Good infrastructure is key to ensuring the Australian dairy industry’s continued growth and innovation, allowing dairy operations to run efficiently and profitably.
In recent years, there has been a growing trend of investing in new and improved facilities such as calf sheds and calving shelters.
This has been driven by an industry focus on animal welfare and cow comfort and how it impacts consumer sentiment, cow performance and profitability.
Similarly, labour constraints such as shortages have also encouraged research and investment in innovations such as robotic dairies.
And generally, new dairy shed builds and platform upgrades have also been a focus.
A prime example of this is the herringbone dairy shed recently constructed at Cobden.
Keep reading to learn more about this Action dairy shed build in more detail.
About The Project
Size: 24m x 18m x 3.6m
Location: Cobden VIC
Build Date: 2020
6 Important Project Details
Here are some of the key details that make this an effective dairy shed design.
1
Open Side Configuration
The shed features open sides to allow for sufficient airflow, which helps to keep it dry and the cows cool.
2
Easy Shed Access
A roller door works with the open sides to facilitate easy access and ensures effective airflow.
3
Effective Lighting
A run of skylights in the central bay allows natural light to filter through the shed.
The benefit of the opaque product used is that it provides effective lighting without causing the cows to baulk at floor shadows.
You can learn more about farm shed lighting options here – 3 Farm Shed Lighting Options
4
Corrosion Protection
All columns, trusses and sliding doors are fully hot dip galvanised for maximum corrosion protection, which is essential in such a highly corrosive environment!
Every Action shed is fully hot dip galvanised – both columns and trusses – and you can learn why in the video below.
5
Concrete Flooring For Cow Comfort
The concrete floor of the shed is grooved to prevent cows from slipping and becoming lame, and the site is carefully chosen to promote good drainage and minimise the risk of slipping.
6
Smart Site Selection
The carefully selected site provides ample space for an ideal herringbone shed design and layout.
This allows effective drainage and effluent management, provides a low-stress environment for the cows and allows room for future infrastructure expansion such as a loafing barn.
Project Price Guide
A price guide for a similar project in 2024 would be approx. $60,000 – $80,000 including GST, footings and erection costs.
Project Gallery
Browse some of our favourite photos of the project for inspiration for your dairy shed build!
Useful Resources
If you found this article interesting, you might also like these:
- Featured Project – 24 Metre Span Rotary Dairy Shed Project
- What Is The Best Loafing Barn Orientation?
- Is This The Best-Practice Calving Shed Design?
- What Is The Best Calf Shed Bedding Material?
And that’s a wrap on this recently built herringbone dairy shed project! Browse our Learning Hub for more resources and brochures.
