Easy Barns
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One of the most common uses of hoop buildings is for animal barns. Hoop barns provide just the right conditions for most livestock at a low cost. Fabric buildings protect your livestock and equipment while naturally improving ventilation and providing filtered light, making them a better environment for both animals and people.
We have not personally raised every animal yet and our information is incomplete because you really could raise almost any animal successfully in a hoop barn. There are great breed-specific sources for more information online.
Here are our suggested space requirements for some common animals.
| Animal | Space per Each | Space 25 Head | Space 100 Head | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef Cattle, Mature | 35 – 50 ft² | 900 – 1,200 ft² | 4,000 – 5,000 ft² | Less with outdoor access |
| Feeder Calves | 25 – 40 ft² | 650 – 1,000 ft² | 3,000 – 4,500 ft² | More space = faster gains |
| Cow Calf Barn | 40 – 60 ft² | 1,000 – 1,500 ft² | 4,000 6,000 ft² | Loose housing |
| Dairy Free Stall Barn | 32 – 40 ft² | 800 – 1,000 ft² | 3,200 – 4,200 ft² | Require exercise area |
| Goats/Sheep | 20 – 25 ft² | 500 – 650 ft² | 2,000 – 2.500 ft² | Require exercise area |
| Hogs | 48 – 100 ft² | 1,200 – 2,500 ft² | 5,000 – 12,000 ft² | Area for waterers & feed |
| Horse Barn, Tie Stall | 45 ft² | 1,200 ft² | 4,500 – 5,000 ft² | Box stall 12×12 |
| Horse Arena | Minimum suggested width: 60 ft for any style riding. Better arenas are over 100′ wide | |||
| Birds, Small | 3 – 4 ft² | 75 – 100 ft² | 300 – 400 ft² | Exercise pen |
Swine housing is possibly among the earliest uses of hoop barns in the United States. Iowa State University conducted extensive research and found that not only were membrane structures economical, but they were also highly efficient for raising deep-bedded hogs. There are still many independent producers raising swine in hoop barns, both large and small.
The sizing and design of a swine barn depend on many factors: the number of head at finish weight, the required water and feeder space, alleyways. and even the breed of pigs. We recommend consulting with your local county or university extension experts.
If you’ve already done the legwork and know what you need, we’re happy to help you with budgeting; just ask.
We live in an area with a lot of dairies, so, of course, some of our first buildings were for dairy cattle. We built a large free-stall barn for the then-head of the state dairy association, and he was thrilled with its performance. Many other dairies in South Dakota and the surrounding area followed with hoop sheds and even hoop milking parlors.
Our beef cattle and feedlot neighbors quickly caught on to the great deal that hoop structures are, and soon we were building many barns for them also. Even small producers could see a noticeable difference in the health and happiness of their herds.
There are many uses for a fabric barn if you’re a cattleman. They’re great for everything from commodity storage to calving barns. We go into detail on other pages about how great hoop structures are for cows. If you’d like help with your plans, give us a call.
Sheep and goats need cool, dry housing to thrive. Fabric buildings can be ventilated in many ways: top, sides, and ends; that makes them ideal for sheep.
A hoop barn is a clear span structure which means there are no interior post or walls to interfere with designing your pens or moving them to accommodate your flock.
An indoor horse riding arena has to be a pretty large building if it’s to be of any use at all. Many customers include a stable in their hoop building.
Please see our arena page for our recommendations for a horse arena building.
Yes, birds love hoop buildings and do great housed in them. We’ve seen everything from chickens to ostriches housed in fabric structures and thriving.
As anyone who’s been around a large birding operation can tell you, a place for birds ne,200eds ventilation and lots of it! You have that in a hoop structure and also all important daylight to keep your birds on track.
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