How would this work as a cool room?

[FMF]

So I have been looking into getting some kind of cooler for our cattle. We rinse them every night and do a ton of hair work but I know how much easier it would be with a cooler!

I was wondering if building a shed and sticking an air conditioner in it would work? I'm not sure how everyone else does theirs..maybe they do it this way and maybe they don't! I'm just assuming this would work because a friend of my dads does that to keep deer meat that he cuts for everyone.

Thoughts please??

 

[The Show]

First off, having a cooler won't make growing hair easier. They will grow more hair, but it's going to require more work than what you do now. You can't just throw one in the cooler and forget about it. Secondly that won't work. If your going to build your own which is becoming more popular these days you have a couple of things to consider. How many head are you wanting to put in it, is it going to be inside or out, insulation, drainage, and safety's if you were to lose power. A product called CoolBot is how you turn an air conditioner into a cooler. Depending on the size and insulation you'll need an air conditioner anywhere from 15,000-25,000BTU. You'll also need an exhaust fan for ventilation. I know it sounds like a lot, but if your going to build one you need to do it right.

 

[savaged]

Only if it's really cool where you live.  Google the Coolbot and read the site info on construction of coolers - it is very good info and advice.  To do it right you need thick foam insulation and a solid door design.  If you want to cool to low 50's high 40's then you need great insulation paired with the right A.C. Unit and the Coolbot.  If you just want to knock it down to 65 degrees then you can skimp on the good foam and skip the Coolbot,  but I think in the long run you'll be happier with a solid plan and design.

 

[FMF]

Thank you for the info.. I had a feeling I was wrong

And I know that sticking them in a cool room is not the perfect fix...obviously. I meant that it would help with the hair growth and it wouldn't completely depend on us doing hair work every night, so they would have an extra push.

 

[PSC]

you have to do alot more work with cool room you still have to rince 3 times a day and  work the hair we never all can leave home at the same time we check them every hr  or we get a sitter to watch cooling room my son spent about 6 hr a day with 2 steer you have to keep the mulch very clean  it alot work  i hate  it when people think you justput them in and they grow hair

 

[The Show]

You also can't miss a day. Especially in this heat.

 

[mainecattlemother]

We did the coolbot air conditioner thing in an old milkhouse.  We also rinse twice a day morning and night.  This is never missed unless we have a family event, wedding ... Also if we are going to be gone for more than 1 hour they are not in the room.  The room also gets cleaned twice a day most days but at least once in the evenings when we put the cattle out in the loving pen.  One important thing if you opt for a coolbot you must keep the fins clean as they will get dustiny from shavings if thats what you use and also the air conditioner will need freon about every couple of years.

 

[OH Breeder]

I tried cool bot. If you want to do a couple works great. Any more than that it can't keep up. There is an R value or think that's it either way. Talk with an HVAC guy. I put in a 3 ton house cental air unit. WE can get get it to 50 but have found the calves do just as well at 60. I made ours 22 x 24. Wash rack included with drain. In the winter it doubles for a heated calving room for heifers. Has made my life much simpler.  I used 3/4 ' plywood and R30 insulation in walls and ceiling. Its an old block barn with concrete floor. It does make things more comfortable for calves and they tend to eat better when its cooler. But to maintain the hair its just as much work. If I were to do it over again, I would have made it bigger and put in a larger exhaust fan.