barn layout

[Anonymous]

Looking for some direction on pasture layout foar a new farm. I have
about 3 acres to fence and a barn to build. Seems hard to decided
what
to do with an empty slate.

Have seen a couple of articles, but wanted your input on what works
and
what you would not do again. Plan starting with 2-3 girls but know I
need to plan for some boys.

Please foward me any articles or links that you might find helpful!

[Marty McGee Bennett]

Hi, Thanks for your email. Many people ask me to give them specific guidance about building the perfect barn. The problem is that as soon as you build the perfect barn your herd mix will change and you will need a different set up...that is why I recommend using panels instead of walls to set up the inside of your barn. The best thing is to understand animal handling principals and then set up your barn and pastures to work for your particular piece of property in your particular part of the world.

You can download an article that I wrote about barn and pasture layout from the GUILD LIBRARY http://www.camelidynamics.com/guildForum/forumdisplay.php?f=16 My book has some other ideas for barn and pasture layout too. Hope this helps. Marty

[Marty McGee Bennett]

Hello Marty
*
My wife and I just took the leap and purchased 2 young female alpacas Our plan is to board them for a year while we set up on property.* I"ve purchased and read your very informative Camalid Companion and envy you your lifestyle, sensitivity, and knowledge.* I've also read your artical - Let Your Facilities Do Your Training and Handling For You - and appreciate the advice given.* My question is - do you have, or can you direct us to, *a detailed design for a barn/handling facility?* We're hoping to design and construct fencing and facilities this summer.*
*
Thanks in advance


I wish I could help with more specifics but I can't help you. Each situation, budget, climate and so on is so different it would be very difficult to design a barn that would work for everyone. General suggestions are to avoid building anything permanent in your barn but to use portable panels. That way you won't make expensive mistakes and they are really better for air flow. We just bought a small ranch here in Bend and will be building a barn next year we have a small two stall horse barn now but need something more. But it will be more of a training center than breeding facility but I am going to have very clever ideas for handling.... but not for a while yet. Good luck and hope to see you at a clinic or have I already? I am glad my book and article were helpful I wish I could offer more now.

[Marty McGee Bennett]

Marty,
*
Do you have a reference or a referral for manufacturers for gates, shutes, metal panels etc. * I am wondering if there is anyone in reasonable driving distance to save the shipping etc.*
*
I downloaded your barn design off your website article.* Is that design also based on an approximate total area of 20 ft. X 40 ft.* In that design on page 5 of your article in area G, what side of that enclosure would the creep door go on as it shows two sliding doors and a gate into section F the Final Holding Area.* Thanks for your help.
*



The barn design is based on the small areas... the training pen and office being 9 feet on a side using the green light weight camelid panels that are sold by a number of people. I just bought 30 from Steven's llamatique you can find them on the web. Shipping is a problem but you can often buy them at a llama or alpaca show after the show. They also make a 4 foot panel that can be turned on its end and turned into a creep entrance. As far as gates and so on for your training area the entrance to the creep must be available to where the babies live so presumably that would be the large loafing area where the girls live. The other gates would allow you to leave the training pen for the aisle way for lead training or easy access from other areas of the barn. A good rule of thumb is that you can't have too many gates.

[pdhmaine]

Marty,
After attending your recent workshop in VT, I came home ready to change the way I've been doing things the past year. First, instead of trying to coax with grain or drag the alpacas to the scale, I set up a narrow runway between one pen and the catch pen with the green panels. Most of the alpacas walked sedately across the scale and I was able to record their weights, but Dazzell and Guinness were both so scared of the scale that they jumped over or ran across it. I just decided to walk the gang through for a few days. Eventually all walked calmly, so then I haltered them in the pen and walked them individually, stopped on the scale recorded weights and took off the halters. Dazzell is 175.5 and Guinness is just over 113 lbs. When I'm done weighing, I just slide the panels back where they belong and unplug the scale. SIMPLE and so much less stressful for all of us.
Warm regards,
Pam

[Marty McGee Bennett]

another idea... a "stop" panel in the front of the scale to keep them from leaping across ... Jo Stewart another member in Oregon has a stop panel with a red and white sign that says Whoa! I have posted a picture of another cool scale idea and it sounds like all of your lovelies have the idea now.

[mulberry]

When we had the chance to build a new barn last autumn, we turned to Marty's help and advice for planning and we could not be more delighted with the results. The barn was completed in early December and in the last eight months the interior has evolved as our needs have changed. One of the many great things about the barn layout is that it is so very flexible. We can weigh 20 animals in as many minutes. We have elminated food-fights by arranging feeding stalls to work around the needs of both the greedy and the shy animals. Handling the alpacas has become a joy, since we can herd those animals we want to work with quickly and efficiently into a space that makes them feel comfortable. We cannot recommend Marty's article (http://www.camelidynamics.com/guild...isplay.php?f=16 ) highly enough. Thanks, Marty.

[Don Hereford]

another idea... a "stop" panel in the front of the scale to keep them from leaping across ... Jo Stewart another member in Oregon has a stop panel with a red and white sign that says Whoa! I have posted a picture of another cool scale idea and it sounds like all of your lovelies have the idea now.

[Don Hereford]

Hi Marty, Merry christmas.... Was looking at the picture of the scale shute with gate, shows as post #6 for me... I was wondering how tall the sides of the shute are? Looks like 2 or 3 feet, am I judging correctly? I want to construct a similar set up but not shure how high to make the sides...
Thanks,
Don Hereford:) :)

[Marty McGee Bennett]

I would suggest higher than lower. I think 4 to 4.5 feet is great as long as they can see through them and it doesn't feel like a cave.