Small cow barn - need ideas pls

[holliehmstd]

I am in the process of finishing framing on my chicken coop and I will finish that soon so I am starting the planning phase on our cow barn. I need a small-ish barn that can house up to 2 cows and a calf - ultimately I guess 3 cows. I think I would prefer a barn with a large open space and then a milking stanchion. This does not need to be anything complex, I just am not sure about design and sq footage. This will be our first forray into cows. But I am not a carpenter or builder. Just a homestead wife who does the bulk of construction - I married a city boy I am slowly converting!

*This is a double post - I also posted under Homestead Construction*

[ramiller5675]

There is a loafing shed "plan" at: http://www.co.larimer.co.us/building/loafing_shed.pdf

Unless you live in an area that has the extreme conditions that the part of Colorado in the plan does, you could get away with building something similar with a 14' or 16' roof span and posts spaced about 8' apart, but if you follow the other parts of the plan you would end up with an easy to build, stout building with some versatility.

[holliehmstd]

Thanks! That actually looks like something I could handle and what I am looking for. I think that I would take that idea and wall it up a little instead of leaving it open air so that I can have some weather protection for milking and for calving.

[opportunity]

I used one of those carport things with the tarps ( about 20 feet long and 8 feet wide)as a roof for mine and replaced the tarp with tin and used drill stem and cow panels on the ground part to make it more stable it has a milking/calf pulling area in the middle, with a gate in the back to make it easier to pull further back if we need to it has been our cow barn for 5 years now. We have a pen on either side of the stanchion but can open it up to one big pen if we have a calf and moma locked in that need it. We have thirty cows now but it still suits us for space as we only milk when we need to one a few cows.

[haypoint]

Depends a lot on climate, amount of time in the barn (large or small pasture) and how you will feed them.
Cold climate with small bales means you need storage space for a lot of hay. If you use large round bales and feed outside in a round bale feeder, you may want to keep hay under a tarp or build a large outside overhang on the barn for bale storage, but won't need much storage space inside. . Need a place to park a manure spreader so you can clean stalls into it, until it gets full. With food and water, cows can stay a long time in stansions. That limits the time you'll need to clean up after them.

[Hannah90]

Oh thank you so much! I have been looking for plans like these. I too and a lone homesteading woman. I have occasional help from dad and my dear boyfriend (who's a total city slicker, but tries his hardest to help me.) I think this is something I could handle. Lumber is expensive these days, but I need an extra shelter. Barn is getting a little full these days.

[haypoint]

If you build taller than you really need, it makes it easier when you add on later. Continue the slope of the roof.

[Hannah90]

^^^ That's a good idea. Maybe a better idea to add on to my current barn then? Hmmm. I wish I had a builder's mind. I can't see it unless it's drawn out for me.

[holliehmstd]

Originally Posted by haypoint

Need a place to park a manure spreader so you can clean stalls into it, until it gets full. With food and water, cows can stay a long time in stansions. That limits the time you'll need to clean up after them.

Climate is generally mild here in Eastern Virginia. I am thinking the cow/cows will be outdoors most of the time and my main concern is actually warmer weather and giving them a good place to shade. We have two large trees in the pasture that stand together that provide great coverage, so I guess that works. Thanks for the idea about the manure spreader. I am such a newb, I didn't even think of that!!

Thanks for the ideas everyone. We have an old barn available for hay so that is not an issue. I am mainly looking to just build something simple that can be added on to later as need arises. I just want to get it finished so that we can get a cow and I can start milking. Pregnancy fueled determination!

I am going to try the loafing shed since I think I can handle basic construction on that and get hubby to do the heavy lifting.

[Madsaw]

A few things to consider. When you think you have just the right size in mind double it. If you can afford it now you will not regert it down the road. Extra space is always nice. Also if your going to be milking there a small prep room or storage room for the milking equipment would be good. Plus this room could also duble as a warm room for ill calves too.
Bob

[haypoint]

Originally Posted by holliehmstd

Climate is generally mild here in Eastern Virginia. I am thinking the cow/cows will be outdoors most of the time and my main concern is actually warmer weather and giving them a good place to shade. We have two large trees in the pasture that stand together that provide great coverage, so I guess that works. Thanks for the idea about the manure spreader. I am such a newb, I didn't even think of that!!

