# Barn and Pasture Plans



## Guest

Here are my plans for the pasture and barn. On the barn plans just imagine an additional 10 foot lean-to cover the main doe pens. The barn will be 40x40 even though it is 30x40 in the picture. The addition was an afterthought and there was no way I was drawing that thing over again. :nooo


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## NubianSoaps.com

With the kid pen switched like that you will not have enough head space in your feed through feeders for adults in that stall. Figure I have a 10 foot feeder in mine and when the big girls are pregnant they are belly to belly with 8 at the feeder. During the rest of the year they can easily eat 12 deep. And you don't want to have to fight babies mauling you to fill feeders everyday. Vicki


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## Guest

You are saying the kid pen will not have enough head room or the 20x10 doe stall?


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## Guest

Looks to me like the doe pen doesn't have nearly enough feeder space.

My barn is set up differently. You walk into my milkroom area and follow through to the barn. The animal space has a center aisle with feeders for each pen.

Sara


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## NubianSoaps.com

Like Sara said, not enough head space on the wall for feeders. Not unless your 20x10 is only going to hold 4 does? With each 10x10 area having 6 foot of feeder space you fill from your cemented side with their minerals and their alfalfa pellets, and 4 foot gates...I would put the alleyway back between the baby pen and the doe pen like it was on the flip side when I saw your plans. Yes it would be area off your baby pen for you to walk, but you could also use that alley way to feed the baby pen like I do, and since yours like mine wouldn't go anywhere you could get away with 3 feet. vicki


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## laughter777

What program did you use to design your barns and layout??? I have not been doing this long enough to offer any advice, though, so no help!


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## Carolyn

I visited a goat dairy down by Marmouth ND, she had a little hallway that you walked into and then off the hallway was one door with the bulk tank, sinks etc. then you went through another door into a the milking parlor which was concrete--you could also go through another door into the hall--down the hall was the door into the barn. Her stantions were concrete and were formed in a U, the does put their heads in locks(I can't remember, there was soo much to see), they milked from behind, it has been adapted from a cow dairy and the milk went into a milk tank from the goat. She had 2 doors in the center of the U that slid up and opened when she pulled a rope or chain. One door let them in and the other door let them out. On the barn side there were ramps up to the door. Her babies were in the barn off to the side--- but she ran an actual dairy so I am sure she had at least a hundred if not 200 goats. She was a very very nice person and always had time to answer questions (no matter how dumb they were). When I set my area up--I am going to be sure to have a separate milk room and a milk parlor off the barn area--I am not going to have a dairy, I jsut think it would be easier for me anyway---I am reading others replies about the does areas, glad you showed this for us. Carolyn


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## Guest

I hear what you are saying. 

Pens will be open to all does in the large pasture, so they will be able to pick their pen, but I do see problems. Okay so if I redo this I am looking at a 7x10 kid pen. Think that will do or perhaps I should reduce my storage room. I have a 20x60 lean-to that I store my hay under so this room will be for feed and maybe a couple bales to cut down on the trips. 

I will draw it up and repost it both ways.


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## Guest

I am using Microsoft Viso 2003 to create the floor plan.


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## Guest

I don't know how many options you have but I personaly think 7x10 for the kid pen is way too small. Actually, 10x10 is pushing it.

Don't build too small as you never know what the future holds. 

Sara


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## Guest

Okay what about this version?

http://s34.photobucket.com/albums/d140/nitrors4/?action=view&current=Barnver4.jpg


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## Guest

Crap forgot the doors going into the 5x10 lean-to...... :help2

I will clean it up tonight when I get home and post a nicer version tomorrow, but this gives you something to provide feedback on.


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## NubianSoaps.com

Much better. Plus with the freezer in full view of all the goats your threats would be taken much more seriously than mine with the goats being able to see it  Vicki


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## Guest

Troy,

Are you ever thinking about selling graded milk? Or might hope one day to ever get into that market? Cause if you are, I can tell ya now that will never go grade A or B. 

Its best if you are going to build to follow the rules that the state set. That way if you ever have to sell the place then that is just something that is marketable. Also, its alot better to build to code now than to redo in a couple of years. 

Ken in MO


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## Guest

Good point Ken.

We built our barn to Grade A specs 'just in case'. As I said before... you never know what the future holds. 

Sara


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## Guest

Interesting……Hmmmmmm....More reading.....My head hurts already!

