Let’s be honest, our heifers usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to housing. With our main focus usually on calves that need attention just like a baby does or lactating cows that are contributing to our paycheck, heifers are like the middle child. They don’t require as much attention as a calf or a milk producing cow because they don’t require as much attention as we wait for them to reach breeding age. As we look for ways to improve our heifer management skills, ag specialist Casey Mickelson recommended dialing in on heifer housing in a Michigan State University Extension heifer management webinar.

Unless you background your heifers off the farm, heifers will need an adequate place that provides them with all the necessities as they grow prior to lactation. Consider the facilities you have now. Can you modify and reconfigure them to fit your heifer needs? Will you need to build a new facility? Mickelson recommended working with facilities that you have available to house heifers if you aren’t looking to build a new facility to start. As farmers begin to plan their approach, the ag specialist listed off several factors to consider.

• Needs versus wants
• Remodel versus new build or expansion
• One year versus five-year plan
• Management and execution

Regardless of your building decision, the success of a heifer barn is based off barn layout, materials, ventilation, and a manure management plan. A barn built for lactating cows versus a barn built for heifers looks very different in terms of stall sizing, drinking height, and headlock height. Be sure to consider the size of your heifers prior to building, as most issues come from the stalls being the incorrect size. Other factors to consider focus on the feed area, curtains, and installation of tubes and fans. “The perfect barn for one operation may not be the perfect barn for another,” said Mickelson.

At the end of the day, the success of your heifer rearing program comes down to its facilities and management. Have a plan and remain consistent with that plan in terms of manure management, heifer management, and ventilation. “We can build the perfect barn, but once we leave, it’s your management team that has to run it,” warned Mickelson.