Cooling Rooms?

[FutureBreeder2013]

how much to they usually cost and is there any alternitive ways to promote hair grrowth on cattle

 

[fairin.smith]

how much to they usually cost and is there any alternitive ways to promote hair grrowth on cattle


    i hear my parents talking about it and i think maybe 2,000 to 4,000 or more and we keep fans on them today and spray them w/ water it is an idea :-\

 

[BAILEYFARMS]

Im in the middle of building one by the time i have insulation blown on and unit put in it will cost between 5000 to 7500. Cooler bill per month 300 to 500

 

[chambero]

I'm out about to reach the "tipping" point on needing one.  I currently just run a bunch of fans and my electric bill on the barn is running just short of $500 a month.

 

[savaged]

Search "cool bot" and you will find a prior thread on the topic.  I have about $1500 - $2000 in my cool room and it works very, very, well.  The most important elements were the use of 4 inch foam insulation, foam all seams and cracks, and then use the cool-bot with a properly sized A.C. unit (I used an 18,000 btu Samsung).  I also installed a ventilation system using an interval timer and a bathroom vent fan.

We can easily keep the room in the high 50"s if we want, and it's not anywhere near $500.00 per month, even with a fan on them in the cool room.  I'm installing a mister system on a timer, and a water softener this spring.

 

[OH Breeder]

Search "cool bot" and you will find a prior thread on the topic.  I have about $1500 - $2000 in my cool room and it works very, very, well.   The most important elements were the use of 4 inch foam insulation, foam all seams and cracks, and then use the cool-bot with a properly sized A.C. unit (I used an 18,000 btu Samsung).  I also installed a ventilation system using an interval timer and a bathroom vent fan.

We can easily keep the room in the high 50"s if we want, and it's not anywhere near $500.00 per month, even with a fan on them in the cool room.  I'm installing a mister system on a timer, and a water softener this spring.

You have to be careful with misting systems and AC units. AC units draw moisture out of the air. I would check with an HVAC person for sure. I was always told not to mist in the cooler.You can spray a calf down but not mist inside the room.

 

[fairin.smith]

we are putting electricety in our barn and very summer me and my sister go out and spray the calfs with water
            and while we r the fans are going it's very easy try it if u don't have a cooler :-\ (cow)

 

[savaged]

OH Breeder.  Thanks for the advice.  I guess I was concerned about skin health and the lack of moisture in the room.




Search "cool bot" and you will find a prior thread on the topic.  I have about $1500 - $2000 in my cool room and it works very, very, well.   The most important elements were the use of 4 inch foam insulation, foam all seams and cracks, and then use the cool-bot with a properly sized A.C. unit (I used an 18,000 btu Samsung).  I also installed a ventilation system using an interval timer and a bathroom vent fan.

We can easily keep the room in the high 50"s if we want, and it's not anywhere near $500.00 per month, even with a fan on them in the cool room.  I'm installing a mister system on a timer, and a water softener this spring.

You have to be careful with misting systems and AC units. AC units draw moisture out of the air. I would check with an HVAC person for sure. I was always told not to mist in the cooler.You can spray a calf down but not mist inside the room.

 

[OH Breeder]

savaged,
You are right on the money if you are just doing fans and circulation and darkness, misters are great and can lower the temperature up to 10 degrees they say. But HVAC pulls moisture out and if you add moisture in a cool room, it is my understanding besides fungus etc you can get, it is hard on the unit. Just fans are good enough in an cool room. We have a house unit 25000btu in a 10 x 20 room. R 30 insulation in the walls and it keeps it nice 68 when it is 90 out side. We were told when we built ours to make a choice, misting with fans or cooling unit. So we rinse them twice a day and leave them in a cooler. Turn out only at night after sun down.

 

[ShowmanQ]

what does everyone use as walls for th inside of a cooler? anything special, want to go as cheap as possible, plywood does not seem like it would allow for temp to stay down too well, could be wrong.

 

[fairin.smith]

              we just yesterday  put water and eletricty in our barn and him and my grandpa 
                cut throgh the phone card twice it was a reck  now there is a 3 or 4 feet deep with a
                        bunch of wires stickin out 
                     

 

[OH Breeder]

what does everyone use as walls for th inside of a cooler? anything special, want to go as cheap as possible, plywood does not seem like it would allow for temp to stay down too well, could be wrong.

Q
Once you insulated the walls, we did heavy R30 then covered it with Vis-queen or plastic. Stapled in place to help create a moisture barrier and seal the walls. We used 1/2" plywood. remember to do the ceiling. You also can not seal the room too tight because you have to have air to circulate. We use straw and pick the pen every day like a horse stall. We use stall dry and lime under the straw. Last summer when it was 95 outside we kept it 68 in the room. We didn't want to shock the calves going out at night.

 

[Eberth]

I am in the process of putting a new unit in our room we used to run 2 big window units and fans but I just bought a refrigeration unit that's probably way too big for my current room but the price was right and I wanted the bigger unit for when I build my own place in a year or 2. Our room now is insulated with r30 and foam board then the walls are particle board had it for about 10 years and never had a problem.

 

[savaged]

Here are photos of my cool room.  I basically built a hay loft then created the cool room and wash rack underneath.  Notice that I left the 4 inch foam panels exposed on the ceiling and along the top 3.5 feet of the walls, except the front wall that the calves face and are tied to.  Right now I am using it as a "warm room" where in the winter I use it to store all my show products, feed, and misc. equipment that I want to keep from freezing.  I can easily keep the room at 65 degrees with a small dairy heater.

I used treated lumber for all the base boards, and covered all the foam with heavy plastic up to 5 feet high.  The foam walls actually extend 6 inches into the ground to prevent cool air leakage.  The rest of the foam is covered with untreated 2 X 6 boards and regular press-board.  The walls are simply made up of the loft support posts, spaced at 6 to 8 feet;  the foam panels were cut to fit in between the posts, then covered with boards or press-board inside and out.  Where the foam board is exposed it is at least 5 feet high, and is quite durable. On the front wall, where cattle may reach it, the foam is covered completely.  I keep the calves tied while in the room.

Finally, all seams, door, etc. are completely sealed with expanding foam.  All of my fresh air is pulled in by the fan and fresh air pipe.  That way I can get maximum cooling, yet adjust the amount of fresh air I need using the bathroom fan and cycle timer.

For bedding, we use the pellets, and clean to the floor each night.  We sprinkle wet spots with Sweet PDZ nightly to prevent ammonia build-up, and the calves are turned out nightly for exercise and to allow the cool room to "air out" - we leave the door open at night with a fan to circulate air.

Total cost was less than $1500.00, though I had many of the materials left over from building my house.

With three feeder calves we can easily cool it to 45 degrees if we want in 90 degree summer heat.  A temperature alert system calls my phone if the electricity goes off or the room temp rises above a pre-set level.

I absolutely love it.

 

[farmboy]

awesome room savage

 

[Jill]

savaged,
You are right on the money if you are just doing fans and circulation and darkness, misters are great and can lower the temperature up to 10 degrees they say. But HVAC pulls moisture out and if you add moisture in a cool room, it is my understanding besides fungus etc you can get, it is hard on the unit. Just fans are good enough in an cool room. We have a house unit 25000btu in a 10 x 20 room. R 30 insulation in the walls and it keeps it nice 68 when it is 90 out side. We were told when we built ours to make a choice, misting with fans or cooling unit. So we rinse them twice a day and leave them in a cooler. Turn out only at night after sun down.

You are right on the money, this is exactly how we do it, you can either have a mister or an AC unit, they work against each other.