Slatted shed open or closed ??

kerb

HI all

Looking for abit of advice
we currently have a small suckler heard all out wintered no slatted shed
we are now doing plans to build a 3 bay slatted shed
living in west of ireland so long winters here

were not sure if we will go with a 3 bay open or a 3 bay closed shed
I would go for open shed but we may change our system to dry heard
buying Weanlings and selling a year later or something like that
the reason for this is im working full time and the farm is being passed on to me

So any advice welcome

cheers

Hard Knocks

If the site is sheltered go open, if not the closed

_Brian

Well ventilated closed shed, particularly if it’s an exposed location.

kerb

if the shed was for a weanling to 2 year olds would u go closed shed regardless of location

charolais0153

Id go open facing northeast. Perfect for cows and weanlings

FeelTheBern

charolais0153 wrote: »

Id go open facing northeast. Perfect for cows and weanlings

That's what I would have said this time last year too. After going through the snow from the east this winter I would now say closed with good ventilation and a wide feeding passage.

Who2

Open shed wins every time. Lay it facing the right way and you’ll have no hassle. I’m putting up a new one next spring and it is getting three walls to seven foot and a single sloping roof. No other sides. Closed in sheds are a disaster for pneumonia and take way longer feeding down a passage.

pingg10

did one last year advised to do closed .
glad i did poor winter wind and rain from all directions
great comfort for man and beast

Mooooo

Id go closed, esp if anyway exposed. Make sure the passage is plenty wide enough for feeding. Could also double as a spot to leave the tractor etc as well

charolais0153

FeelTheBern wrote: »

That's what I would have said this time last year too. After going through the snow from the east this winter I would now say closed with good ventilation and a wide feeding passage.

Snow came in for 2 days hardly a disaster .... Ask your vet which shed he would see pneuonia in more often. People underestimate the amount of fresh air cattle need, id say youd want basically no side sheets for adequate air

_Brian

pingg10 wrote: »

did one last year advised to do closed .
glad i did poor winter wind and rain from all directions
great comfort for man and beast

Yea.
Our area gets a fair bit of snow as were exposed, fair few lads disappointed over them taking in snow and rain.

Hard Knocks

Just thinking, what would lads think of open with passage covered & a windbreaker on the open side

orchard farm

I've both and closed shed is covered in cobwebs from lack of air.doors are always left open too

Lady Haywire

We built ours as an open three bay, facing due south with a hedge maybe 20m away blocking the worst wind. After a couple of winters we built up a cavity wall about 15ft high to keep most of the wind out, but allowed it in over the top- was about 5 metres from the barrier.
Then knocked down the middle of that wall & built up two calving pens using the existing wall remaining and a crush on a new poured wall.
So.......we did a bit of everything but only for we had the couple of year experience with the open shed we probably wouldn't have been able to plan the shed to how we have it now.

Bass Reeves

Open shed facing NE, if NE is not an option face N and then E one will be an option in any yard. Last option is a closed shed. Nothing like hungry hairy weanling in the spring to thrive. No fear of letting them out if weather is poor. Never an issue with peunomia

I am lucky as shed is a double with one side open but weanling are always on the most open pens of shed. The over hang is the slope down of the A on the shed. Need to put a wall at west end of shed open feed passage to stop the corner of the feed getting wet but not a huge issue

Cavanjack

Have a mixture of old and new here. New ones are all open. Will build another lean to type next year and it'll have the feeding passage facing east. Draughts is what You want to avoid but I would not recommend closing up a shed fully. Housed stock early last year to finish because of the rain. They sweated something shocking for a couple of months and that was an open shed. They'd have died in one that is closed up.

Mooooo

Vented sheeting and properly designed closed shed should be fine. 170 adult animals here had 1 case of pneumonia in 10 years. And that's old and newish sheds joined together

grassroot1

Its a bit late for this year but you need to go and visit farmers with sheds that you like. You will learn more by visiting than talking to someone.
If you leave it open you can close later or build opposite with a mirror shed but if you close its hard to get more air in