Click on the images below to download full-size plans.
Description: Six bay slatted suckler unit with single slatted tank. An “A” shaped roof, with a single 5.0m slatted tank and six straw bedded pens for calving and calf creep at the back. Three calving gates are shown; one every two calving boxes. Sliding doors at gable end allow access for straw bedding and cleaning out. There are doors at the back to allow calves out to a paddock.![]()
Feed space: 28.8m of feed space for 54 to 60 suckler cows is 0.48m to 0.53m per animal for silage. More feed space could be provided along the back of the slatted pens.
Pen area: Six slatted pens @ 4.8m x 6.1m each = 29.28m2.Six straw bedded pens @ 4.8m x 5.9m each = 28.32m2.
Animal lying space/pen: 2.7 to 3.0m2 per suckler cow there is room for 9 to 10 cows per pen.Total number of cows: 54 to 60 suckler cows.Capacity of tanks: The tank capacity is 356m3 (78,320 gallons) and the net storage is 327m3. The tank is 31.6m long x 4.7m wide and 2.4m deep, with freeboard of 0.2m.![]()
Slurry storage required: This slatted tank will cater for 70 suckler cows for 16 weeks, 63 for 18 weeks, 56 for 20 weeks and 51 for 22 weeks. So for 22 weeks more storage would be required in order to comply with regulations, perhaps by extending the tank and placing heavy duty slabs on the extension. It is always good to have surplus storage capacity as it makes slurry management much easier in spring.Ventilation: The inlet is via vented sheeting and a continuous opening under the eave at the back. As the shed is narrower than 15m the continuous opening is not mandatory for grant purposes. We need plenty of fresh air but must guard against down draughts on the calves as well. The open front of the shed needs to be sheltered. The outlet is a standard ridge cap for this width of shed.DAFM specifications: Refer to S100, S101, S102, S123 and S129.
Design modifications: Some may prefer 3.8m or 4.4m slats instead of the 5m, depending on numbers, feed space requirement and general preferences. The drawing shows short walls and creep gates between the slats and the calving/creep pens. A feeding barrier and creep gates would perhaps work better here as it would provide more feed space, thereby giving you more control of feeding and general versatility of the shed. The sliding doors would both need to be in line for ease of access for feeding at the back of the slats. It is possible to turn this shed into a cubicle house if desired in future by putting in two lines of cubicles and extending shed by one or two bays with a cross tank to collect the slurry. This would provide 50 or 58 cubicle places. The roof shape could be chosen to marry in to existing sheds or allow the unit to be doubled up or slatted cattle shed to be built opposite the feed barrier, at some future time. Read more
Special focus: planning for TAMS II and FBIS grants
Click on the images below to download full-size plans.
Description: Six bay slatted suckler unit with single slatted tank. An “A” shaped roof, with a single 5.0m slatted tank and six straw bedded pens for calving and calf creep at the back. Three calving gates are shown; one every two calving boxes. Sliding doors at gable end allow access for straw bedding and cleaning out. There are doors at the back to allow calves out to a paddock.![]()
Feed space: 28.8m of feed space for 54 to 60 suckler cows is 0.48m to 0.53m per animal for silage. More feed space could be provided along the back of the slatted pens.
Pen area: Six slatted pens @ 4.8m x 6.1m each = 29.28m2.Six straw bedded pens @ 4.8m x 5.9m each = 28.32m2.
Animal lying space/pen: 2.7 to 3.0m2 per suckler cow there is room for 9 to 10 cows per pen.Total number of cows: 54 to 60 suckler cows.Capacity of tanks: The tank capacity is 356m3 (78,320 gallons) and the net storage is 327m3. The tank is 31.6m long x 4.7m wide and 2.4m deep, with freeboard of 0.2m.![]()
Slurry storage required: This slatted tank will cater for 70 suckler cows for 16 weeks, 63 for 18 weeks, 56 for 20 weeks and 51 for 22 weeks. So for 22 weeks more storage would be required in order to comply with regulations, perhaps by extending the tank and placing heavy duty slabs on the extension. It is always good to have surplus storage capacity as it makes slurry management much easier in spring.Ventilation: The inlet is via vented sheeting and a continuous opening under the eave at the back. As the shed is narrower than 15m the continuous opening is not mandatory for grant purposes. We need plenty of fresh air but must guard against down draughts on the calves as well. The open front of the shed needs to be sheltered. The outlet is a standard ridge cap for this width of shed.DAFM specifications: Refer to S100, S101, S102, S123 and S129.
Design modifications: Some may prefer 3.8m or 4.4m slats instead of the 5m, depending on numbers, feed space requirement and general preferences. The drawing shows short walls and creep gates between the slats and the calving/creep pens. A feeding barrier and creep gates would perhaps work better here as it would provide more feed space, thereby giving you more control of feeding and general versatility of the shed. The sliding doors would both need to be in line for ease of access for feeding at the back of the slats. It is possible to turn this shed into a cubicle house if desired in future by putting in two lines of cubicles and extending shed by one or two bays with a cross tank to collect the slurry. This would provide 50 or 58 cubicle places. The roof shape could be chosen to marry in to existing sheds or allow the unit to be doubled up or slatted cattle shed to be built opposite the feed barrier, at some future time. Read more
Special focus: planning for TAMS II and FBIS grants
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