Tag: Livestock Buildings

Building a Better Cattle Handling Setup

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Building a Better Cattle Handling Setup

Working cattle is never just another chore on the list, it takes some serious time dedication, planning, and a little bit of cooperation from your cattle, or calves. Having the right cattle handling setup can make the difference between a smooth day and a stressful one. Some days it goes smooth, where cattle flow easy, gates swing right, and you finish before you know it. Other days, it feels like everything fights you, including mud on your boots, a stubborn cow at the gate, and it causes more stress than it should take.

Design Matters

Most ranchers will tell you that those long days usually trace back to the setup. When your facilities work with you and with the cattle, the job finishes safer and faster. Hi-Hog has been building and designing cattle handling equipment setups since its incorporation in 1974. We were able to speak with Myron Wigness from Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment about some tips and advice when it comes to designing your set-up. One of Wigness’s top recommendations when evaluating design is to choose something versatile that fits your specific operation. As he explains, “We try to develop a line that’s very versatile. There are very few situations that we even have to build special equipment to fit, even if it’s into a restricted area, like a vet clinic.” Having a versatile design will give you flexibility and functionality for future growth and needs.

MJE Livestock Equipment is designed and tested in demanding environments to withstand heavy, everyday use, which gives customers confidence in its durability and performance. In a previous American Cattlemen Podcast episode, we were able to sit down with Ethan Cantrell with MJE Livestock Equipment. He sheds some light on the importance of design. He states, “You want to make sure you’re working with the cattle flow. If they’re moving with you instead of you fighting them, there’s a lot less stress for everyone.” When they don’t, you feel it in your back, your time, and sometimes your bottom line. (To listen to the full podcast about MJE and design go to: https://americancattlemen.com/podcast/mje-livestock-equipment-cattle-con-2026/)

How that job goes often depends on the setup more than anything else. A well-designed handling system can turn a long, stressful day into a smooth and efficient one, while a poor system can lead to frustration, injury, and lost performance. Research from universities and animal behavior experts has shown that cattle handling setups are not just about equipment, but about how that equipment works with the natural behavior of the animal. When design and behavior align, both cattle and handlers benefit.

Another option to consider is if you need a portable model. Choosing where and how you’ll use your equipment is key, and for many operations, a portable setup offers the most flexibility. John McDonald developed the Rawhide Portable Corral after years of working with cattle and hauling rodeo arenas across the country. His goal was to create a system that was quick and easy to use in remote pastures. As he explains, “When I first invented the Rawhide, it was out of necessity,” says John McDonald. “I was doing somethings with livestock in isolated pastures and we were set up like most people—namely with portable panels. My initial objective was just to be able to set something up that was not labor involved or labor intensive and to catch whatever I needed to and go on with my day.”

Today, the Rawhide line includes multiple models. The Original serves as a basic catch-pen system with quick, low-labor setup and options sized for different herd numbers, while the more advanced Processor model adds features like a head gate, adjustable alley, and loading chute to handle a wider range of livestock needs.

Low-Stress Handling

Cattle remember fear, and Temple Grandin, is one of the industry’s most respected researcher when it comes to cattle and cattle handling equipment. Studies led by researchers like Temple Grandin at Colorado State University have shown that cattle respond strongly to fear and past experiences. Cattle that are handled roughly become more difficult to manage over time. Their research also shows that while cattle that are handled calmly tend to move more easily and show less stress.

This is not just about convenience; stress has real effects on profit. Research has found that highly stressed cattle can take 20 to 30 minutes for their heart rate to return to normal after agitation, and repeated stress can reduce weight gain, weaken immune response, and hurt reproduction. This means that equipment design should be to minimize stress and fear. Curved alleys, solid-sided chutes, and smooth transitions all help cattle move more naturally because they limit distractions and take advantage of herd behavior.

Closely tied to cattle behavior is the concept of low-stress handling. University and industry research has consistently shown that reducing stress improves both animal welfare and production outcomes. In one review of livestock handling systems, researchers noted that cattle exposed to lower stress return to feed more quickly and experience less sickness, which directly impacts profitability.

Equipment that supports low stress, such as properly sized alleys and well-designed crowding areas, makes it easier for handlers to apply these principles consistently.

