Ask The Expert


 New Topic  |  Go to Top  |  Go to Topic  |  Search   Newer Topic  |  Older Topic 
Hoop houses
Author: Todd Miles 
Date:   10-17-06 14:43

I am in the process of expanding my small commercial sheep operation. Last time that I had a larger number of sheep, I cut back in frustration, due to the work/return ratio. My gross of $100 per ewe over feed, is fairly good, but I need more volume, and I need to get that volume with little more work. (and yes, I know that Stan often talks about productivity). Equipment and systems are the only way to get the production that I need in the time that I can spend.

Premier1 does not sell hoop houses, but I know that you use them a lot. It would be helpful if you could print production layouts, using them, as you do for your chute/forcing pen systems. The picture in your ad, this month is a help, but with freight what it is, I want to get everything that I need in one order. A "package" price like some of your competition offers would be nice too.

There are farms today, using Premier systems, and large hoop houses, that run blocks of 250 ewes, in less than an hour a day except during lambing. I am looking at the smaller hoop houses like Premier uses. A section on the web site with pictures of your systems with suggested equipment lists would be helpful. Thanks.

Reply To This Message
 
Re: Hoop houses
Author: Scott 
Date:   10-17-06 18:31

Todd
Thank you for your input. The hoop building that Premier uses are 30' wide and 148' long. One of the nice things is that there is nothing permanently installed in the building leaving a full 30' x 148' of open space. This complete open space has given us the flexibility of building pens and alleys , with or without hay storage, in nearly any configuration we desire or need. After lambing season is over we will remove all feeders (Walk-Thru, Drive-By and/or round bale feeders to allow open clean out access. Due to this wonderful flexibility and probably never setting up building the same way twice we would not be able to a design to work for everyone based on our system.

Thanks
Scott

Reply To This Message
 
Re: Hoop houses
Author: Todd Miles 
Date:   10-19-06 15:44

Thanks! In the picture in your ad, you have added wood on the left side in the picture. It looks like pressure treated. Does PT wood have copper, and does it bother the sheep? What do you have on the right hand side? How many ewes do you keep in a 30x148? What is the floor? I expect dirt/gravel so that you can drive the posts. Just posting more pictures of your operation on the web site would help. Do you use a 4 yr poly cover?

Reply To This Message
 
Re: Hoop houses
Author: Scott 
Date:   10-19-06 16:58

The manure board are pressure treated (long enough ago they probably have copper) and have shown not ill effects from using (have used on our buildings for many years.
The both sides have our close mesh woven wire (part # 411500) installed as physical barrier.
We have lambed comfortably (or slightly crowded) 150 ewes.
Building is build on soil base but has had reject ag lime (inexpensive due to quarry 2 miles away) used as floor base once building was erected.
The cover is a tarp similar to what CoverAll supplies and should last over 10 years.

Scott

Reply To This Message
 Forum List  |  Threaded View   Newer Topic  |  Older Topic 


Reply To This Message
 Your Name:
 Your E-mail:
 Subject:
Image Verification: