Bespoke calving sheds for sucklers are a rare thing. Often the lieback/creep is fitted with a calving gate which doubles up as a calving pen. Access to cows that may be temperamental post-calving, or assisting calves to suckle, is sometimes a challenge, and all too often risks are taken where they shouldn’t be in relation to cow temperament.

I was lucky enough to recently visit something very different: a bespoke calving shed for a suckler herd in the west of Ireland.

The farm operates both a pedigree and commercial herd of cows, with some embryo transfer work being done on the farm. While there were decent calving facilities already in place, the need for additional spacing and improved farmer safety was the main prompt to create this new housing. While the farmer in question was happy for the building to feature, they asked to remain anonymous.

The shed

The building was created on the outer edge of the farmyard to give ample space to work around it. It measures four bays in length, with standard 4.8m (15ft 9in), while measuring 14.2m internal( 46ft 6in) width. This gives the building a total footprint of 294m².

Inside, the shed is essentially divided in three: a 4.8m wide passageway is accessed through double sliding doors, with a 4.7m deep dry bedded pen located either side of the passage. Walls measuring 2.4m (8ft) run along all sides of the shed, with ventilated sheeting running along the length of the shed.

Due to the width of the shed, and it being built to TAMS specification, IPE 200 steel was used in the stanchions and roof trusses, while the farmer also specified 7in x 3in timber as well, heavier than the 6in x 3in timber that would commonly be used. IPE 140 steel was used under the eaves for additional strength, with all the structural steel being hot dip galvanised for longevity. Throughout the roof, 0.55mm steel cladding was used with a total of 16 clear roof lights installed. Safety cages were fitted underneath as per Department of Agriculture specifications. A central covered canopy prevents the ingress of rain in to the feed passage.

Safety to the fore

Every pen has been kitted out with Teemore locking barriers. The farmer explained that should an issue arise, the cow can be locked in place and either her or her calf handled in a safe manner.

On the immediate right of the shed as you enter, a special calving area has been created, kitted out with an automatic head gate that goes right to the ground in case a cow should go down, with a Teemore calving gate fitted.

Due to recipient heifers calving down, having a safe and clean environment for Caeseran sections was to the fore of the list when the farmer was designing the shed. This area has been wired with sockets, with a gas water heater and sink to be fitted as well for completing sections. The floor has been cambered to allow for easy wash down as well.

Clever design

All throughout, the farmer opted for some clever design features. The passageway has been raised up several inches higher than the bedded areas to allow for a build up of straw and to keep the passage clear of effluent. This was unlikely to happen anyway, as they installed channel drains 500mm back from the feeding barrier, with the floor cambered both ways.

After using the shed this spring, the channels have reportedly worked very well at reducing effluent build up. A total of four junction boxes (two either side) also allow for the channels to be rodded if necessary, with the effluent flowing to a nearby slatted tank.

There are no fixed pillars within the shed. Each of the 8in x 4in rolled steel joists (RSJs) that support the barriers and dividing gates sit in a sleeve, with each RSJ measuring 2.1m (7ft) in length, with 450mm (18in) of the RSJ in the ground. The RSJs are equally as strong sitting in the sleeve as they would be bolted or sunken in to the concrete, while it allows for a sleeve to be lifted to allow access for cleaning out from the passageway, while it also leaves the shed open for other uses should the system change in the future. To prevent bedding entering these sleeves, a small timber insert was created that blocks the open section.

A total of eight double LED lights have been fitted for nighttime work or Caesarean sections.

A small sliding door for movement of stock between buildings has also been fitted to the side facing closest to the yard. Ancillary concrete was poured to the front of the shed to link it up with the existing yard and to help keep the yard clean and tidy.

Some other minor features that are also noteworthy are the spring-loaded latches on all of the Teemore gates, and where these are bolted in to a wall, the farmer has installed a small plate with a hole to prevent wear of the concrete.

Pricing

Table 1 includes the breakdown of the pricing of the shed. Three self-locking barriers that the farmer had already on farm were used; should the farmer have had to buy these, then another €2,000 plus VAT would have had to be spent.

Merdoc Construction ,Crossmolina, Co Mayo, completed all the erection and concrete works, with the shed frame, sheeting and timbers supplied by DG Roofing, Co Galway.

Teemore barriers and calving gates were used, with the dividing gates sourced from Condon Engineering.

Looking at the cost on a square-metre basis and excluding approximately €5,500 for ancillary concrete outside, the shed will cost €275/m². It’s a high cost, and reference costs will fall well below the actual cost in this case, but the farmer is extremely happy with the strength of the shed and how safe it is to work cattle in.