What Makes Metal Barns Best For Livestock Farming

Metal barns have gained popularity in recent years. From crop storage, sheltering livestock to storing heavy agricultural equipment, prefab metal barn buildings are used extensively. Livestock farming is essential for American farmers as they invest heavily in it.

According to reports published in 2017, the cattle industry with a high production value was roughly $50.2bn, and the poultry industry was next with a production of $42.7bn, followed by hogs and pigs at $38.1bn.

If you are a farmer looking for a new barn, trying to expand your livestock shelter or an avid animal lover, you would love to own a metal barn. Metal barns can significantly cut farmers’ costs, saving money on building and investing in buying more livestock, increasing their production capabilities.

Here are a few points that make metal barns the best option for livestock farming:

Easy Construction

Wooden barns construction can take up to 6 to 12 weeks with a team of laborers working 8 hours per day. A metal barn takes 2-3 weeks to erect at the installation site. All the raw materials required to construct a prefab livestock barn are cut and drilled in the factory. It only needs to be installed at the construction site. Hence, it reduces the labor cost.

Farmers do not have to go through weeks of annoyance due to construction noise that can hinder their work and scare animals. There is no unnecessary debris lying around that needs to be removed or might hurt animals.

Low Initial Cost

Prefab Barn comes at an affordable price compared to its wooden counterpart. A farmer does not have to worry about arranging heavy investments before starting a business. On average, constructing a wooden barn costs $20-$100 per square foot, whereas a prefab metal barn costs $15-$40 per square foot.

Since initial costs are low, a farmer can invest saved money in purchasing extra livestock, which will profit them in the long run.

Pest Resistance

Pests such as termites and mildew can compromise the structural integrity of a wooden building, whereas metal is resistant to it. Not just that, some pests can even cause and spread infection among livestock, damaging farmers’ production ability.

Rodents like rats and mice can cut through a wooden frame and deplete your animal’s food supply. However, they cannot damage a metal frame and thereby cannot enter crop or food supply storage.

Environmental Conditions

Wooden buildings wear and tear fast due to rain, storms, and sun rays. This is where steel structures come in handy for your livestock farming. You can install reflective panels to prevent overheating due to the sun. Metal does not absorb rain and moisture. Hence, they will stand the test of time. An adequately designed metal building can resist wind speed up to 170mph. During extreme weather conditions, metal buildings will showcase more protection to your livestock.

Regulated Temperature

The majority of livestock animals which are kept in barns are warm-blooded creatures. This means they need a specific environment and temperature to maintain their body heat. Animals are living beings; just like us, they are susceptible to extreme temperatures.

A prefab metal barn building can have insulators to regulate indoor temperature. It will keep your livestock healthy and safe and reduce the energy consumption of cooling or heating appliances, thereby keeping your energy bills low.

Prevent Intruders

A wild animal cannot break into a prefab barn building. This banishes the entry of wild animals by the door or digging through the floor. Your live stocks are your asset, and you would want them to be safe from foxes or coyotes. The wooden building is easier to penetrate, especially if it is old.

Metals are Robust

Since metal buildings are so durable, they have a very long-lasting value. If you ever want to get rid of it, you can demolish it and sell the metal to the nearest scrap yard. It will make you some money even at the end of its life. Hence, you should shop for prefab barn buildings. It is an excellent long-term investment.

Simple to Modify

In the future, if you want to increase the capacity of your livestock, metal structures are easier to modify and expand. A few metal frames need to be removed, and a new set of panels can be added in a few hours, depending on the size of your metal barn.

Less Maintenance

As we have seen above, metal has many advantages over timber. A bonus is that it requires less maintenance. Unlike wood, a metal structure does not need to be sprayed with unwanted chemicals and taken care of every season. A steel building will only require upkeep occasionally.

Customization

You can customize your prefab barn according to your livestock farming choice. For larger animals, you can modify your structure pre-production. You can chat with your dealer and give details of your requirement before you shop for the prefab barn building.

Wrap Up

Metal barns are resistant to most of the problems encountered by wooden structures. In addition to the above points, you can choose between various color options. They are fire resistant, which will aid your livestock farming. You can also design and make it look aesthetically pleasing to the eye if you want.

So, in a nutshell, if you are looking to shop for a barn, Viking Barns offers you a perfect prefab metal barn that would fit your needs. You can also talk about our customization options with Viking Barns’ customer service. So, what are you waiting for? We are just one call away. Reach us today at 704-579-6966.