New entrant looking for advice on slatted sheds for sheep and cattle

[Emilym]

We are looking at buying a farm steading and part of our business plan includes constructing a new shed and converting an existing shed looking for advice on things to consider and a sounding board on whether our plans sound reasonable.

Converting existing earth floor shed to slatted sheep shed

I have watched a lot of videos on shed design and pointers and they are mostly saying aim for groups of no more than 60 ewes per pen with 6 inch feed space per ewe. We will be feeding TMR.
Thinking of using plastic slats.
Looking for advice on whether to concrete the slurry pit or leave it earth bottom and some guidance on size seeing people mention 1m to 1.5m but some people saying deeper pits are draughty.

Would plan on tupping outside in November then bringing in for three months then back out for lambing. Does anyone tup in shed - would this mean a tighter lambing?

Would most likely be using shed before ewes come in to finish off any final lambs.

Do you shear again when bringing ewes into shed?

Any more issues with disease in shed?

Shed would be close to existing handling system and all under cover.

Building new slatted shed for raising calves to circa 350kg to sell as stores

Looking to build a slatted shed to raise store cattle that we plan on buying in milk. Shed has to be under 1000 Sq m for permitted development rights in our county. So was thinking of 27m by 37m. Was thinking of having the width of the slatted pens as 15ft with a feed passage of 12ft. The length of the pens would be 90ft (27m) split into either 3 pens or 6 pens (either 15ft by 15ft or 30ft by 15ft) was hoping to keep either 7 or 14 per pen - does this sound reasonable?

The pens would run up the shed with feed passage in between and pens back to back with a total of four rows and two feed passages. Drive through feed passages.

Saw some people say just cover the gable ends and leave sides open? Position of shed is very sheltered and side that is open would be about 30ft from forestry. Other open side would face on to yard and not likely to get wind.

Read a lot of people say that rubber covered slats are most comfortable and to rubber the back of the pen a couple of foot to prevent lying against the feed barrier.

Trying to come up with a design to incorporate a handling system and loading pen.

Anything we haven't thought about? Thanks in advance for any advice or comments

 

[Rich_ard]

Sounds expensive!

 

[Emilym]

Sounds expensive!

Yes don't think it's going to be cheap but we are able to submit a proposal for borrowing so will only be able to do something like this once so want to make sure we get it right!

The aim is to be able to sell circa 150 store cattle every six months so we can afford to pay back the borrowing

 

[David1968]

Building new slatted shed for raising calves to circa 350kg to sell as stores

Looking to build a slatted shed to raise store cattle that we plan on buying in milk. Shed has to be under 1000 Sq m for permitted development rights in our county. So was thinking of 27m by 37m. Was thinking of having the width of the slatted pens as 15ft with a feed passage of 12ft. The length of the pens would be 90ft (27m) split into either 3 pens or 6 pens (either 15ft by 15ft or 30ft by 15ft) was hoping to keep either 7 or 14 per pen - does this sound reasonable?

Stocking rate on the slats seems a bit low. You'd get away with a smaller shed, or budget for rearing more cattle.

Maybe someone will have the recommended space requirements to hand.

 

[unlacedgecko]

We are looking at buying a farm steading and part of our business plan includes constructing a new shed and converting an existing shed looking for advice on things to consider and a sounding board on whether our plans sound reasonable.

Converting existing earth floor shed to slatted sheep shed

I have watched a lot of videos on shed design and pointers and they are mostly saying aim for groups of no more than 60 ewes per pen with 6 inch feed space per ewe. We will be feeding TMR.
Thinking of using plastic slats.
Looking for advice on whether to concrete the slurry pit or leave it earth bottom and some guidance on size seeing people mention 1m to 1.5m but some people saying deeper pits are draughty.

Would plan on tupping outside in November then bringing in for three months then back out for lambing. Does anyone tup in shed - would this mean a tighter lambing?

Would most likely be using shed before ewes come in to finish off any final lambs.

Do you shear again when bringing ewes into shed?

Any more issues with disease in shed?

Shed would be close to existing handling system and all under cover.

