Farmers across Australia are often challenged by the need to provide an appropriate environment for their livestock in the face of climatic extremes throughout the year.
Wallandra has observed a higher demand for animal and livestock shelters in the run-up to the winter season. Experienced farmers understand that proper shelter is key to ensuring their livestock’s welfare and productivity. In the absence of shelter, livestock animals need to invest more energy into normal functioning, impacting production.
Extreme weather conditions will not only affect productivity but can also cause reproductive problems in livestock including reduced semen quality and lower birth rates as well as a compromised immune system that would expose them to illnesses. New lambs and calves are particularly susceptible to the cold, increasing mortality rates within the herd.
Livestock shelters and barns can be utilised throughout the year, protecting the animals against the cold in winter as well as the extreme heat of summer. Heat stress in dairy cattle, for instance, can impact dairy production through reduced milk yield, reduced milk fat and protein percentages, lower first service conception rates, lower calf birth weights, and larger number of services per pregnancy.
Livestock shelters and barns are designed and built based on the particular needs of each herd, rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. The type of animal, location and specific needs impact how a shed, shelter, barn or agricultural building must be constructed.
Through their longstanding partnerships with Australian farmers and agricultural consultants, Wallandra has developed the expertise and capabilities to ensure their buildings are structurally designed and engineered to provide all the key requirements essential for maximising creature comfort, productivity and operational efficiency.