Safety

Safety is another major factor that cannot be overlooked. Cattle are large animals, and even a calm animal can cause serious injury if the setup is not designed correctly. Research and extension programs have long emphasized the importance of escape routes, solid gates, and proper chute function. Poorly designed systems increase the likelihood of handler injury, especially in tight spaces or areas with poor visibility. The Center for Disease Control estimates that the average non-fatal ranch injury costs a little over $15,000 in medical expenses and lost time from work.

If you can limit the amount of time that you have to be in the pen with cattle, you can increase your safety. Ray Sturn, Moly Manufacturing Plant Manager, illustrates how Moly Manufacturing’s TurretGate helps minimize contact with cattle. He says, “The inspiration for came from Moly Manufacturing founder Jon Mollhagen’s childhood experience with traditional crowding gates, particularly the danger of gates kicking back on him and the intense pressure created when people are forced to work inside confined spaces with cattle. Gates have always been the number one hazard, and crowding animals in high-impact areas only increases risk for both people and livestock.”

He continues, “Even with hydraulic gates, the fundamental problem remained: operators still had to push gates into oncoming animals. The breakthrough came with the shuttle function, which allows the crowding gate to roll back through the turret. This design lets cattle move with the flow instead of forcing them against it, eliminating the need to push a gate into animals altogether.”

While working cattle, cattle can be unpredictable as their flight or fight instincts kick in. Sturn says, “Traditional systems also require people to stand inside the tub or alley, with cattle behind them. In that situation, the person becomes the prey – animals are trying to escape while being pressured from behind and driven toward the same alley. TurretGate changes this dynamic by allowing shorter alleys behind the crowding gate, reducing pressure, and creating calmer movement.”

As Ethan Cantrell with MJE Livestock Equipment says “A bunch of these operations we work with are family businesses. We want the whole family out there, we want everyone feeling safe.” At the core, safer facilities reduce accidents. A well-built chute that holds an animal securely not only protects the handler but also reduces stress on the animal by preventing excessive movement.

Just as you should consider your design and layout, you should consider your available labor and help. Operations with limited or no assistance need setups that reduce workload and prioritize safety for both the handler and the animals. As Myron Wigness with Hi-Hog notes, “During calving season, a lot of times, you’re stumbling around out there in the dark by yourself. So, safety is a big concern. We try to keep even someone that’s working alone safe.”

So, consider the safety of you, your help, and the stress on the cattle. Set your pens up so cattle want to walk through with minimal balking and distractions. It’s safest for you if you can minimize your direct contact with cattle.

Invest in Quality Equipment

Efficiency is another area where equipment design plays a key role. Studies on cattle flow have shown that animals move more easily through systems that are designed with their natural behavior in mind. Cattle prefer to follow one another and avoid sharp contrasts in light, shadows, or sudden changes in direction. When ignoring these factors, cattle tend to balk, bunch up, or turn back, which slows down the entire process. In contrast, systems with smooth flow can significantly reduce labor needs. Producers often report being able to work cattle with fewer people when facilities are properly designed, and this aligns with research showing that calm, steady movement reduces handling time and stress.

At the center of any handling system is the equipment itself, including chutes, headgates, alleys, and crowding areas. Each component plays a specific role, and research supports the idea that these parts must work together as a system. For example, a well-designed chute that applies even pressure can help calm cattle during restraint, which is why squeeze chutes are widely used. Observations and behavioral studies have shown that some cattle actually become calmer when held securely, as the pressure can reduce anxiety. At the same time, poorly designed equipment that causes pain or discomfort can create negative associations, making cattle harder to handle in the future.

Choosing your System

One of the most discussed topics in cattle handling today is the choice between a Bud box and a crowd tub. While there is a limit to formal research directly comparing the two, both systems are based on well-established behavioral principles. A crowd tub uses a circular design to guide cattle forward, while a Bud box relies on the animal’s instinct to return to where it came from. The success of either system depends heavily on proper use. Research on cattle perception and behavior shows that animals respond differently based on their previous experiences and how they interpret their environment. This means that even the best system can fail if it isn’t in use correctly, while a simpler system can work well in the hands of a skilled handler.

