Hi Rob or Joanna,
As others have stated, the barn your clients are considering is a bank barn. In a word - YES they are great. The longer version of yes: Relatively cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. I say relative in that it will be more temperate than outside. That's not to say fans would not be needed at times in the summer and deep bedding needed in the winter. Natural light can in fact be an issue. If grade elevations and construction methods allow have the long side of the barn on the downside of the hill as openable as possible. If the tapered grade along the short sides allow for some windows, I'd try to maximize that. Be careful in the winter of closing the barn up too tight. If the upper level is for hay and equipment storage, they should have chutes or trap doors in the ceiling of the lower barn (floor of the upper level) for droping hay to the lower level. With doors or windows open on the lower level those will provide for ventilation in both the winter and summer. The thermal stack affect will work great. If the floor/ceiling assembly will not be clear span concrete slabs, there will be support posts in a row (or two depending on the barn width) that will restrict some flexibilty in layout of the lower level. Clear span concrete slabs are the best but also increase the cost quite a bit. I would recommend the clear height of the lower level be at minimum 8', 9' would be better and 10' the best. Adding height just adds cost. :-)
Your clients should contact Pacesetter Alpacas, they built a good sized bank barn 3 or 4 yrs ago. Good sized shop at one end, then a farm store and the rest of the lower level is for alpacas. Hay, straw, tractors, equipment, etc on the upper level.
Elden Harms
Token Creek Alpacas
Sun Prairie WI
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Stephens <robasia.alpacas@
yahoo.com>
To: Alpaca Group <Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com>; Alpaca Talk <alpacatalk@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wed, Apr 14, 2010 10:16 am
Subject: [AlpacaTalk] Basement Barn
Hello all
Friends and clients are building a new barn and would like to utilize the lay of the land (hill) to build a 2 story barn. The majority of the alpacas would be kept on the lower level (basement) with only one side open and exposed to the south. Having natural light in this area is a concern of ours. They will have auto-waterers in this area and creep feeders for weaning crias. Do any of you have any suggestions/ concerns or things to avoid with this type of barn design for alpacas.
Thank you in advance,
Rob & Joanna Stephens
RobAsia Alpaca Ranch LLC
Rob & Joanna Stephens
Manitowoc, WIsconsin
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