Calving under a roof is gaining popularity as pastureland becomes more scarce. Whether your child is returning to the farm, you would like to expand, or any other reason – you are not alone. Several producers are doing their research to determine if this is a viable alternative to their current operation.
Calving Facility Advantages
1. Maintain a controlled environment. One of the main advantages to calving under a roof is the controlled environment that it offers. Accu-Steel calving barns do this by preventing the outdoor elements from entering the building. Unlike monoslopes, our buildings offer excellent ventilation with our dual eaves and ridge vents that keep the weather from intruding the building all year. Monoslopes have one side that is wide open allowing snow and rain to blow in.
2. Provide optimal cow/calf comfort. Accu-Steel fabric covered calving buildings allow natural light to filter through the fabric cover while eliminating heat exposure. Our buildings will last for years because all of our steel is hot-dip galvanized to prevent corrosion. These factors make Accu-Steel the optimal choice for cow/calf comfort.
3. Manage a healthy herd. A controlled environment is vital for a newborn calf’s health, so, management is the key in these cow/calf facilities. These cows are in close quarters within the barn so prevention is very important to keep disease out of the calving barn. A consistent, dry environment with excellent ventilation will help keep your cow/calf operation free of illness. It can also help increase weight gain and improve performance. Prevention is very important for herd health, but if health issues do arise, they can be quickly and easily addressed under a calving facility. Choosing this system allows producers to routinely monitor their cows and calves in one location which will save you time checking the pasture and fence. With excellent management, you will see your production and profits increase.
4. Determine your own calving seasons. Another benefit to calving under roof is the ability to determine your calving seasons. With the help from the controlled environment, you can decide when you would like to calve. Producers who chose to calve under roof have the advantage of shifting their calving season to capitalize on sale prices. This is an opportunity for cattlemen to take their products to market while others are using the traditional cow/calf system on pasture.
Getting Started With Calving Under Roof
When deciding on a floor plan for your calving facility, be sure to separate excepting cows and new mothers. Also, consider using creep feeders and a versatile feed program that can help you target your cows and calves.
At Accu-Steel we try to make it easy for you to get started calving under roof. We understand the cattle industry and strive to offer the very best solutions. Our nationwide network of dealers can help you with any questions you may have. The best place to start is by simply contacting us! After we get your information, we contact the dealer in your area that best suits your needs. You can then coordinate with our dealer to configure the layout of your cow/calf facility. They will consider all of your business needs during the design and construction process to provide you with the perfect cow/calf facility for your calving operation.
To view images of our cow/calf facilities, click here.