Dexer/Jersey cross advendure

USpony

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I don't think much of my cold location either, but I'm trying to "bloom where I'm planted" so to speak. I grew up in middle Tennessee and plan to move back someday. Cohabitation with the pony won't work out unfortunately. Rusty is the type of animal whose practical jokes are usually only funny to himself. When he was chasing my steers I swear he was trying to run them through the electric fence so he could escape without getting shocked.

I have been looking at the pre made barns with interest. I came across a company that does car ports. For about $2500 I could get a 3 sided 12' x 21' carport with the open side being one of the long sides which I could face south. We rarely get wind from the south and when we do it is usually warmer. Our prevailing winds are from the west and they blow fierce here since there are no hills and only distant trees to slow the wind down.

Do you think that could work? I could build whatever I need inside it the carport barn. Like a 9'x12' pen for Pony-gedan, and a more enclosed section for milking and calving. I need at least enough room for my dairy cow, her calf (will separate at night if it doesn't work to leave on mom 24/7), and the steer I am raising for beef. One reason I like smaller cattle. It would protect the animals from the most wind and most precipitation. The pony does great with that but he is a tough little bugger. Not sure how a Jersey cow would tolerate it. I would just use it during the worst weather (animals on rotational grazing most of the time) but also during mud time. Our environment is very flat here so water has no where to drain. The mud gets crazy and if I can't get animals off my pastures the gazing is quickly destroyed.

This carport is rated for 130 mile winds, but I would need to figure out a way to anchor it so it can't blow away. I once saw someones smaller carport blow away in one of our wind gusts. I may make it a run-in shed situation so it would open onto a "dry lot". If I can figure out how to keep it from becoming a mud lot. I hate the mud and I hate my animals having to live in it. The area I want to put my barn is on a little higher rise than the surrounding land. Hopefully it won't get muddy inside the barn. No, no, no.
 

farmerjan

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No reason why a carport wouldn't work. If you can get it "installed" then they will anchor it. I know that there are anchors that they use for them, just ask. Then, as you said, build whatever you want inside, under roof. Lots of options if you look. Also, try looking at companies that make cattle and greenhouse type buildings. Can't think of the name right off, I get their catalog in the mail and they are a BIG company, with tons of options for a million different types of shelters; from chickens to calf raising to geenhouses to HUGE structures for hay and equipment storage. FARM TEK I am pretty sure they are called. They have some things that I would love to try.
 

USpony

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I've looked at the hoop house type structure Farm Tek has. Not sure but still weighing options. If I use a carport type structure do I have to insulate it? I heard they can be colder inside than outside, but mine would be pretty open anyway. And its open to the greatest amount of sun to the south.
 

farmerjan

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No insulation would not be good if you will have a southern exposure. LS is right, they will do fine if they have some protection from the worst of the wind. The thing is for you to be able to milk and all without freezing off your fingers. If you hand milk then the udder will keep them warm while in contact. It's the wind that will do more damage to both animals and humans. Around here you can get the carports in the 6-900 range but they don't have full sides. They are pretty popular here and I have seen them in fields for basic shelter for an animal, many using them to put their roll of hay under and the animal can also get some protection from say a cold rain or heavy snow. I have always found that if you offer it to them, they will sometimes use it and sometimes not. But they have the choice to do so or not. It's when they don't have the option or a bully won't let them in to get out of the weather that makes it hard. All the pastures where we keep the cattle over the winter do not have barns. But they have cedar thickets where they can get in to get away from the worst of the winds and often there will be very little snow that will accumulate. The cows will be out on a sunny day and then on real windy days you won't see any because they are in a group of cedars or in a little hollow that the wind doesn't whip through.
 

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