Cow Calf Producers Moving to Indoor Facilities

There’s a growing interest among cow-calf producers in bringing their cow-calf operation under roof. Monoslope facilities provide unique solutions to many production challenges with an indoor-outdoor type environment. 

There are several reasons for this strong uptick in producer interest. For one, it’s a move that helps cattle producers be more sustainable; environmentally, financially, and socially.

With land values as they are, raising cattle under cover reduces the amount of land necessary for forage production through grazing, and allows that land to be used for other crops or purposes. Crop land can then be used for forage and grain production. For many producers, alternative, economical feed sources are readily available as byproducts (distiller’s grains, corn gluten feed, soybean hulls, wheat midds, beet pulp, etc.).

These options help reduce annual feed costs and meet animal requirements of optimum performance. In many cases, producers restricted by pasture size and availability are restricted from expanding the herd, including a child, relative or business partner into the operation. Monoslopes can allow producers to expand herd numbers efficiently and effective to growth needs.

Market opportunities are also greater for any cow-calf producers using monoslopes. Across the country, roughly 60 percent of U.S. producers calve in the spring, 15 percent in the fall, and 25 percent calve year-round. With the bulk of calves born at the same time each year, market cycles reflect those trends.

Monoslope cow-calf producers have multiple handling and management opportunities through ease of managing herds, estrous synchronization, timed artificial insemination, etc. Some producers are maximizing the use of their monoslopes by splitting herds into two or more calving groups and shifting to a fall calving season.

These tactics allow market-ready calves during typical seasonal highs. Indoor AI use can improve bull-to-cow ratios, reducing the number of clean-up bulls needed.

As opposed to riding hundreds of acres of pasture checking on livestock, the monoslope facility allows producers to get close to every cow-calf pair daily, providing greater access and control over the many variables of profitable production and improved animal health and performance.

Are you ready to take the next step? Request our cow-calf information package to help get your project started.

Do you have more questions that are not covered in this article? If you need help designing and planning, please contact Summit Livestock Facilities at 800.213.0567 or click here to email us. If you are ready to get a price, click here to request a quote and a member of our customer engagement team will help you determine the next steps of your project.