Livestock building

[Sam myers]

Currently have a Building used as a straw shed But looking to convert it into a livestock building! currently has tin sides and stone floor so looking at concrete panels and concreting the floor. what depth would you recommend is ideal for the floor of a livestock building? ive been told 6 inch is enough but would rather put down too much than too little. and would anybody be able to give me a price on ready mixed concrete per cube please? i can work out how many cube i need but just not sure what price concrete is! thank you very much in advance

 

[Suffolksucklers]

All ours is six inch, I was always told the base is more important than the thickness of the concrete, within reason of course. Concrete price will vary widely depending on location and distance to a quarry etc

 

[Sam myers]

All ours is six inch, I was always told the base is more important than the thickness of the concrete, within reason of course. Concrete price will vary widely depending on location and distance to a quarry etc

i live within 5 minutes of a cemex quarry! i assume the cement will get mixed there as they are the local cement firm everybody uses

 

[HarryB97]

6 inches minimum with fibres and a smooth tamp finish then get the scrape passage grooved. As said above the hardcore base is the most part important, you want a minimum of a foot of hardcore in a livestock shed, more if you may convert it into something else one day. Around here concrete is just under 100 per cube, when working out how many metres add on 20% as it never goes as far as it should...

 

[Highland Mule]

What livestock? For sheep, I wouldn’t bother with concrete floor, and not even sure I would for cattle if the ground conditions were right - straw goes much further if the liquid can drain away. Six inch of type 1 over free draining ground and take care when mucking out.

 

[cattleman123]

Make sure your shed is high enough...height costs little and makes it versatile

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Just an aside, if the building was constructed under Permitted Development and is within 400m of a protected building you'll need to apply for planning permission to house the livestock.

 

[TheRanger]

A good stone floor is better than concrete when bedding on straw.

 

[digger64]

Currently have a Building used as a straw shed But looking to convert it into a livestock building! currently has tin sides and stone floor so looking at concrete panels and concreting the floor. what depth would you recommend is ideal for the floor of a livestock building? ive been told 6 inch is enough but would rather put down too much than too little. and would anybody be able to give me a price on ready mixed concrete per cube please? i can work out how many cube i need but just not sure what price concrete is! thank you very much in advance

we used chalk in one shed it works well for the bedded area , it needs to be free draining underneath though .

 

[Sam myers]

6 inches minimum with fibres and a smooth tamp finish then get the scrape passage grooved. As said above the hardcore base is the most part important, you want a minimum of a foot of hardcore in a livestock shed, more if you may convert it into something else one day. Around here concrete is just under 100 per cube, when working out how many metres add on 20% as it never goes as far as it should...

What is the purpose of fibre? ive heard about it but unsure of the benefits

 

[HarryB97]

What is the purpose of fibre? ive heard about it but unsure of the benefits

They say it's to help reinforce it without the cost of mesh. We use fibres in all our sheds then mesh and fibres in all our yards and increase the thickness to a minimum of 8 inches.

 

[Skintagain]

They say it's to help reinforce it without the cost of mesh. We use fibres in all our sheds then mesh and fibres in all our yards and increase the thickness to a minimum of 8 inches.

How much for the fibres you are having put in?

 

[Skintagain]

A good base and a livestock shed is plenty at 4 inch plenty floors have stood a lot of stick with this

shite base and 1000mm might not be enough

personally 6 inch with mesh to future Proof though.
Pav 2 with air outside

 

[Crex]

I'd also say concrete is unnecessary for livestock.

 

[Suffolksucklers]

We have concrete where they stand and feed so we clean this regularly, remainder is just earth floor will top up with chalk as necessary and the. Vibrate roll down

 

[It was already broken.]

I'd also say concrete is unnecessary for livestock.

I'm with this unless you need to use the shed to house corn in the summer.

 

[Hilly]

I have concrete floors and non concrete , concrete is the best by a country mile take it from me , plenty concrete floors never heard of anyone digging them up as dirt is better .

 

[Sam myers]

I have concrete floors and non concrete , concrete is the best by a country mile take it from me , plenty concrete floors never heard of anyone digging them up as dirt is better .

i agree. if done right the first time ill never have to touch it again fingers crossed

 

[Old Spot]

I am thinking about the same, but I am considering 1m panels around the sides and then a raised sloping lying area with scrape passage (take on Orkney sloping floor). Bedding is a lost expense.

 

[aled1590]

I am thinking about the same, but I am considering 1m panels around the sides and then a raised sloping lying area with scrape passage (take on Orkney sloping floor). Bedding is a lost expense.

Bedding is expensive I agree but what it brings back to soil health and organic matter is priceless.