Frequently asked questions

A nonresidential farm building on a farm is exempt from the Florida Building Code under s. 604.50, F.S., and barns, loafing sheds and working pens built for the farm usually qualify. Floodplain rules still apply, and the county may want to see that the land is in agricultural use, so confirm with the building department before you start.

Shade does most of it. A tall, open-sided shed lets hot air rise and the breeze pass through, and turning the long side toward the prevailing wind helps. Insulation or a reflective layer under the roof panels cuts the heat radiating onto the animals. Fans or sprinklers over feed and holding areas are common additions.

It depends on the size of the animals, how long they spend under cover and whether they also have pasture. Extension services publish space guidelines by class of cattle; use those, count the herd at its largest and leave room to grow. The depth of the shed matters as much as its length, because depth decides how far rain blows in.

Usually with the open side turned away from the prevailing winter wind and storms, so the closed back takes the weather. In hot climates shade counts too, and a deep shed with a high open front lets air move through. Look at where water will drain, since cattle churn wet ground at the opening into mud quickly.

Pens, a crowding tub or alley, a squeeze chute and a loading chute, laid out so cattle move forward without balking. The roof covers the working area so you can process cattle in rain or heat. Place the columns around the pen and alley layout so no post lands in the flow.

Not throughout. Many loafing sheds sit on compacted ground or a gravel base, with concrete at feed bunks, waterers, alleys and the chute, where hooves and scrapers wear the ground into ruts. Concrete in the high-traffic spots also makes scraping manure far easier.

Manure and urine are hard on steel, especially at the base of columns. Common answers are concrete curbs or knee walls that lift the steel above the manure line, liner panels on the lower walls, and good ventilation to cut ammonia and moisture. Ask the contractor what panel coatings they offer for animal housing.