Another important consideration is whether to use portable or permanent equipment. The choice depends on operation size and management style. Portable systems offer flexibility and are useful for operations that handle cattle in multiple locations, while permanent systems allow for more precise design and often greater durability. The key is to match the system to the operation, ensuring that it supports efficient and low-stress handling.

Durability and material quality are also critical factors. Equipment that breaks or fails during handling can create dangerous situations and increase stress for both cattle and handlers. Investing in strong materials, solid welds, and proper coatings to prevent rust can extend the life of equipment and reduce long-term costs.

Upgrades are Investments

Cost is often one of the biggest concerns for producers, and it is important to look at equipment as an investment rather than just an expense.  Cantrell suggests producers look at upgrades as investments rather than unnecessary expenses. When it comes to upgrades, Cantrell explains, “It’s a big investment and something they’re going to use to keep their business going”.

Research has shown that stress and poor handling can negatively impact weight gain and meat quality, which directly affects profitability. When viewed in this context, higher-quality equipment that reduces stress and improves efficiency can provide a strong return over time. For example, calmer cattle are less likely to experience bruising and less weight-loss from stress. These losses can add up quickly, making it worthwhile to invest in better facilities.

Ray Sturns illustrates how upgrades can help with both animal and handler safety. He states, “Most conventional crowding systems are antiquated, relying on human presence inside the animals’ flight zone to function. Even standing outside a swinging gate still puts the operator in that flight zone, which creates unnecessary pressure and unpredictability.”

Use Modern Tech to Further Advance

Sturns goes on to highlight how upgrading your gates can keep handlers safe and reduce injury risk. He says, “TurretGate replaces that inefficiency with a safer, more humane process. Operators receive training to stay out of the tub entirely and use a remote control instead. By avoiding the flight zone altogether, cattle move more naturally, reducing stress, virtually removing the need for people to be in with the animals. Our customers always tell us that adding the TurretGate to their current system reduced the physical exertion of two people while working cattle, and has also eliminated their labor needs by two people – that’s a big savings to any operation.”

Modern technology is also playing a growing role in cattle handling. Hydraulic chutes, electronic scales, and data tracking systems are becoming more common, especially in larger operations. They can improve efficiency and reduce physical strain on handlers, and also reduce the amount of labor needed to work cattle. Technology also allows producers to collect more data, which can be of use to make better management decisions over time.

Final Thoughts on Building Better Cattle Handling Setups

Finally, the overall layout of the facility is just as important as the cattle handling equipment setup itself. Research and extension recommendations consistently emphasize the importance of proper layout, including good drainage, thoughtful placement of pens and alleys, and consideration of environmental factors like wind and sunlight. Poor layout can create muddy conditions, increase stress, and slow down cattle movement, while a well-planned system can improve both efficiency and animal welfare.

In the end, safe cattle handling starts with handlers, and design. When it comes to cattle handling equipment, creating a system that works with the natural behavior of cattle, supports handler safety, and improves overall efficiency is key. Industry experts make it clear that low-stress handling has real, measurable benefits for animal health, performance, and profitability. By focusing on behavior, design, and long-term value, producers can build systems that make cattle work safer, smoother, and more productive for years to come.

June 2026

By Jessica Graham

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Windbreaks and Shelters for Cattle

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Windbreaks and Shelters for Cattle

In climates where wind chill can be an issue during colder months, planning ahead for winter weather can save money (in reduced feed costs, reduced illness and health costs, less loss of body condition—and better gains on young animals).  When the wind and cold stress the cattle, they seek shelter.

