Ideas for a Cattle Pole Barn

Cows are not difficult animals to keep, but cutting corners when building their barns can end up being much more costly in the long run. Keeping in mind the overall comfort and health of your animals will keep them productive for many years.

  1. Space

    • Allow plenty of space. Making a cow barn too cramped makes it uncomfortable for the animals. Cows need room to get past each other, lie down, and avoid confrontations with each other. Being in too close quarters breeds short tempers, leading to fights between the animals and the possibility of danger to handlers. Tight spaces also make it difficult to handle cows. A common rule of thumb is to have approximately 47 to 58 square feet of barn space per cow . More is always better.

    Height and Heat Release

    • Build the sidewalls so that they are taller than the cattle to allow for free flow of air throughout the building. Shorter sidewalls can be used in cooler climates, but areas that have a consistently hot year-round temperature need taller walls. Heat rises, so more headroom allows more hot air to move up above the animals. Warm climates should have sidewalls at least 14 feet tall. Walls in cooler climates can be as short as 12 feet.

    Layout

    • Face your barn so that the doors face east and west to make maximum use of airflow.

    Water

    • Provide plenty of water. Food stations are incorporated into any well-organized cow barn, but water stations are often overlooked. Cows need adequate water to make the best use of their feed, stay hydrated in hot weather, and stay in top production form. Having plenty of water options also keeps weaker cows from being squeezed out by stronger ones.