Polytunnel for Cattle

[Johnny Whiteheads]

Hi All,
Did your polytunnels survive last weeks storms? especially in Ireland. I have just bought an ex mushroom Tunnel for weanigs. (Just Hoops) My plan is 4ft wall, 2 ft wind break & then plastic roof.
Site does not have much cover & is @1000ft. My question is - do I completly cover the ends & hope the 2ft of wind break on sides is enough ventilation? Thanks in advance, j

 

[JohnGalway]

Mine has been up since November 2013 or 14 can't recall which at the moment. It's had several storms with 130kmph gusts through it now and honestly I don't worry any longer. We're right on the West coast. This year I had trouble with greycrows pecking holes in the roof, which I've taped up very well, Neither Ophelia nor Brian took it, but they weren't bad where I was.

My advice is to have the roof plenty high enough for what you use it for. Brace it VERY well. Did I mention to brace it VERY well? Ok. Also, during construction I made two concrete walls, into which I put the ground pegs upside down. These were unpside down "t"'s. I put rod iron through them and another alongside and tied them together then poured the concrete. This worked very well as the hoops really can't go anywhere, they're like one unit.

Mine has a three foot windbreak on it. If you're covering the ends I don't think 2 foot will be enough. Even in an opaque tunnel it can get quite warm, particularly when it's filled with animals. The secret with the wind is giving it as equal an opportunity to escape as it had to enter. If your plastic sheet is on tight enough, then you shouldn't have any trouble. Rain blowing in through mesh could be another issue, it was for me. I used clear plastic to make "curtains", they could rest between the windbreak mesh and an internal sheep fence. I could bunch them up out of the way on dry days. I also put a gutter above the wind break which allows me the space above the curtains to leave open for ventilation, and also stops water from the roof being blown inside.

I put up pics of all that on here somewhere.

 

[Johnny Whiteheads]

Thanks John, ideal comparison and advice for my situation. Yours has stone wall at one end? I may opt for some mesh at both ends too for ventilation so, and maybe a line of bales. Tunnel will be at right angle to prevailing wind and i had hoped to leave 45ft opening 6ft high on side facing hill which will be 8ft from 6ft high bank facing hill. Too much? My idea is to use tunnel for cattle to come in and out as they choose. Total size of tunnel is 100ft x 30 ft.

 

[rancher]

I used green polythene, it's unlikely to get as hot, and blends in well in the environment.
Here's an ad for the polythene, it's green on the outside and white inside and very strong
The tunnel in the pics is mine.
https://www.thepolytunnelcompany.ie/p/800g_greenwhite_polythene

It's also at right angles to prevailing winds

 

[Kiwi Pete]

We have huge winds coming in from the southeast corner, and occasionally a 3 day rain from the east.
Our tunnels run east-west, curtains on the east end to help keep it dry, and attached with a "lean-to" in the broadest possible sense to the little shearing shed at the west end.
It is still ventilated through gratings and gaps etc but it largely stops the roof acting like a big wing - it has stood up to 180kmh gusts in its 10+ years - we can enjoy weeks of 100kmh+ down here in the south.
(Don't tell Bossfarmer, he thinks it's like Italy)
I can get pictures if you like, but that probably explains it. Rear wall it 4ft plywood and then some type of plastic cloth, like cheap sacks are made from.
Front has white 'shadecloth' above the feed trough.

 

[Johnny Whiteheads]

We have huge winds coming in from the southeast corner, and occasionally a 3 day rain from the east.
Our tunnels run east-west, curtains on the east end to help keep it dry, and attached with a "lean-to" in the broadest possible sense to the little shearing shed at the west end.
It is still ventilated through gratings and gaps etc but it largely stops the roof acting like a big wing - it has stood up to 180kmh gusts in its 10+ years - we can enjoy weeks of 100kmh+ down here in the south.
(Don't tell Bossfarmer, he thinks it's like Italy)
I can get pictures if you like, but that probably explains it. Rear wall it 4ft plywood and then some type of plastic cloth, like cheap sacks are made from.
Front has white 'shadecloth' above the feed trough.

Thanks a mill Pete, a pic would be brilliant, if it works on your site it should work anywhere. I think a lean-to diverting prevailing wind is a great idea. I am thinking that ventilation on gables would be great for cattle but not sure how to design just yet.

 

[GTB]

Some pics of polytunnels I've seen seem quite robust and expensive. Are they much cheaper than a cheap steel frame lean to type building by the time you take everything into account?

 

[Johnny Whiteheads]

Some pics of polytunnels I've seen seem quite robust and expensive. Are they much cheaper than a cheap steel frame lean to type building by the time you take everything into account?

I take your point GTB.
My costings so far for a 100ft x 30 ft tunnel;
Hoops; €1000
Concrete walls x 4ft on both sides €2600
Windbreaker both sides x3ft = €260
Plastic : €800
Site Prep; €1000
Total so far approx ; €5660
I admit I did not price "normal" shed but presume it would be more?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Thanks a mill Pete, a pic would be brilliant, if it works on your site it should work anywhere. I think a lean-to diverting prevailing wind is a great idea. I am thinking that ventilation on gables would be great for cattle but not sure how to design just yet.

Back wall- main weather side:

Inside (durr) looking towards the lean-to, which joins it to the shearing-shed, the pipes lead to rainwater tanks which then feed the troughs, with a dosatron

mesh gables and curtains for airflow + shelter.
Notice the small piece of concrete to scrape.
It is 18m deep x 30 long, 5, 6 metre pens.
Holds about 125 calves easily, can get about 14 or 15 240kg animals eating at once, shoulder to shoulder, but little calves would be better suited to the chip floors.
Will hopefully have a bunch of smaller ones in this winter.
(bigger cattle too much) but, the UV light really is good for them, and their environment over winter.
Better than in the half dark.

 

[Johnny Whiteheads]

Back wall- main weather side:

Inside (durr) looking towards the lean-to, which joins it to the shearing-shed, the pipes lead to rainwater tanks which then feed the troughs, with a dosatron

mesh gables and curtains for airflow + shelter.
Notice the small piece of concrete to scrape.
It is 18m deep x 30 long, 5, 6 metre pens.
Holds about 125 calves easily, can get about 14 or 15 240kg animals eating at once, shoulder to shoulder, but little calves would be better suited to the chip floors.
Will hopefully have a bunch of smaller ones in this winter.
(bigger cattle too much) but, the UV light really is good for them, and their environment over winter.
Better than in the half dark.

That is some set up- Let there be light! The way I look at it these are the future.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

That is some set up- Let there be light! The way I look at it these are the future.

Very nice environment in there, even when it gets a little mucky towards the end, most visitors are impressed by the warmth and happiness of the animals inside.
There are doors over in the far corner that I can open up to get extra ventilation (also where the animals come in and out) which link onto the little laneway in the top pic.
Makes getting sheep and cattle in and about a breeze, my cattleyards are on the far side of the wool-shed so it's all right there if I need to draft or weigh etc
Can clean it all out with a tractor too,and the pens are good as I can shut them in the back and get a tractor inside for scraping.