New suck calf shed

lakill Farm

Hi all, i bought a kit shed 47 x 20 and going to build it for the purpose of rearing calves on straw. I say maybe 20/24 calves a year so not a high turnover. I am going to build a small utility off this for mixing milk, and crunch etc.

If i am putting up 5 ft sheets all around and the shed it 10ft at back and 12ft at front, and i build 5ft walls all around excluding draft proof doors, will the 2 foot gap on the front between wall and sheeting be enough for ventilation.

what space would 8 suck calves need?

How much liquid run off should i be prepared to handle out of the shed?

i am putting the shed up wind of the slatted shed and 20 foot between them to facilatiate a cattle handling run a shute. Is this enough space.

Any other points i need to consider apart from fresh water and hay and meal feeders, low down drafts, and ease of cleaning out?

PatQfarmer

Lakill
Best of luck with the build:)

Our shed is 47x36, with a 12 ft centre passage. We have one vented sheet per bay and a ridge, with doors at either end. I would be slow to leave anything open on calves, but you could have the green mesh to drop down on a windy night. Would also be slow to build walls all round, as on a warm day, it may be too stuffy! Ventilation is darn hard to work out, but keep it high over them. Wondering if 10' at back is high enough...for ventilation and tractor?
I have a small single Lean-to 22'X12' in which 6 live comfortably, 8 would be a squash. My normal pens are 12'X12' and that fine for 3, or maybe 4 up to 3 weeks.

With straw, not too much runoff. small tank should do.

Interested to see what hay and meal feeders you use.
Good luck!

lakill Farm

Cheers Pat,

Im going to use a hay feeder designed and posted by bbam here a few months ago made with rebar. I dont want access for the tractor, ill clean it either with the mini digger or grape.

I wount be putting in a centre passage i was thinking of putting a 3/4ft walk way on the high side for feeding out of and that would leave 6 to 8 calves with an area of 16/17ft long x 15.9 ft wide. Each pen will be divided with removable steel pens made of 1/2 inch box and ill timber sides of them to reduce draft and cross infection. (I was thinking rubber strip the bottom 6 inchs and timber next 3.5ft or so).

Rubber strips around the main door and door into the utility also.

your 12 x 12ft pen for 4 calves is 36ft square per calf

my 17 x 15.9ft pen per 8 calves is 34ft square so not far off

PatQfarmer wrote: »

Lakill
Best of luck with the build:)

Our shed is 47x36, with a 12 ft centre passage. We have one vented sheet per bay and a ridge, with doors at either end. I would be slow to leave anything open on calves, but you could have the green mesh to drop down on a windy night. Would also be slow to build walls all round, as on a warm day, it may be too stuffy! Ventilation is darn hard to work out, but keep it high over them. Wondering if 10' at back is high enough...for ventilation and tractor?
I have a small single Lean-to 22'X12' in which 6 live comfortably, 8 would be a squash. My normal pens are 12'X12' and that fine for 3, or maybe 4 up to 3 weeks.

With straw, not too much runoff. small tank should do.

Interested to see what hay and meal feeders you use.
Good luck!

PatQfarmer

Lakill
I have only 12 weaned calves left in the shed now and have opened up so that they are running in a space 24'x24' (48sq ft per calf). Could fit another 4 in there easy, so your sum is correct. Teagasc recommend min 2.5 sq m (27 sq ft), but that looks tight to me.
Will look back for bbam's feeder. Can't seem to get a good one anywhere.

bbam

Hey guys.
Could you go for say a six inch gap all round rather than a two foot opening. A big opening might take in too much air on a windy night and hard to get air through with only one opening.

We've had nine in a pen about 19*15. Kept well bedded was no bother at all.

Of course don't forget a good fall on the floor and water and power points in all corners.

lakill Farm

Hi bbam,

Ye i could put in a 6 inch gap all around no problem. Will i put it at 5 ft or 10ft (rear) and 12ft (front)

I am putting in power, over the middle of each pen also on an extended lead. But a good point bbam

bbam wrote: »

Hey guys.
Could you go for say a six inch gap all round rather than a two foot opening. A big opening might take in too much air on a windy night and hard to get air through with only one opening.
.

bbam

I'd be no expert, just thinking out loud really. I think the key is more of a small opening than one big one.

Maybe don't go too high or the air may not circulate enough.

Personally I think deep dry bedding and healthy calves can survive in most sheds, within reason. Straw is cheap compared to treating a sick calf!

lakill Farm

I completely agree with you on bedding etc.

Because this shed is for the sole purpose of calves to make work load a bit easier at home i would like to get it half right. I think ill go with the gap at 5ft in the back and 5ft and 12ft on the front. It might act as a vacuum to draw air in. (isnt that a stupid idea im after making up :rolleyes:)

bbam wrote: »

I'd be no expert, just thinking out loud really. I think the key is more of a small opening than one big one.

Maybe don't go too high or the air may not circulate enough.

Personally I think deep dry bedding and healthy calves can survive in most sheds, within reason. Straw is cheap compared to treating a sick calf!

restive

Does anyone have any pictures of their sheds?

lakill Farm wrote: »

Hi bbam,

Ye i could put in a 6 inch gap all around no problem. Will i put it at 5 ft or 10ft (rear) and 12ft (front)

I am putting in power, over the middle of each pen also on an extended lead. But a good point bbam

bbam wrote: »

Hey guys.
Could you go for say a six inch gap all round rather than a two foot opening. A big opening might take in too much air on a windy night and hard to get air through with only one opening.
.

bbam

restive wrote: »

Does anyone have any pictures of their sheds?

Ours is cleared out with trailer for repair in at the moment... Will be that way until calf prices are well back... And trailer is finished..

It's a two bay hayshed lean-to, 19*30 (i think), has stands down either side that used to have cubicles on but they are long gone...used to have a pipeline machine there when we milked..
Has three sets of gates across, one in the centre to divide.
Two at each end just 2 feet inside the doors.. This gives a passage across and is for hanging feeders on.. 2 feet is a bit tight but it's fine, didn't want to loose too much space... Gates all hanging on the walls and easily lift off to open up shed..

We only bed the stands, good and deep.. They drain off into the group which is ran out with a hand scraper every second day.. The clear ground is very handy as round feeders is impossible to bed and its much easier to see any "iffy" dung than if completely bedded.

Has a 10 by 10 "dairy" attached which is used for storing milk/meal and has a water heater which has a timer..

pakalasa

Straw sheds are deadly for the biuld up of disease. It's better to clean them regulary than allow the straw to build up.
I have calves at the top of a cubicle house. I put straw up on one side and leave the passage free. When that side feels wet underneath, when you walk on it , I put straw on the other side. I clean the dirty side then, wash down and bit of disenfectant. It's well dry then before it comes to bed it again. Simple but it works for me. I hate to go into a shed and get that stale ammonia smell.