Mono Calf Building

Teemore have teamed up with Jamie Robertson, a specialist in ventilation, to provide the future of calf housing. With a focus on biosecurity and a fresh environment, a building design has been created which allows calves to thrive, and reduces the level of bacteria and disease within the building. This is made possible by using specified materials to reduce bacteria build-up and calculated the optimum ground levels, roof angles, and air flow for the best possible environment.

  • Plastic panels used as divider’s
  • Vent tube to control air flow
  • Slope in floor for drainage
  • Slurry channel to reduce presence of ammonia
  • Wide walkway to aid handling

Description

At Teemore Engineering, we only offer solutions that are designed to last.

One of the defaults on many livestock farms is that youngstock and maybe dry cows have ended up being housed in buildings with a long history, and little or no investment. Investment has been focussed elsewhere, which is ironic because there is nowhere on a farm that stands a better chance of repaying investment than youngstock, male or female. Provide a healthy start and costs per unit of growth or production, any species, will be reduced for life compared to an animal less healthy. Your calf house might be old and lovely, or a new space along the back of a large steel framed palace, but is it fit for the future and does it make the business good money?

A livestock building designed for purpose needs to support five critical areas for good health and performance, including financial performance
1. Provide good hygiene
2. Provide predictable fresh air delivery (are thereby remove stale air)
3. Prevent higher air speeds/ draughts
4. Prevent the accumulation of moisture
5. Support an animal that is predictably cold in the first 2-3-4 weeks of life

When a building fails to provide any of the above factors there will be costs to the production system and efficiencies will decrease. Nothing is perfect and so we accept a few losses here and there, and with youngstock often housed in buildings that were never intended for calves, the losses are significant. The hygiene factor is a good example of system failure when calves are kept in buildings meant for something else. Tiny calf houses in old cart sheds and repurposed parlours are great insofar as biosecurity is improved by keeping small and separate groups of youngstock, in separate air spaces. They might be ‘cosy’. But pen hygiene can suffer as many facilities have to be cleaned out by hand; leading to many buildings being constantly stocked and hard to clean properly. Calf health does and will suffer. Fresh air delivery is predictably poor. At the other end of design failure, we see calves kept in one end of a mighty steel and concrete structure for adult cattle, perishingly cold all winter, adjacent to adult cattle and their bugs, and possibly not enough protection from draughts.

Youngstock housing designed for purpose should be no stranger to modern farming any more than a new parlour or slurry store or silage pit or feeder wagon, but it is. There is excellent potential to be unlocked on livestock units by paying attention to youngstock facilities, giving them what we know they need, and making our own jobs easier to carry out, more effectively. Invest in youngstock systems in 2023 for the future of your herd and make life easier.
(Jamie Robertson)

Benefits

Explore the unique advantages our products provide.

Improved drainage in calf facilities, which will benefit calf health and moisture is removed from the building.
Calves are group in batches within the pens and cannot interact with other pens, this reduces the spread of bacteria.
The use of the Vent tube and Windbreakers increases the flow of fresh air, which is beneficial to the calf’s health.
The use of sheeted doors and windbreakers also eliminates drafts, this ensures the calves do not get a chill, which could make them sick.

Downloads

Additional information on Teemore’s product range.

FAQs

Find answers to common questions

How many bays are in this building?
Teemore can supply any number of bays depending on the number of calves. We recommend 20-25 calves per bay.
How many calves fit in each pen?
We recommend 20-25 calves per pen, ideally born within a two-week time frame.
What comes in this building kit?
We supply the building frame, tin, Plastic Panels, steel gates and posts, Vent, Tube, sheeted doors, Wind breakers and can source and supply the slurry channel and concrete panels.
Why should I invest in this over a multi-purpose shed?
If you raise calves, you are aware of how fragile and susceptible they are to disease and illness. Multi-purpose sheds are brilliant for stock who have a good immune system and are used to changing environments, however with calves the same rule does not apply. The aim of this building is to ensure your calves get the best possible start, as this is essential to ensure the future cow is profitable and has along life ahead of her. Allowing the immune system to strengthen without having to fight of disease is a sure way to ensure a highly profitable herd for the future of your farm.

Regional Sales Team

Contact your local sales represenative

Talk to an Expert

Speak with one of our experts today