We spent months working with nrcs and when contract came wouldn't sign because costs of doing things there way even with cost share was higher than if we did it right and by ourselves. We live in ND and our beef cows are out 365 days a year with bale grazing when snow is too deep. Even in bad weather no reason to keep cows in and making work for you to spread manure when they can do it themselves. Only cows we bring up when colder than-25 f is dairy cows so teats don't get frozen in the wind ( you have way more wind protection than we do). Great building for hay, equipment etc but ruminants don't need that with their lovely internal furnaces. We have one big 20x60 hoophouse we built for $3000 that we can put cows in if blizzard is bad, and we've build a dozen for $1000-3000 each. ( Depending on what we can scrounge and costs of covers). Gorgeous building , my husband is jealous for storing equipment :)

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

I agree cost share is higher than just doing it yourself. I've been ing about put hay in it. In the summer it a great place to park equipment to. Do you have plans for your hoop house and where to get the plastic? Thanks for watching!!

Wow the red calf is beautiful. I didn't realize how versatile the building was. Good show

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

The red calf does stick out. Thanks for watching!!

I like the high pipes. Very good idea.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

Very nice building. Sometimes a building like that helps keep the cows from going backwards when the weather gets ruff.it would be nice to sort and work with head locks.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

I agree it can help the cows out when things get rough going. Thanks for watching.

That head lock is awesome thank you I haven't seen that before thank you for the video!

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Electric heat tracing. It comes in handy when it gets cold. Just turn it on and walk away. It saves alot of headaches. Nice barn Russ. It comes in handy for sorting and cattle handling.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks you

Thanks for a good video Russ. You always give us the bad along with the good. Other videos don't always give us both sides of a subject.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Fred, I try to stay transparent. It bothers me when I watch other videos only giving one side of the picture.

Thanks for sharing Russ. Smart engineering.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Thanks again for all your videos! They are trimming trees around our area now. I got about 2 big dump trucks worth now. I’m hoping to get more. My daughter loves the red one too.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

If you give them an easy place to unload. They will bring you tons of chips. We 60-70 loads last year. Thanks for watching!!

Enjoyed the video very much, thank you

The poles barns is amazing!

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

They are amazing!!

U can still add curtains to the sides...

@RussWilson

4 ай бұрын

Add curtains and rent space for boat on camper storage.

Calfs look great.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Thank you for the video.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome

Thanks for sharing

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure

Russ Your stationed barn seems a-little excessive in numbers only.Managing your breeding stock (AI) would seem well enough. Your honesty is really appreciated.

Very Very nice barn! Even though you might not do it again, I would not necessarily call it a mistake. It looks like a perfect place for a semi confined sheep operation to me. LOL.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

WE are growing our sheep flock so it may become semi confined sheep barn. 😂😂 Thanks for watching!!

5ft over hang on the sides would have been amazing. Feed sitting outside blows my mind. Leads to lots of waste.

@RussWilson

4 ай бұрын

We have very little waste. I forget how much extra to was going to cost to put overhangs on it a lot.

That’s a fine barn!!

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@wendyc.5769

2 жыл бұрын

@@RussWilson oh yes you have something to be proud of there!!

Building looks awesome. But it almost seems silly for how long you graze. I can see how the building though will help out. Keep up great work Russ

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

It doesn't make any sense to have the building anymore. When we built it we were only grazing 120-160 days a years. It did then but doesn't now. Thanks for watching

Insightful

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!

I get tons of chips , I use them in my pig pens . Nice barn

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

I never thought of the pigs chips would work get for them. Thanks for watching!!

@toddcaskey9984

2 жыл бұрын

@@RussWilson I have my pigs on rotation pasture all summer but fall winter and spring I have them in pens with deep bed of chips , little to no smell, when they turn them into dirt I add more chips. I use them in my chicken coops also and do deep litter in the winter then in the rest of the year I clean out every week or so. I carry signs in my truck that say chips wanted and give my address exc. I give to any crew I see out . I then compost everything and add to my garden.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

@@toddcaskey9984 That compost would make a great garden material.

I like the barn, the only thing I need to keep in barns is a couple horses so I just have a lean too off my shop. As for enclosing it for keeping snow out, why not use a plastic (or fabric) sheet that you can let down for weather events and roll up when it is nice? Our local pig farms have those here in Oklahoma. The tops actually roll down then pick back up for cold windy days. They use plastic and throw it away in May.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

That's a great idea! Thanks for watching!

We had Zimmerman headlocks for 30 years and they were damn good headlocks so when we built a new freestyle Barn we looked to them to get more headlocks but they had just been boughten up by another company and they changed the style to the type you were showing there is what we got and ours got pushed out by the cows because it wasn't rugged enough to hold back against their weight and we have the same trouble we got a bunch of them they're all goofed up and don't latch now because they worped out

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly that one style has a engineering flaw in it. Thanks for watching!

Really well done Russ. I assume the particular equip program was related to manure management. A video discussing the cost benefit incentives and financing related to your structure would be of interest to many. Thanks.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Think your right on the video idea. I think i'll try to get a nrcs person to do a video with me. Thanks for watching!!