Thanks for the ideas everyone. We have an old barn available for hay so that is not an issue. I am mainly looking to just build something simple that can be added on to later as need arises. I just want to get it finished so that we can get a cow and I can start milking. Pregnancy fueled determination!

I am going to try the loafing shed since I think I can handle basic construction on that and get hubby to do the heavy lifting.

I'm confused. You want a barn to house three cows, but you plan for them to be outside most of the time. Do you want a barn to house cows or a structure to provide shade?

Shade is important even in the north country. Cows need a place to get out of the flies. The ideal shade structure is 16 feet square with a divider in the opening, going back 8 feet. This allows cattle a place to get in, away from any bossy cattle. Closed on three sides. The 4th side, opening has the divider that goes back half way. When a mean cow enters, the other cattle have an exit, around that 8 foot divider.

Another way is a shade structure on wheels. Metal roofing on the flat roof, tubing "legs" that attach to motorcycle tires. Move it around the pasture and let them graze in the shade.

In a barn, you may want an 8 by 8 area for milking. Room to milk from either side. A head lock/stansion works good. Slope the floor away from her head, a shallow gutter behind her is nice, too.

If you are going to have the calf on her half the time, you need a way to keep the calf away from her while she's grazing. If you have them together in the pasture, you need a way to get her to the barn for your turn at milking. While on the calf, she'll have little interst in comong to the barn.

[genebo]

I'm in central Virginia, just west of Petersburg, but moved here from Tidewater, so I know about the differences in climate.

I get by with a 22' square barn open in the front, with a loft to store hay. Lots of ventilation, which is important. Cattle don't do well in enclosed spaces. A shelter from the wind and a roof to keep the rain off of you is good.

I've seen a couple of structures like ramiller5675 gave you a link to. They were used for milking and loafing and served their owners well. Most of the farmers around here have a full barn with a stall set aside for a milk cow, but it's not necessary.

If you are close enough, why don't you come visit? I'll show you how I do it plus take you to an old time farmer who has stanchions in his barn, so you can see how simple it is to make stanchions.

My address, phone and email are on the second page of my web site:

http://paradisedexters.com

[holliehmstd]

For haypoint - the quote feature was acting funny on me -

I simply was saying I needed adequate shelter in case of inclimate weather. I can not afford, neither can I construct a barn, but a modified loafing shed is within my capabilities. I need a place to milk in case of rain or snow and just to make the milking process a little easier on me since I may have to take a kid or two with me.

Originally Posted by genebo

I'm in central Virginia, just west of Petersburg, but moved here from Tidewater, so I know about the differences in climate.

I get by with a 22' square barn open in the front, with a loft to store hay. Lots of ventilation, which is important. Cattle don't do well in enclosed spaces. A shelter from the wind and a roof to keep the rain off of you is good.

I've seen a couple of structures like ramiller5675 gave you a link to. They were used for milking and loafing and served their owners well. Most of the farmers around here have a full barn with a stall set aside for a milk cow, but it's not necessary.

If you are close enough, why don't you come visit? I'll show you how I do it plus take you to an old time farmer who has stanchions in his barn, so you can see how simple it is to make stanchions.

My address, phone and email are on the second page of my web site:

http://paradisedexters.com

Thanks for the info. I have seen lots of folks spend terrible amounts of $$ on barns and then they suffer for it later when their animals get sick or they have some other issues and now their nest egg is depleted. I just want to have adequate space and protection - I am a big believer in open air being good for animals - and still allowing them the chance to come and go as they please. I know I have a lot to learn, I just want to get rolling so that I can get some good milk and beef in the house!!

I will check out your website, thanks.