Building new slatted shed for raising calves to circa 350kg to sell as stores

Looking to build a slatted shed to raise store cattle that we plan on buying in milk. Shed has to be under 1000 Sq m for permitted development rights in our county. So was thinking of 27m by 37m. Was thinking of having the width of the slatted pens as 15ft with a feed passage of 12ft. The length of the pens would be 90ft (27m) split into either 3 pens or 6 pens (either 15ft by 15ft or 30ft by 15ft) was hoping to keep either 7 or 14 per pen - does this sound reasonable?

The pens would run up the shed with feed passage in between and pens back to back with a total of four rows and two feed passages. Drive through feed passages.

Saw some people say just cover the gable ends and leave sides open? Position of shed is very sheltered and side that is open would be about 30ft from forestry. Other open side would face on to yard and not likely to get wind.

Read a lot of people say that rubber covered slats are most comfortable and to rubber the back of the pen a couple of foot to prevent lying against the feed barrier.

Trying to come up with a design to incorporate a handling system and loading pen.

Anything we haven't thought about? Thanks in advance for any advice or comments

Tupping in the shed won't give a tighter lambing. It's management of nutrition, teasers and length of tupping that gives a tighter lambing.

If housing for 6 weeks or longer than definitely shear into the shed. You can up your stocking rate this way.

 

[Agrivator]

How much experience in animal husbandry do you have?

How much land goes with the steading?

If you struggle financially, what residual value would these expenses slatted sheds have?

 

[Emilym]

Can't

How much experience in animal husbandry do you have?

How much land goes with the steading?

If you struggle financially, what residual value would these expenses slatted sheds have?

Hi good questions we have two years experience as business owners which is why we may qualify for the type of finance we are applying for. Both have previous experience before this including my partner coming from a small farm and having worked on dairys that being said still wouldn't say we are super experienced and imagine lots still to learn.

There will be approximately 150 acres of land with the steading which we plan to mainly cut. There will be another 700 acres rough hill ground rented which we would run the sheep on in summer.

One of us has full time employment off the farm on a £70k salary and as such we would just need the farm to pay for itself and it's debt and not need it to provide costs of living on top of this.

I note your point that it's unlikely the value of steading purchase plus cost to erect sheds would be what you could achieve on the market for it if you sold it the next day. This would be a huge gamble and we would be at the mercy of being able to cover our costs.

We have two kids and are 30 and the hope would be that we could pay it off by our early 50s and leave something for our kids.

We don't want to go down the route of a tenancy as they are impossible to come by and now contain so many break clauses there is hardly any security. We also don't want to borrow over a million pounds so this is the only way we could come up with to try and achieve in excess of 200k turnover (although probably minimal profit after finance costs etc) on a small piece of ground - other suggestions welcome.

 

[Emilym]

How much experience in animal husbandry do you have?

How much land goes with the steading?

If you struggle financially, what residual value would these expenses slatted sheds have?

Hi good questions we have two years experience as business owners which is why we may qualify for the type of finance we are applying for. Both have previous experience before this including my partner coming from a small farm and having worked on dairys that being said still wouldn't say we are super experienced and imagine lots still to learn.

There will be approximately 150 acres of land with the steading which we plan to mainly cut. There will be another 700 acres rough hill ground rented which we would run the sheep on in summer.

One of us has full time employment off the farm on a £70k salary and as such we would just need the farm to pay for itself and it's debt and not need it to provide costs of living on top of this.

I note your point that it's unlikely the value of steading purchase plus cost to erect sheds would be what you could achieve on the market for it if you sold it the next day. This would be a huge gamble and we would be at the mercy of being able to cover our costs.

We have two kids and are 30 and the hope would be that we could pay it off by our early 50s and leave something for our kids.

We don't want to go down the route of a tenancy as they are impossible to come by and now contain so many break clauses there is hardly any security. We also don't want to borrow over a million pounds so this is the only way we could come up with to try and achieve in excess of 200k turnover (although probably minimal profit after finance costs etc) on a small piece of ground - other suggestions welcome.

 

[Rich_ard]

Use the £70k salary to buy it and forget the stress of store cattle! Are you planning buying the land and buildings for less than £1 m?

 

[Emilym]

Hoping to buy the land and steading for around 500k - steading not currently liveable and buildings not great and aged but decent enough sheep handling pens, one shed with concrete floor would be fine for calves and byres for storage. Wouldn't get mortgage finance to buy that plus the (just under) 150 acres.

Planning about 250k working capital to build shed and stock it with calves - have sufficient stock of sheep already and most equipment.