@oldmango8606

2 жыл бұрын

@@RussWilson stay warm and well

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

@@oldmango8606 Spring is just around the corner!

Hey Russ. The building looks awesome. Not sure if you would be up for it. You could utilize the building for dairy. You just need a milk room. I know it's not the type of breed you have on the farm. Might be another way of diversifying your farm one day since you already have some of the infrastructure needed to have a dairy operation. Might be a crazy thought. Just thought I might share.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

I have thought about a dairy. I grew up on a dairy. Only trouble is around me the only milk i can ship is cheese milk or conventional milk. I order for me to do well with a dairy I'd need to do organic or grass only milk. I also looked in to milking buffalo and camels. Camel milk sells 35 dollars a quart. I'd love to have a goat dairy. But that market is very unstable. Great idea! Thanks for sharing!!

@randydickens1350

2 жыл бұрын

I also grew up on a dairy farm out in western NY. We had holsteins. I am also interested into a goat dairy. They have a high butterfat and their milk is A2. You can make delicious cheese with their milk. Problem with camel is it takes forever for them to calf and come into milk.. Also getting a vet to help care for a sick camel are hard to find. The big obstacles to have a dairy operation are all the government regulations you need to follow. Makes it very hard. Thanks for the reply always great to chat and keep the vids coming.

Calves look great. I really like your locking head gates, I can see how it would work better than a single head gate and chute system. Did you have that listed down below? I agree with you on how that is not suitable for the way you operate now with having that huge barn. Less time in a barn when you are able to graze 300 + days a year. Great job Russ. Stay warm and safe, farmer rod

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

I didn't have the headlocks listed in the description. Here's a link to them www.ckmanufacturing.com/headlocks.php . Thanks for watching!!

Is there a way to repurpose the building so it can be used for other needs when not needed for the cows? It seems to me that this is a very useful area for many things. You are very efficient in using everything. The bulls and calves are great. Thanks.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Actually I have been thinking about taking the roof off of it so they can tax me for it anymore. Taxes just on the barn is 1900 a year.

All in all- very nice building- thanks for taking the time to give us a tour

Thanks Russ. Understand the regrets and minimal flaws. But overall, that's one highly functional building. Even with a single months use for feeding, it can generate a lot of compost. I'm beginning to think there's some genetic issue with most of us, where we're driven to build stuff. I've mig grazed Katahdins two winters now and continue to hear from folks about the barn I absolutely and obviously must build. The old saying "seeing is believing", doesn't prescribe how much "seeing", it takes haha

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Yes we are driven to build things. I have been thinking about un building my some of my buildings to lower taxes. Keeps the animals out will help decide who is the toughest and best animals. Thanks for watching!!

Russ, I have always enjoyed your videos. Here in Eastern Oregon, we need some protection from all the rain in the winter. Yes, we get some snow, but not much. So, would you recommend those headlocks or not?

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

I will take the headlocks over a chute system anyday. Those head locks make things a look less stressful for everyone including the cows. Thanks for watching!

@douglasbaskett2298

2 жыл бұрын

@@RussWilson you're welcome and thank you for posting your videos

You commented that you like the head gates for shots, castrating, etc. What are the disadvantages compared to a squeeze chute? I would think that the head gates would be more economical.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

The disadvantage is some cows can be hard to catch. Other than that I have none. We sold our chute system never missed it. Thanks for watching.

Thanks for the tour. Great looking barn. What is nrcs? I assume a cost share program?

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!! NRCS-Natural Resources Conservation Service. Unfortunately it is a cost share project. Thanks for watching!!

You know there are curtains to keep the weather out even if you only put them on one side.

@RussWilson

9 ай бұрын

Don’t use it enough to justify the cost.

Did nrcs provide cost share for headlocks? How many cows and grazing acres do you have. Nice barn for mud season

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

No they do not cost share the headlocks. We run 80 animal units on 145 acres. The barn does a good job keeping the animals out of the mud.

👍👍

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!!

How much did the barn and equipment cost?

@RussWilson

7 ай бұрын

It was expensive!

Would you be willing to have a conversation with me about the program used?

@RussWilson

5 ай бұрын

Yes send me an email at ancattle@gmail.com

@branhamfarms6458

5 ай бұрын

I sent you an email. Thanks!

@RussWilson

5 ай бұрын

@@branhamfarms6458 Got it was traveling yesterday. Will respond today. Sorry for any inconvenience.

🐊🦅🇵🇷❤👍

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!

Why would build such a big barn? You do feeder cattle?

@RussWilson

7 ай бұрын

When I built that barn we were only able to graze 120 days a year. SO back then it made since. Today it doesn't. Thanks for watching!

Your local gov tax those buildings heavily? I ask because I know a farmer that burnt all his nearly perfect barns down out of spite because of taxes.

@RussWilson

2 жыл бұрын

I'm in the same place as the farmer that burnt his barns down. Soon as the contract is up the roof is coming off. The taxes on the barn is more than what my house is taxed.

Sorry but it a dairy set up

@RussWilson

7 ай бұрын

What makes it a dairy set up? I would think there would a ton of mastitis if you ran dairy cattle in that type of barn.