Protect your livestock, winterize your barn

Winter has once again made its presence known.

Frozen windshields and darkened evening commutes are the seasonal harbingers of that oh-so dreaded time of the year.

It seems as if only yesterday we were basking in summer’s glow while commiserating with friends over a cold beer and a succulent rack of ribs.

As you prepare for the ominous arrival of chilly evenings by the fireside, it’s important to pause and check-off your to-do list before your daily hibernation routine takes firm hold.

While you’ve already insulated your water pipes and topped off your wood pile, you may have forgotten about your home’s more vulnerable population: the livestock.

Like your home, your barn and its treasured inhabitants need a touch of weatherization to prepare for the long haul of winter. While some of these safeguards might seem axiomatic, we at Elephant Barns, thought the time was nigh to gently remind you of some of the more glaring responsibilities that need to be addressed in preparing your barn for winter.

Protect all water sources

Your horses and cattle might like the occasional salt block, but the same can’t be said for icicles. Your livestock need an accessible water source that won’t freeze overnight. Now is the time to make sure their water source is in proximity to a heat source and away from drafty areas.

Insulate your barn

Cut away the snow and ice, save their valued price, and keep

Remember the verbal shellacking you would get growing up if you left the front door open? “Close the door! Were you raised in a barn?” While you would probably prefer the friendly, warm confines of your brick or stick-built house, a tightly sealed barn from Elephant Barns is a welcomed reprieve to your chilly pets and livestock. (And not to go off on a tangent, but our metal barns have been used for everything from a yoga studio to a tiny house!).

As a traditional barn ages, it’s wooden planks can become warped and shrink, allowing cold air to permeate your building. With an Elephant Barn, you don’t have to worry about cooler air – or thieves for that matter – from sneaking into your stalls unsuspected. Our reinforced steel units are tough as they are secure. We do, however, encourage you to double check your windowsills and make sure your barn and access doors are firmly affixed and are flush when they are closed to the frame.

Safeguard all heating sources

You may even want to consider investing in a metal heater. While you should be commended for prioritizing the warm and well-being of your livestock during the colder months, the inclusion of any supplemental heat source should come with a caveat. Every year, thousands of homes and outbuildings are destroyed by neglected space heaters. If you decide to use such stopgaps, check on these units frequently and make sure they are far removed from combustible materials. All too often, fire has trapped and killed helpless animals.

Also, while we hate to even fathom the possibility of a fire, we would be remised if we didn’t remind you that metal barns are more resilient to flames than wooden structures. Slower burn times can make all the difference in the world in allowing additional time for farmhands and firefighters to safely remove helpless animals from the devastating effects of a fiery inferno.

Sanitize all exposed areas

Disease and sickness run prevalent during colder months. By nature, humans and animals tend to congregate in enclosed areas to keep warm when cooler weather strikes. As a result, these areas become conducive to the spread of viruses and bacteria. Now is the time to sanitize your barn’s floors with lime to kill bacteria that could prove problematic later this winter. Taking these simple extra precautions now is far easier than trudging through a foot of snow in January as you trying to tend to a sick calf!