Project

Sherriff’s loafing barn was completed in May 2018 and was designed to complement the existing feed pad.  
This farming operation utilises a hybrid system of supplement fed on the pad and grazing when the weather permits during the day, and then supplement on the pad and loafing in the barn overnight. When the weather turns, the animals go by their own accord into the barn during the day.

The clients selected the woodchip system due to the straightforward way in which effluent is dealt with – there simply isn’t any. With the semi-composting system, combining regular aeration and good airflow, liquid evaporates out of the chip, the top of which will be replaced every few years. The removed product will be used as a high analysis fertiliser on-farm.

The main construction criteria were to minimise cost and maximise space and the Thompson structural steel building met this well.  With only two rows of intermediate columns within the 3120m² building supporting the 40m wide roof, and 10m wide bay spacings, there are only 14 columns inside the shed itself.  This makes the initial setup, ongoing aeration and subsequent replacement of woodchip on the floor easy through the three wide alleyways.

Open gables and eave walls provide plenty of airflow within the building and combined with clearlight strips in the roof it is a very bright and natural environment for the animals.