[Callieslamb]

I have a barn but didn't like cleaning up after the cows had been in there a while. A stall kept them pretty inactive for as long as we can have bad weather. We built a shelter with cattle panels. They are 16 feet long so the shelter is 16x16. We used 2 parallel to each other for the sidewalls. If I had to do it again, I'd use 4x4 posts rather than the Tposts. 4 panels were used as the roof - bowed upwards. We attached them to the panels running the opposite direction along the ground with wire. We have snow load to worry about so we used some landscape timbers and made some truss-like supports for the roof. Then we covered it with a tarp. The tarp was half the cost - $100. It's been up 2 winters and 3 summers. We roll up the sides in summer for a breeze and roll them down in the winter. We have a panel down the middle so the sheep can use one side and the cows the other but we switch it all around all the time. It would have been much more simple to attach the tarp if we had used use wooden posts all the way around- especially the sides.

I had to learn to roll the sides up the opposite direction from what is shown in the picture. Rolled this way, when it rains, the rolls fill with water. We always said we go back and fix the front with staples. But we've not done it yet.

[holliehmstd]

Originally Posted by Callieslamb

We built a shelter with cattle panels. They are 16 feet long so the shelter is 16x16. We used 2 parallel to each other for the sidewalls. If I had to do it again, I'd use 4x4 posts rather than the Tposts. 4 panels were used as the roof - bowed upwards.

Thanks for the idea. I think that I may do something simple to start, something that can be added to and modified as we go along. I am planning on using 4x4 posts regardless and probably corrugated steel for the roofing, but a little open air is good. As long as I have protection from winds and inclimate weather, I think that we will be okay.

When we first had chickens a few years ago, I was just learning how to construct and it was pitiful. Mostly chicken wire and tarp. Everyone laughed, but my chickens were so healthy and laid all winter when everyone else's were getting sick and had stopped laying. Ventilation is a good thing for us all!

[DarleneJ]

When we lived on our farm in Idaho we had a cattle barn similar to what CalliesLamb pictured. They were some kind of actual tarp barn thing where the tarp was the size of the rounded metal beams. I stacked a couple rows of straw all along the bottom of the sides so the cows would stay more to the center of the building and not ruin the tarp/sides. It worked fine. We set up a second one and used cattle panels to make stalls for lambing season. We hung thos chicken brooder heat lamps from the ceiling rails and it was nice and warm for the mamas and babies (and me...) They don't last forever, but they are movable and much less expensive than wood structures. Good luck.

[holliehmstd]

Originally Posted by DarleneJ

When we lived on our farm in Idaho we had a cattle barn similar to what CalliesLamb pictured. They were some kind of actual tarp barn thing where the tarp was the size of the rounded metal beams. I stacked a couple rows of straw all along the bottom of the sides so the cows would stay more to the center of the building and not ruin the tarp/sides. It worked fine. We set up a second one and used cattle panels to make stalls for lambing season. We hung thos chicken brooder heat lamps from the ceiling rails and it was nice and warm for the mamas and babies (and me...) They don't last forever, but they are movable and much less expensive than wood structures. Good luck.

Thanks for the info. I really would rather get a cow sooner than later and the cheaper the structure, the sooner that can happen. I keep on getting sick from the milk from the store and so is my youngest. Not to mention cost effectiveness over time and factoring in the variety of homemade products we will no longer need to purchase.

Again, the weather here is generally mild and I already have adequate hay storage so really what I need is a covered area for harsh weather, milking and calf raising.

[dalepres]

There used to be a lot of information about stall-kept or pen-kept cattle on the net. It was more common in the UK than in the US but it seems that most of that information has gone the politically correct way and only grass-fed, pastured cattle are discussed in regards to homestead or smallholder cattle. I've got about 2 3/4 acres, about 2 of that usable, and about 1 of that cleared. And I want cattle.

I'm working out of town right now and don't get home in time to manage animals but expect that to change in a few years - if I have to retire to do it. By that time, I want to be able to raise a Holstein milk cow and breed it with Wagyu semen and raise some fantastic eating beef. It will go well with my plans for raising Mangalitsa pigs. In both of these cases, it will be worth the cost of feeding - though the pigs will thrive in the oak wooded parts of our property.

I'm planning a 12x32 cattle shed with two 6x8 stalls and a 40x40 area outside the cow barn for outdoor access. That seems reasonable to me and it meets the Animal Welfare Approved standard for cattle space. I would like to hear thoughts on the idea and the space.