Feedlot Design

Question 1

Principles guiding feedlot design

Answer 1

• Safety
• Reduce handling time
• Maximize animal health and welfare
• Minimize injury and stress

Question 2

General Principles

Answer 2

• Clean, dry pens
• Runoff drains out of pens
• Runoff doesn’t interfere with feeding road
• Minimize interference between cattle handling alleys and feeding roads
• Minimize travel distance for cattle and equipment

Question 3

Feedlot site selection should have…

Answer 3

• Easy access
• Access to utilities
• Good drainage
• Security
• Expansion opportunities

Question 4

Land requirement / head

Answer 4

1 acre / 125 head

Question 5

Water usage for 600 - 1000 lb cattle

Answer 5

8 gallons / day

Question 6

Open earth lot with windbreak minimum sq feet / head

Answer 6

150 - 300 sq ft

Question 7

Open concrete lot minimum sq feet / head

Answer 7

60 sq ft

Question 8

Open concrete lot with shed minimum sq ft / head

Answer 8

70 sq ft

Question 9

Deep bedded confinement minimum sq ft / head

Answer 9

40 sq ft

Question 10

Slatted floor confinement minimum sq ft per head

Answer 10

23 sq ft

Question 11

Open pen design

Answer 11

• 8-12 ft windbreak fence on north and west
• 2-5% slope from bunk to end (3% ideal)

Question 12

Pen with shed design

Answer 12

-Shed is 42ft wide
- Concrete lot is smaller and earthen lot (50 sq ft vs 125 sq ft outside shed)

Question 13

Roofed feedlot oriented east-west benefits

Answer 13

• Improves ventilation in the summer
• Minimizes northerly wind in winter
• Sunlight reaches back pens in winter
• Shade and reduce heat stress in summer

Question 14

Hoop roof feedlot design

Answer 14

• 5 ft ventilation curtain
• 5ft solid wall
• 20 ft concrete apron
• 20 - 30 ft durable floor

Question 15

Shallow bedding

Answer 15

Manure pack is removed every 3-4 weeks

Question 16

Deep bedding

Answer 16

Manure pack is removed with the turn of cattle

Question 17

Pen space / animal is affected by …

Answer 17

1) climate
2) Type of flooring / ground
3) Shape of pen

Question 18

Feed bunk construction material should be…

Answer 18

• Durable
• Easy to clean
• Resistant to corrosiveness of salt and minerals

Question 19

Smaller cows have a higher or lower neck rail? Why?

Answer 19

Lower
1) Don’t want them to jump out
2) Don’t want them to fall into bunk
3) Don’t want them standing horizontal to the bunk to eat

Question 20

Concrete pad dimensions

Answer 20

6” thick x 12” wide

Question 21

Feed bunk design

Answer 21

• 30” above road
• 30” wide
• 18” tall
• Round bottom edges

Question 22

Why 6” tall concrete pad?

Answer 22

Cattle like to eat not but not at feet, 6” helps with anatomy