If you’re a Queensland farmer, you know very well how incredibly valuable hay is to your livestock operations. It makes sense that you want to preserve and manage your hay or straw supply, keeping it in the best possible condition! A hay shed is an effective and convenient method of doing this.
Hay bales left out in the harsh Queensland weather get significantly degraded by weathering. Water, wind and sun all play their part in damaging the hay and causing nutrient leaching. This can have adverse effects on your animals - so it's a no-brainer you’d like to ensure your hay stays fresh and nutritious inside a large farm shed.
Before you dive headfirst into building though, there are a few things you should know. We’re going to break them down for you right now!
Building a Hay Shed? Here are the Questions to Ask
Is your hay shed easily accessible?
Logistics are important when you’re moving big numbers of hay bales into and out of your shed. You may be using tractors or telehandlers to transport and stack it, and you don’t want any time-wasting or additional costs. You need the height and the span to allow for easy access - no narrow doorways or tight corners! The more open the entryways the better, so try to keep the structural poles to the minimum required.
Is there adequate ventilation in your hay shed?
Your hay is like a fine wine, but it won’t age gracefully if it's not stored properly. Adequate ventilation is crucial, which is why you’ll often see hay sheds with open sides. You want to prevent moisture buildup and mould growth, which is done through good airflow keeping your hay cool and dry all year round.
Is your hay shed in the right location?
Where you locate your shed on your farm or plot is important for a couple of reasons. Firsty, proximity to the paddocks. Once your hay is baled, you don’t want to have to move it too far to your storage space. This takes longer and costs more in transportation. Similarly when you want to move the hay to your livestock - you don’t want the shed being far from the paddocks.
Second thing is privacy. You might have big trucks coming to drop off bales of hay. Do you want that noise and intrusion close to your homestead? Find that sweet spot for your hay shed that balances accessibility with preserving your peace and quiet.
Is your hay shed the right size?
You may be planning to build a hay shed big enough for your current operations. But what if you expand in the future? You want to build something that could accommodate any potential growth, or is built in a manner that allows for extra bays to be added on. You also don’t want to go overboard and waste hard-earned cash on shed resources you don’t need at the moment. Once again, it's about striking that balance. A custom shed designer and builder will be able to help with that!
What are the council regulations around building your hay shed?
Different councils have different regulations when it comes to building sheds on your farm, whether they’re for hay or machinery storage. So if you’re out Ipswich way, requirements may be different than for a farmer building a Toowoomba shed or a Brisbane or Sunshine Coast shed. Don’t get caught out by the red tape, do your homework and make sure you’re on the right side of the regulations.
Alternatively, when you get your custom agricultural shed built by Stockman Sheds, our expert team will take care of all council requirements for you. It’s a stress-free experience!
Hay Sheds for Sale
Building a hay shed in Queensland is a smart move for any farmer, but it's essential to do it right. If you take into account the above factors, you’re well on your way to having a useful and effective storage solution that’ll keep your hay in excellent condition.
If you’re looking for hay sheds for sale, get in touch with Stockman Sheds. We’ll custom design and build a shed that takes care of all your hay or machinery storage for you. Safe as houses - and one less thing to worry about this season.
