Calving Pen Size

[mar]

I have a shed that is three bays/48 ft long by 13 ft wide, I want to make better use of the area and was thinking of putting temporary calving pens in it for suckler cows. I was thinking of 3 pens, 16ft long x 9ft wide. This would allow for a 4ft wide passage to get in with a wheel barrow to feed silage.
Would 9ft be to narrow.

 

[bean]

My pens are 8 foot by 10 foot just ok. Cows wound be 600kg ish

 

[z.man]

9ft would be fine it’s the wheel barrow bit that’s worrying me

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Mine are 10 x 10 and are fine

 

[Cornish bob]

10x10 1st calvers, cows 10x14 just wide enough for 2 passes with the skidsteer to clean out reverse In with the bedder job done. Got to make it easy to make sure the job is done right

 

[Dog Bowl]

9ft wide wouldn't be wide enough if your trying to calve a wild heifer with a calving jack cocked onto the back of her swinging around all over the shop

However if your planning on calving gates and setting it up properly then 9ft would be fine in my opinion.

 

[Karliboy]

9ft wide wouldn't be wide enough if your trying to calve a wild heifer with a calving jack cocked onto the back of her swinging around all over the shop

However if your planning on calving gates and setting it up properly then 9ft would be fine in my opinion.

I was going to say every pen needs a yoke if there that size for using a jack.

 

[mar]

9ft would be fine it’s the wheel barrow bit that’s worrying me

I was thinking the wheel barrow would cause a bit of hassle It's only for ten cows, two pens at the most would do and it would be an improvement on the existing set up. At the minute I use the creep pens behind the slatted pen.

 

[mar]

9ft wide wouldn't be wide enough if your trying to calve a wild heifer with a calving jack cocked onto the back of her swinging around all over the shop

However if your planning on calving gates and setting it up properly then 9ft would be fine in my opinion.

I don't plan on calving them in the pen, it's more someplace to put them for a few days after they calf to keep them away from the rest of the cows. When I would be doing it, I probably would put in a calving gate anyway.