Cefnamlwch Farm, Wales

Description

Constructing a new cow shed has provided farm manager, Elgan Davies, with a healthy, well ventilated area in which he can rear calves and care for specific cows.

Cefnamlwch Farm is located on the LLyn Peninsula in North Wales and currently runs 900 dairy cows, with a strong emphasis on producing as much milk as possible from grazing. The herd calves in a ten-week block, starting in February and ending in mid April.

The decision to build a new housing unit was motivated by a need for a dual purpose covered area, where Elgan can calve cows and house cows that have been singled out as needing extra attention. The farm has a large area of outdoor cubicles, but Elgan was struggling to provide enough covered space to meet the demands placed by a gradually increasing herd.

Planning for the new build got underway with a water tight design brief to build a robust shed, but one that was relatively simple to construct given the constraints that limited farm labour and available time imposed.

As the primary calving area on the farm, Elgan knew that it was important to get ventilation levels right and ensure calculating the optimum spacing of side boards and incorporating a protected open ridge. By doing so he has helped to minimise the risk of calf health problems associated with air borne diseases and heat stress.

Profile 6 Fibre Cement roofing sheets were used on the build and help to keep condensation levels to a minimum. The farm is also subjected to strong coastal winds, so the hardwearing, durable made them an ideal choice from which to construct the new build’s roof.

Elgan is very pleased with the performance of the new shed so far which provides a light, airy and protected area that he can use to house cattle.