Could go and buy a nice house and a little land with the salary but we have wanted to farm our whole lives although maybe that makes us mad

Use the £70k salary to buy it and forget the stress of store cattle! Are you planning buying the land and buildings for less than £1 m

 

[Old Tip]

Why Sadlery yourself with all that expense, livestock is designed to live outside they have been doing it for thousands of years. If you add up the cost of the buildings and infrastructure, plus the machinery and equipment to feed, cart grass in and sh!t out.
You will make more money with a third of the stock and rotational graze outside. Sell surplus in the autumn and have an easy stress free life

 

[Rich_ard]

No one can say what will work but if you see a route and have the determination to not give up once your neck deap in skitter and debt. All the best.
Getting 150 fat cattle will cost you as well. They don't do on fresh air

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Why Sadlery yourself with all that expense, livestock is designed to live outside they have been doing it for thousands of years. If you add up the cost of the buildings and infrastructure, plus the machinery and equipment to feed, cart grass in and sh!t out.
You will make more money with a third of the stock and rotational graze outside. Sell surplus in the autumn and have an easy stress free life

Not possible on a lot of land types

 

[neilo]

Not possible on a lot of land types

Did you miss the bit about having a third of the stock and selling surplus in the Autumn? Running much lower numbers makes it possible on a whole lot more farms. Obviously it slashes output too but, when costs have escalated so far, maybe it can leave more profit at the end of the day?

 

[Emilym]

Not possible on a lot of land types

Yeah I think best case we could have cattle out 9/10 months with good management but would still need a shed to bring them in to when it's just too wet and something to feed them so would still have that expense on a smaller scale.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Yeah I think best case we could have cattle out 9/10 months with good management but would still need a shed to bring them in to when it's just too wet and something to feed them so would still have that expense on a smaller scale.

Only keep cattle for the 9/10 months you can graze them.

 

[neilo]

Yeah I think best case we could have cattle out 9/10 months with good management but would still need a shed to bring them in to when it's just too wet and something to feed them so would still have that expense on a smaller scale.

Even if you ran a third of the numbers?

But yes, in my 30's, I would definitely choose the route you're planning on. We're in our mid-50's, and I'm still torn on whether to go with a slatted sheep shed. Just need to committed to the job for long enough and the capital cost would be a no brainer on an owned farm IMO, especially if in an area where straw is dear.

 

[Rich_ard]

Even if you ran a third of the numbers?

But yes, in my 30's, I would definitely choose the route your planning on. We're in our mid-50's, and I'm stilling torn on whether to go with a slatted sheep shed. Just need to committed to the job for long enough and the capital cost would be a no brainer on an owned farm IMO, especially if in an area where straw is dear.

I sometimes think iv spent too much on sheds and infrastructure. They cost a fair bit more than you think to fully finish. I don't have slats either.
Handy though if we do get bad weather. I like lambing outside too though. No mouth and that. Cattle are in all winter. I need a straw shed up now, more expense!

 

[Emilym]

I sometimes think iv spent too much on sheds and infrastructure. They cost a fair bit more than you think to fully finish. I don't have slats either.
Handy though if we do get bad weather. I like lambing outside too though. No mouth and that. Cattle are in all winter. I need a straw shed up now, more expense!

Yes definitely would be huge investment probably wouldn't be able to afford to do anything significant in future with additional shed or changing set up so trying to make sure we get the design right at the outset.

We are in Scotland winter weather very wet and straw expensive as needs to be hauled further.

We also lamb outside the plan would be to bring them in maybe December to mid March rest the fields then put them out to lamb in April.

 

[Rich_ard]

Yes definitely would be huge investment probably wouldn't be able to afford to do anything significant in future with additional shed or changing set up so trying to make sure we get the design right at the outset.

We are in Scotland winter weather very wet and straw expensive as needs to be hauled further.

We also lamb outside the plan would be to bring them in maybe December to mid March rest the fields then put them out to lamb in April.

I think money will be your problem, even if you are loaded! It's a constant spend until you sell those cattle. Be it 6 a week or 150 in 6 months or how you chose. If you build good sheds you might buy cheaper stock than you'd like or dearer stock that you can't house.
You need to buy it and see what happens. All the plans in farming change quickly. Prices change opportunities arise out the blue or disappear. Get it bought and see where you end up.