NATURAL WINDBREAKS –

Some regions have woods and trees, gullies and draws, where cattle can get out of the wind.  In other areas there’s not much to stop the wind.  Karl Hoppe, Extension Livestock Specialist (North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center), has been involved with cow-calf and feedlot management for 34 years and says North Dakota is a prairie state that gets a lot of wind.  “If we need natural windbreaks, we have to grow them.  We have Soil Conservation Districts that plant conservation-grade windbreaks like 7 to 15 rows of trees, but if you need a windbreak, this will take about 20 years.  You have to plan ahead for trees.  With that kind of windbreak, however, you also need to do regular maintenance.  There are always a few limbs that blow down or trees that die and need removal,” Hoppe says.
“Trees are great for slowing down wind but they also catch snow.  If snow is drifting, it will drift in those windbreaks and keep that snow out of cattle pens next to them.  This can greatly reduce the snow load in your pens.”
There is also a downside to this.  “If you have windbreaks all the way around your whole farm barnyard and pens, in the summer on a hot day when you need a breeze, it can get too hot for livestock.  In North Dakota we usually only put windbreaks around the northwest corner—on the north side and west side—and not the south side–buy there can sometimes be a cold, wet south breeze and then the cattle have no protection,” he says.
Kiernan Brandt, Extension Cow-Calf Field Specialist for South Dakota State University, says natural windbreaks (trees and brush, shelterbelts, etc.) can give cattle a lot of protection in a winter pasture.  “For a shelterbelt, you’d plant a mix of species—some that are tall, some medium height and some that are low to the ground,” he says.  This will maximize the area of shelter.
“There are several ways to go about it, depending on where it will be.  Sometimes you’d plant multiple rows, and spaced out, to allow those plants to grow and mature without crowding.  You don’t want them too close together or too dense; it’s best to have a little space in between so some air can actually pass through.  This will increase the area of coverage on the downwind side,” he explains.  You want the trees to slow the wind and not stop it completely.
“If it is too tight, the wind doesn’t have any way to slow down and pass through and will just go around it.  Sometimes a strong wind will even go faster as it whips around the end of it.  This can increase drifting and may create drifts over roads,” he says.
You might add a few evergreens to the mix, so there will be something with a lot of branches and wind protection after other trees have shed their leaves.  “When planning a shelterbelt, talk to someone in Extension or NRCS or other experts to make sure you are using the right blend of species that will give the best coverage,” says Brandt.
You also want to select plants that will do well in your climate and region, and that might be beneficial to wildlife.  Make sure you are not introducing any noxious plants or any that might be detrimental to what you are trying to accomplish.
“It helps to put some thought into this, when creating something permanent—whether a natural or manmade windbreak—regarding where it should be and to make sure it will be beneficial for a long time.  You don’t want it to create drifts over roads or paths, or in front of grain bins or hay sheds that you need to get to,” he says.
Situate a windbreak where it will give the most protection from prevailing winds.  “Here in South Dakota we get a lot of our winter weather out of the northwest.  Having a windbreak in the northwest corner of a pasture is usually best, so the animals can graze into the storm and get behind the windbreak and it won’t be in the way of them using the space in that pasture or pen,” he explains.
Deciding where to put windbreaks can be a challenge.  In some cases it comes down to using portable or temporary windbreaks, like big straw bales.

