Planning a Dairy Loafing Barn? 7 Things to Consider Before You Build

Planning a dairy loafing barn? Before deciding on the size or layout, answer a few key questions.

The way cows use the barn, your existing dairy setup and plans for future growth can all affect the design and cost.

Here’s what to consider before you build.

1. What Do You Need the Barn to Do?

Will cows use the barn for shelter during hot or wet weather, or spend most of the day under cover? Will they feed, drink or rest inside?

Dairy Australia lists different ways to house cows, including shelters, barns with bedding and individual cow stalls. Each has different building and management requirements.

The number of cows using the barn at one time also matters. For example, a 300-cow herd using the barn for a few hours may need a different layout from one housed for most of the day.

Think about future growth too.

If you’re milking 250 cows today but plan to grow to 350, it’s worth planning where and how you could extend the barn in the future.

For more information, see Dairy Australia’s Feeding and Housing Infrastructure resources.

2. What Will Cows Need Inside the Barn?

Shade, airflow, water, bedding and room to move all need to be considered when planning the building.

Heat and Ventilation

Heat stress can affect how much cows eat, their milk production and fertility.

Building height, roof design, orientation and open sides can help with airflow. Some dairies may also need fans or cooling systems.

Plan for these early so the building can accommodate them.

Learn more about managing heat stress in dairy herds.

Water Access

Cows need reliable access to clean water, especially in hot weather.

Plan water points so cows can drink easily, without blocking busy walkways or creating wet areas.

Your dairy and water advisers can help determine how much water is needed, along with trough locations and flow rates.

See Dairy Australia’s stock water guidance.

Bedding and Manure

Your bedding system will affect the barn layout and machinery access.

For example, compost bedding needs regular turning, so machinery must be able to reach all bedding areas.

You’ll also need to plan how manure and effluent will be managed, with advice from the relevant specialists.

Dairy Australia’s National Feedpad and Contained Housing Guidelines provide further guidance.

3. How Will Cows and Machinery Move?

Think about how cows, machinery and staff will move around the barn.

Where will cows enter and leave? Will machinery need to cross cow routes? Is there enough room for vehicles to turn?

These details can affect door positions, column locations and building clearances.

Before finalising the layout, mark the main cow and machinery routes on your existing dairy plan. Include the equipment you use and how much room it needs to operate.

This can help identify access problems before construction.

4. Where Should You Build?

The best place to build isn’t always the easiest place to construct on.

Think about how the barn will connect to your dairy, laneways, feeding areas and existing infrastructure.

Before choosing a site, check:

Cow walking distances
Machinery access
Ground levels and drainage
Prevailing winds and airflow
Access to water, power and effluent systems
Room for future expansion
Council planning and approval requirements

Where Will the Rainwater Go?

A large roof collects a lot of water.

For example, a 5,000 m² roof receiving 700 mm of rain in a year has approximately 3.5 million litres of rain falling onto it, before losses.

Some of this water could be collected and reused, but you’ll also need to plan where any excess water will go.

Work with your civil and drainage specialists to manage roof water and runoff before finalising the site layout.

What About Approvals?

Planning requirements vary by location and project.

Check with your council or planning adviser whether development consent or other approvals may be required.

It’s worth doing this before committing to the building location or final design.

5. What Will Affect the Building Design and Cost?

Once you know how the barn will be used, you can start planning the structure.

Key decisions that can affect building costs include:

Building size and clear spans
Column positions
Roof height and design
Site conditions and engineering requirements

Changing these details later can mean extra engineering work and costs.

You don’t need everything worked out before requesting a quote, but sharing your site plan, herd numbers and machinery requirements will help us understand your project.

6. How Can TechSpan Help?

Collaboration starts with understanding your business, not just your building requirements.

Every dairy operates differently. We take the time to understand your business so we can plan construction around your day-to-day business.

This helps us find practical ways to get the job done while keeping disruption to a minimum.

Our 3C Advantage guides the process.

Concept: We work with you to understand what the building needs to achieve.

Configure: We develop the structural design, including building size, spans, column positions, roof design and machinery clearances.

Construct: We manufacture and build the structure to the agreed design.

We also work alongside your advisers to make sure the building suits the planned civil works, drainage and effluent systems.

7. What Do You Need Before Getting Started?

You don’t need a finished design before talking to TechSpan.

The following information will help us understand your project:

Current herd size and plans for growth
How cows will use the barn
A site plan or existing dairy layout, if available
Feeding and bedding requirements
Machinery that needs access
Any known site or drainage challenges
Your expected project timeframe

Don’t have all the answers? That’s okay. We can help identify what needs to be worked through during Concept.