I live in the lovely smoking hot state of Texas, so do you know where I would get the requirements for a Grade A or B facility? If not I will hit the net.


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## Guest

I cleaned it up some last night. Of course, I have been thinking of make other changes, but I will wait until I find out what is required for Grade A.

If anyone wants the Visio file I can send it to you.


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## Guest

I hate to say it, but you will pretty much have to start over if you want to go Grade A or B. A much different layout is going to be required; at least in Minnesota.

You need a complete separate (from animals) milkroom and milk handling room. 

You cannot store nor feed hay from inside of the milkroom.

You need a sink large enough to fit your biggest piece of dairy equipment and also an additional hand sink (with hot water for both).

Doors must be self closing.

Cement pads are required at each entrance.

This is just a few of the rules and regulations. Contact your state dairy board to get the complete rules for your state as each are different.

Sara


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## NubianSoaps.com

Troy's barn is very similar to mine. If there ever becomes teeth in the law of Texas to make it really illegal to sell milk from our farms, or I wanted to sell milk into stores etc..and remember it would then have to be pasteurised anyway, you can't sell it raw off your farm (like going to farmers markets etc.) it has to be pasteurized...anyway. I would build a facility in front of my barn that contained the grade A regs. The girls would still live in my barn, my customers would still visit the cement side of my barn, but my girls would go out the front door and walk into the Grade A dairy milking room, out another door to the pasture/holding areas. 

We have toyed and actually had meetings with others interested in this and even have gotten as far as a meeting with 2 milk inspectors and the costs of this portable building (if it comes to it in Texas, prebuilding them and selling them completely built here and installed at your farm) Adding the cost of all the regs out here, plus you would have to then run AC to milk, when although technically illegal to do what we all do..I wouldn't be shelling out the money now either. I would start with this barn, which is lovely by the way, quality stock and then only move to a graded facility if forced to, and we would all be doing it together 

Spending a couple thousand to build a barn and sell milk or spend 10's of thousands to build a barn and sell the same milk. Vicki


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## Guest

It is a nice layout. However, with this design you don't have the option of even installing a window air conditioner in your milkroom. Being in Texas, I would strongly consider this. Heck, I live in Minnesota and with our heat and humidity I consider it a necessity (along with heat in the winter of course). 

Sara


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## Leo

Hi,
I do like the layout on all the ones you posted. I milk outside still so it's dreamy to me,(I had an overhang but it blew away, and haven't bothered to replace it yet.)

I don't know about your area but in Fl., to go Grade A, you have to have everything that Sara said plus separate sewage, bathroom, locker room, a/c,all windows graded, etc., It makes sense but does cost quite a bit, and as Vicki said


> Spending a couple thousand to build a barn and sell milk or spend 10's of thousands to build a barn and sell the same milk.


.

Either way, I like the flow of the space.
Megan


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## Guest

I guess I should have said that all the walls are 5 foot tall to allow air to pass through the entire barn excluding the storage room which is solid all the way up to try and prevent unwanted guests from entering. 

I think I am going with Vicki on this one for now. I can always add on if needed and that would be smaller area. Since I am just starting and the start up costs is killing me this is going to be the best option for me. Hell the barn is already going to cost me 5k to build at 40x40. :sigh

So leaving the grade A out of it how does it look? Any more thoughts?

Vicki the freezer comment was too funny!


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## Guest

I like making plans and trying to come up with the best possible choice. Truth is though I stole most of this plan from Vicki's barn. :biggrin

Just made a few changes to work with my land. I am trying hard to have about 16-17 acres of my 22 for the goats.


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## Guest

nitrors4 said:


> I think I am going with Vicki on this one for now.
> Truth is though I stole most of this plan from Vicki's barn.
> Any more thoughts?


You answered your own question. If you like Vicki's barn so much then build it. 

Sara


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## Guest

HEHE Good point. 

I like to over analyze things. It is why I am a computer geek. 

Well I think that means I have my final plan. :biggrin


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## MiaBella Farm

Oh thank god! He is just killing me!!! :biggrin

Love you baby.... 





In case any of you missed it...Troy is my hubby...he will tell you, I am the brains, he is the brawn in this operation...but I say he is pretty darn smart most of the time!


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## Guest

I know I am a freak! 

Well I like to plan stuff and some of the times build stuff, but she is the smart one for sure. 

I have three of my 4 corner posts in the ground. Barn underway!!!!!!!!!


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