the feeding space full.

Happy · Jan 7, 2018

KennyO said:
Well that was another another option I had considered which could work well with existing yard however seems wasteful of height having cattle in a big high straw shed.

Will need to look at different options. May be better building a cattle shed separately (at other end of farmyard) and only having it 14' to eaves and then building a 60x60x25' (with option to extend) high straw shed on current stackyard.

Straw shed will need concrete floor and some panels as it will also be a wet tip for grain.

There was some photos of a shed setup like you are thinking of either on here or BFF a few years back. Think it might have been someone up Aberdeenshire way.

Centre 50/60ft part was grain store and straw shed with 30/40ft open sided lean to for cattle off one side with another off the other for machine storage.

As other have said have plenty height in whatever you go for. Minimum 25ft for grain store and wouldn't go for just 14ft on cattle shed. You'll curse it everytime you need to tip some wet grain in it.

KennyO · Jan 7, 2018

Happy said:
There was some photos of a shed setup like you are thinking of either on here or BFF a few years back. Think it might have been someone up

Centre 50/60ft part was grain store and straw shed with 30/40ft open sided lean to for cattle off one side with another off the other for machine storage.

As other have said have plenty height in whatever you go for. Minimum 25ft for grain store and wouldn't go for just 14ft on cattle shed. You'll curse it everytime you need to tip some wet grain in it.

My mate has just built a 60x120 straw shed with a 30' lean to for cattle- got shed envy so thinking about trying to build myself.

glasshouse · Jan 7, 2018

I hate lean to s
So many compromises just to save a few rsj s
I hate valley gutters too
A grain store with cattle next door can get serious leakage into thegrain
Straw should never be next to cattle
Different in old days when it was a hand ball into the court, not an issue now
Straw should 500 yds away

glasshouse · Jan 7, 2018

With many farms now without a resident farmer, fire safety is far more important.
Unless you like roast beef

Happy · Jan 7, 2018

glasshouse said:
I hate lean to s
So many compromises just to save a few rsj s
I hate valley gutters too
A grain store with cattle next door can get serious leakage into thegrain
Straw should never be next to cattle
Different in old days when it was a hand ball into the court, not an issue now
Straw should 500 yds away

Surely one of the benefits of a cattle shed lean to off the grain store/straw shed like @KennyO's mate has is that there is no gutter on the join of the grain/cattle bit at all? Rain runs all the way down to gutter on eaves beam of cattle bit. Agree twin span and valley gutters are big no, no and like you say fire risk in this type of arrangement would worry me.

glasshouse · Jan 7, 2018

I w

Happy said:
Surely one of the benefits of a cattle shed lean to off the grain store/straw shed like @KennyO's mate has is that there is no gutter on the join of the grain/cattle bit at all? Rain runs all the way down to gutter on eaves beam of cattle bit. Agree twin span and valley gutters are big no, no and like you say fire risk in this type of arrangement would worry me.

i wasnt thinking about rainwater

rusty · Jan 12, 2018

Did a cubicle shed for 250 cows 12 years ago. Shed is 180' by 120' wide.
Ended up with center span 66' wide with lean too each side. This worked out over 10k cheaper than having clear span. However you do need more concrete post bases. Not to bad for us as on limestone bedrock do didn't have to be to big. Also used the middle shed posts to hang the cubicles off.

multi power · Jan 12, 2018

Cattle in a lean to is a stupid idea, no ventilation
Cattle in the middle and straw in the lean to would be better

glasshouse · Jan 13, 2018

multi power said:
Cattle in a lean to is a stupid idea, no ventilation
Cattle in the middle and straw in the lean to would be better

Too risky for fire

multi power · Jan 13, 2018

glasshouse said:
Too risky for fire

Yes I agree on the fire risk, but my point is a lean to isn't really good enough ventilation for cattle

dannewhouse · Jan 13, 2018

straw on the outside would reduce ventilation also

Forever Fendt · Jan 13, 2018

dannewhouse said:
straw on the outside would reduce ventilation also

Cattle shed and a separate straw shed , if i run a farm assurance scheme i would not allow the same building for both

dannewhouse · Jan 13, 2018

Forever Fendt said:
Cattle shed and a separate straw shed , if i run a farm assurance scheme i would not allow the same building for both

I stack straw in 1 bay of a cattle shed until I use it up and then when they calve its extra room for cows and calves works ok.

mo! · Jan 13, 2018

Pan mixer said:
40 foot is about the right depth to house the number of cattle that can feed in a 20 foot bay, spreading straw right to the back mechanically is then quite easy.

16 foot to the eaves about right for the cattle, taller than that and you can get problems with the 'stack ventilation' not working properly.

We have a 60ft deep shed and don't use the full width for finishers on TMR, and that's full, not like some half empty sheds posted recently. For blowing straw in 45 to 50 is ideal.

Forever Fendt · Jan 13, 2018

dannewhouse said:
I stack straw in 1 bay of a cattle shed until I use it up and then when they calve its extra room for cows and calves works ok.

Its just the fire issue that concerns me with straw in sheds with stock in them,I have seen a lot of buildings that have been burnt out but thankfully none with stock in them,its always a bit of planning leverage as well building another building to store straw in away from livestock housing

Economics of different shed spans

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0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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