ARTIFICIAL WINDBREAKS –

You can utilize many materials when creating a man-made windbreak.  “Anything heavy-duty that utilizes material that will hold up to strong winds (and cattle rubbing) will work.  Windbreaks on high points or exposed faces where there will be heavy wind or strong gusts must be sturdy,” says Brandt.
“Wood posts need to be set 3 to 5 feet deep—below frost line—or they may work up out of the ground with frost heaves.  Wood posts should be about 8 inches in diameter.  Large drill pipe (6 to 8 inches) will also work nicely,” he says.
The amount of area you need to cover will determine what you use to create the windbreak. “We use the rule of thumb of 25 square feet per cow,” he says.   The height of the windbreak helps determine the distance of protection behind it.
“Another way to look at it is to estimate about 1 foot of fence per animal, so however long your windbreak is will determine how many cattle can be protected behind it,” says Brandt.  This is a good rule of thumb for figuring out how long the windbreak fence should be in order to accommodate a certain number of animals.
“Whenever you build windbreaks, permanent or portable, the rule of thumb is that each one foot vertical provides 10 feet of downwind protection,” says Hoppe.  If you have an 8-foot tall windbreak it will reduce wind speed for about 80 feet in a triangular shape, diminishing as you get farther out.
“When you plan for the space, you need to think about how much space a cow needs, to lie down.  If she needs about 3 feet by 8 feet that means 24 square feet, so you probably need at least 20 square feet per cow.  If you have an 8-foot tall windbreak, you need to determine how wide it should be, for a group of cows.  One board 8 feet high will not give enough protection, so you need a series of boards,” Hoppe says.
Whatever you attach to the posts should have some gaps–between the boards or tin.  You need some spaces (porosity) for air to pass through. You also need about 20% porosity, with space between the boards.  “If you need 20%, that would be an inch of space between every 1-by-6 inch board, or bigger spaces between bigger boards.  The wind will come through there fairly fast, through those slots, but as soon as it gets about a foot away from the windbreak, the air is gone and it loses that velocity.  Beyond that is a large area where it’s fairly calm and where cattle like to stand or bed,” Hoppe says.
“This actually works well, because that cold area right by the fence keeps cattle from rubbing on it; they are not up tight against it.  The windbreak should go clear to the ground or the wind will blow underneath it, unless that space fills up with snow, manure, bedding, etc.  You might have it off the ground a little, but you wouldn’t want it much off the ground or the wind will rush through.”
Brandt advises people to leave a gap at the bottom, to allow some air to pass through along the ground.  “If it is solid all the way to the dirt, there will be more risk for drifts.  By having some porosity, and especially by leaving a little open space at the bottom, we allow wind to pass through—after it slows down.”  This keeps snow from building up in front of it, or dumping in a big drift on the downwind side after the wind goes up over the windbreak.  A big drift in front of the windbreak may take a while to melt in the spring, and if it is piled against a wooden structure the snow can keep it wet for a long time and damage the wood.
“When planning any structure, give some thought about where the snow will collect after you redirect the wind.  You want it out of the way so that when drifts melt the moisture can drain away and not cause problems with mud.  This is the also important for leaving some open spaces and not have a completely solid structure that would create bigger snowdrifts than would occur in an open area,” says Brandt.
It helps to know how the land lies, where the water drains, where the animals like to gather, where they have to go for water, where you need to go to take feed to them during severe weather, etc.  Take time to plan the initial site for a windbreak.
Windbreaks don’t have to be permanent.  Even a stack of big bales (hay or straw) can provide a lot of protection, stacked along a fence.  “This works well, especially if the cattle are fed enough that they are not trying to crawl through the fence to get to those bales.  Cattle have a lot of protection if they are behind a 90-degree corner of bale stacks.  This can make a great windbreak in a pinch.  I’m from southern Wyoming, and we get a lot of wind there; people many different things to create windbreaks.
I’ve seen windbreaks made with old power poles, chiseling the ends to fit them together like Lincoln logs or a worm fence.  The main thing for something like that is to bolt them together so they can withstand major gusts of wind and won’t come apart or tip over.”
A person can also make portable windbreaks that can move with a skid steer or tractor.  “These work well, as long as they are heavy enough to withstand wind.  They need a strong, wide, heavy base.  The base should probably be 1.5 times the height of the structure.  A 10-foot tall windbreak would need a base about 15 feet wide,” Brandt says.
Hoppe says they do freeze down (and can be harder to move), and wind can also flip them over if you don’t have them staked down securely.  There are several designs and some have enough counterweight that they don’t tip over very readily.
“My neighbor has windbreaks situated at right angles, with 5 panels going one direction and 5 panels going the other direction.  The very end panel will flop, however, if you get a really strong wind.  The others wouldn’t, unless the end panels started to pull them over.  Make sure to anchor the end panels,” Hoppe says.
Windbreaks can do a lot to minimize cold stress.  Wind chill charts show what the difference is (the colder effect caused by certain wind speeds at various temperatures).  With no wind, temperatures below thirty degrees create a need for more feed for cattle, to generate the energy necessary to keep warm.  “Every 10 degree drop due to wind chill will be about a 13% increase in feed just for the animals to maintain body heat.  If it is 30 degrees outside, with a 20 mile-per-hour wind, the energy requirement for that cow will go up by about 25%.  We need to make sure we have enough space behind a windbreak to protect the majority of our animals at any given time,” says Brandt.
“In South Dakota, we get weeks and sometimes months of severe weather, so it doesn’t take long for a windbreak to pay for itself, in feed saved.”  Otherwise cattle must eat more or will be losing weight, at a time of year you don’t want them to lose weight.
“Calves are very susceptible to severe weather, whether heat or cold.  During hot weather in summer, windbreaks also create some shade.  This is very important here, where we have a lot of crop integration in our livestock systems.  Many people raise corn and soybeans as well as cattle, and those fields have no natural shade.  We tend to think of windbreaks as winter precautions but they have a lot of benefit throughout the year.”
Some of the windbreaks used in a feedlot can be converted to shade structures in summer.  “These work well as long as there is some porosity so air can go through them.  You don’t want a solid structure that would hinder any cooling breeze in summer.  The nice thing about portable windbreaks is that they can move from pasture to pasture with the cows.  These are great when cattle are on cornstalks during winter or any farm ground.  Having something that you can pick up and move from one pivot to the next can be very beneficial,” Brandt says.
Permanent windbreaks made of wood have been used for many years, but now many people make them out of metal strips, vertically or horizontally.  They last a long time, but if cattle rub on them or machinery hits them accidentally, bending or damaging them in turn.  “Cost-wise, it’s about a tossup between wood and steel unless you are in location where you can get cheap slab lumber,” Hoppe says.
“My colleague Vern Anderson, now retired, did a project with windbreaks and was able to show that the marbling, performance and average daily gain in cattle were better when there was a windbreak provided, versus no windbreak.”  The cattle don’t have to utilize as much energy just to keep warm. If you can increase their comfort level they respond by putting on more weight and adding more marbling, which makes the carcass worth more.
“Some people put out bedding for their cattle, and if a windbreak is set at an angle, there is a spot at the bottom that baby calves can crawl into and bed and not risk the cows tramping or laying on them.  A person can also put a bar there so the cows can’t get in where the calves are,” says Hoppe.  There are many designs that can be beneficial.
Some ranchers put cows in a barn during a severe storm.  The barn needs some ventilation, however, or there will be too much moisture in the air—which is not a healthy situation.  “When I was a kid growing up in Iowa we had a cattle barn with a manger in the middle filled with hay and the cows would be on both sides of it.  You could walk in there at 20 below zero and all the cattle would be standing by that manger and there was frost everywhere—on the spider webs and everything—because the cows were breathing out so much moisture.  Cattle like being indoors in cold weather but that moist warm air is not healthy,” Hoppe says.
“You need a breeze to provide adequate ventilation!  This is where a forest of trees is the best windbreak.  Cattle have fresh clean air and can find a spot out of the wind that is comfortable—and hopefully don’t eat pine needles and get pine needle abortion!”  When planting a windbreak, evergreens are nice, as long as they are not ponderosa pine.
There are many options when it comes to windbreaks and a person can usually come up with something that works, or do something innovative to fit their own situation.
The main thing is to prevent wind chill, especially if the cattle are wet from rain or a winter storm with wet snow.  If their hair gets wet and moisture gets clear down to the skin, they lose their natural insulation.  Strong wind that blows the hairs apart also reduces the insulating effect of a good winter hair coat.
“Cattle can stay pretty warm as long as the wind isn’t blowing through their hair or they get wet.  Nothing is worse than 34 degrees with rain, on newborn calves.  They chill immediately (partly because they don’t have much body mass to retain adequate core temperature).  Snow is better than a cold rain,” says Hoppe.

