NOVEMBER 2020 F10
FARM & RANCH
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
Design calving barns for specific operations
Telegraph staff reports Regardless of when a cattle owner decides to calve— spring or fall — it’s one of the most stressful times of the year. With so many chal- lenges related to animal welfare, disease manage- ment and safety while pulling a calf, a well-de- signed calving barn is a smart investment in a cow-calf operation. And to design the best calv- ing barn, it’s important to define the goals for the facility. “Cow-calf operators have to consider how that facility will address specific challenges and what the facility will need to help you reach the goals you have for your operation,” says Jeff Vap, founder of Vap Construction, which produces post frame and steel frame build- ings. “Most people think about needing a calving barn when they’re fight- ing the elements and it’s already too late to save the calf they’re working with. But with advance planning, a custom calv- ing barn can prevent so many unnecessary head- aches and improve your herd’s health.” There are many fac- tors to consider when designing calving facili- ties, and the first has to do with the operation’s location. The calving site should be in a well- drained location and protected, if possible, from the winter winds. Using topography or veg- etation is a smart idea. Once a site is selected, note any limitations for access or size of the fa- cility and take those into consideration. When
the barn is situated in a protected location, the design can incorpo- rate ventilation while maintaining a safe tem- perature and humidity for calving. “A commonmistake made in the initial stag- es of designing a calving facility is to limit ven- tilation to keep out cold air, but doing so creates a warmmoist ammonia- rich environment, which increases the risk of re- spiratory problems,” Vap said. The next thing to con- sider depends on the environment and your calving season. For example, aWyoming op- eration that calves in Februarymight need enough shelter for all the calves expected in a given week, a Kansas operation that calves in the fall might only need a simple shelter with a head gate for difficult calving. Depending on the expected tempera- tures of your calving season, it may be ad- vantageous to insulate the entire facility, or to just insulate a dedicated warm room. While tem- perature is definitely a concern, the wind can be just as risky. “Everyone usually re- members to think about temperature, but cold north winds can kill a calf,” Vap said. “It’s im- portant to think about the direction your facil- ity faces to best prevent wind exposure for your younger animals.” The last thing to con- sider is keeping your facility user-friendly. For heifer barns that are one- man operations, it’s nice to have the right size of stalls compared to the al-
leyway,” Vap said. “So if the stalls and gates are on 12-foot centers, you can swing a gate to get a cow in the stall by your- self.” For larger operations withmultiple people on a calving crew, your barnmight need to in- clude an area for a warm break or a place to keep notes about your herd so that information is shared between shifts. Good lighting and ade- quate storage space for equipment should also be considered to en- sure a safe, clutter-free workspace. And finally, depending on the snow load in your area, it’s im- portant to design doors in a way that they will not require clearing to provide emergency assis- tance to an animal. By designing your calving barn for ranch- specific needs and protocols, you’re mak- ing a smart investment in your herd’s health and safety, while ensuring your ability to provide care during calving sea- son regardless of the weather. To make sure this investment provides returns for many calv- ing seasons to come, it’s always recommended to invest in high-quality construction, especially in high-wind environ- ments. “Vap Construction’s barns use up to 25% more lumber thanmany of our competitors to ensure strength and durability of the build- ing,” Vap said. “Make sure you’re asking a lot of questions, and that you’re comparing apples to apples when bidding with different compa- nies.”
Photo courtesy of Vap Construction Designing a calving barn can be different for each operation, based on varying factors including location, topography and the time of year that the op- eration calves.
TIME TOOL AND EQUIPMENT RENTAL 908 Rodeo Road 308-534-9370 Call today to set your marketing plan in motion! 532-6000
S PRAYS THE O RIGINAL
1920 W 9th St. 308-532-4411 877-532-4411 Sprayed-on Truck Bed Liners
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs