Weather Resistant Steel Structure Cattle & Sheep Sheds for
Outdoor Farm Breeding
Clean and comfortable Cattle sheds help create a nurturing
environment for calves, reduces the risk of disease and encourages
high growth rates. Having an appropriate set up and rearing system
will help create a comfortable environment for calves that also
helps maximise energy intakes and growth. Young calves are
particularly vulnerable to environmental stresses. Their limited
ability to regulate body temperature, developing immune systems,
and high surface area to body weight ratio mean that housing
decisions have a direct impact on their energy balance, health
status, and welfare.
Effective calf housing goes beyond providing basic shelter – it
creates an environment that supports natural behaviours, minimises
disease risk, and optimises growth potential. By focusing on calf
comfort through appropriate bedding, adequate space, proper
ventilation, and meaningful enrichment, you're investing in the
future productivity and welfare of your herd.
Housing is just one component of successful calf rearing, but it's
a foundation that influences every other aspect of calf management.
Comfortable, healthy calves are easier to manage, more resilient to
challenges, and more likely to develop into productive, long-lived
dairy cows.
When planning or modifying calf housing systems, consider these key
principles:
- Comfort over convenience. While ease of management is important, calf comfort should be the
primary consideration. Comfortable calves grow faster, stay
healthier, and require less intervention. Regularly assess your
facilities from the calf's viewpoint. What seems adequate from
human height may be very different at calf level.
- Design for natural behaviours. Ensure housing allows calves to express normal behaviours
including lying, playing, grooming, and exploring. Restrictive
environments compromise welfare and development.
- Flexibility. Calf needs change as they grow, and seasonal conditions vary.
Design systems that can be adjusted for different calf sizes, group
sizes, and weather conditions.
- Reduce competition. Design feed, water, and resting areas to minimise competition
between calves. Shy or smaller calves should still be able to
access all resources comfortably.
Shelter
Housing for calves is more than just calf pens, and it is important
to think about once calves are out in the paddock. As we
predominantly calve during spring, outdoor conditions are not
always optimal when we get calves outside.
Optimal calf temperature sits between 15-25°C, so the likelihood of
dropping below these temperatures over spring is quite high. Once
calves are in cold or wet weather, the level of energy required for
maintenance and warmth increases, reducing the amount of energy
available for growth. Providing shelter for the calves will help
minimise the amount of time that the calves are exposed to cold or
wet conditions, making it more comfortable for them and helping to
increase their ability to grow.
Although outdoor shelters are ideal and provide a high level of
comfort, there are some simple, yet effective things that you can
do to help reduce exposure of your calves. These include using
paddocks with trees or hedges or running some tin/canvas along a
fence line to prevent a prevailing wind.