CALF SHELTERS –

Every year a few young calves die from hypothermia resulting from cold rain or cold, windy weather.  Prevent these losses by providing shelter in pastures that don’t have natural windbreaks.
There are many designs for calf shelters, and many innovations for creating little “houses” from all kinds of materials.  Dr. Ron Skinner (veterinarian and cattle breeder) made skids and crosspieces for his calf hutches from 6-inch well casing obtained from a salvage business.  “We can push or drag these shelters anywhere and they won’t break.  The well casing is stiff enough to drag or push over frozen cow manure.  We used vertical metal pieces and framed it with angle iron, bolted boards to that, and put a metal roof on the frame,” Skinner says.
His hutches don’t have floors.  If the ground or bedding starts to get dirty, he pushes the building to a new location when feeding cows.  “My tractor has two forks on the loader for handling round bales, and I just slide those tines under the end of the hutch, pick it up a little and slide it any direction.  I can roll some straw off a round bale into the hutch, for new bedding,” says Skinner.
 On our ranch, my husband designed and built our first calf house in 1968, then built several more.  Each of these long, narrow shelters (8 by 16 feet) can house about 20 calves and is built on runners to easily move to a different location if necessary.  Each house has a sloping galvanized metal roof (higher in front) and a floor. This keeps calves up out of the mud or melting snow run-off that may flow across a field.  The floor has slats, so urine runs down through it, and bedding stays drier.  The floor also makes the house more durable (it holds together better when it moves) and adds weight so it can never be blown over.
The front of the house is partly closed, with opening low enough to keep cows out, and help hold warmth in (the body heat of several calves can make the house warmer) and keep cold breezes out.  Cows might reach in to eat bedding and there is also risk of a calf being stepped on or laid on if cows congregate in front of a house.  We keep the front area yarded off with pole panels or an electric wire, so calves can come and go, but the cows cannot get to it.
An instant calf shelter can be made with big straw bales (with mesh panels along the sides to keep the cows from eating the outside surfaces) and a tarp roof.  Position Pole panels or portable corral panels in front so calves can get in, but cows can’t.  This can be a very effective shelter in an emergency or whenever you don’t have time to make a permanent shelter.
by Heather Smith Thomas

October 2025

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Mitigate Risk with Cattle Buildings

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Mitigate Risk with Cattle Buildings: 4 Key Considerations for Success

With input and acreage costs at an all-time high, beef production comes with tighter margins and more business risk than ever. This has prompted many producers to add cattle buildings for a more controlled environment — but not all cattle buildings are created equal. Here are four key considerations.

1. Consider the seasonal benefits

From breeding to pre-calving to calving and weaning — a cattle building brings unique benefits all year round. Heat checking is easier, making insemination more effective. Pre-calving and calving can happen in a controlled environment that makes human intervention easier, and weaning can be done in the shade.

2. Compare fabric to metal

There are some key benefits to choosing a fabric-covered building versus a traditional metal monoslope building, according to Kelly Daniels, owner of Hedgewood Equipment – an Accu-Steel certified dealer specializing in cattle.
“First, you’ll have better ventilation with a fabric-covered building, which is critical to not only the health of the herd, but also to the longevity of the building,” says Daniels. “You may notice in older metal cattle buildings that moisture caused by poor airflow has led to rust and corrosion in key structural points.”
Daniels also says you should consider the natural light, higher clear-span space for equipment entry, lower cost and much shorter lead times of fabric-covered buildings.

3. Evaluate the manufacturer’s product

There can be significant differences in the quality and longevity of one fabric-covered steel building to another. According to Daniels, here are some of the key things to consider:
● Galvanization: Ensure the steel structure is hot dip galvanized for the best corrosion resistance. While many manufacturers hot dip galvanize, some do it pre-fabrication, meaning their critical weld points are left unprotected. Make sure to choose a manufacturer that does post-fabrication hot dip galvanization.
● Airflow: Next, choose a manufacturer with dual eaves and ridge ventilation that not only improve airflow, but keep your cattle comfortable, clean and dry year-round.
● Fabric: While many manufacturers use one or two continuous sheets of fabric to cover the entire structure, Accu-Steel uses 16-foot sections of EnduroLocTM fabric on Keder tracks, making it easier and more cost-effective to repair or replace in the future.

4. Look for turn-key consultation

  • While many fabric-covered building manufacturers simply ask, ”what size do you need?” and then give you a price, others offer a more consultative approach. Here are a few questions to consider when selecting a dealer.
  •  Are they asking the right questions? A good dealer will have a demonstrated knowledge of cow/calf operations, asking the right questions and showing you drawings of potential configurations to meet your unique needs.
  • Can they handle more than the building? A good dealer will not just sell you a building, but can help manage the entire project — from hiring the earthmoving, cement and foundation work, to selling the cattle gating and all the equipment within the building.
  • Do they understand EQIP NRCS funding? The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can often help fund up to half the cost of a fabric-covered building project, so long as the design meets NRCS requirements. Choose a dealer and manufacturer who are familiar with those requirements and can help guide you through the NRCS funding process.

Ready for a fabric-covered building?

Accu-Steel offers post-fabrication hot dip galvanized steel, three-way airflow, an innovative Keder cover system with EnduroLocTM fabric and a certified dealer network of experts in the cattle industry. Visit www.AccuSteel.com for more information.

Article provided by Accu-Steel, Inc.

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