Two Iowa-based companies recently announced a new design in beef building construction they say will improve animal performance and producer profitability.

The release comes from Brookstone Agricultural Buildings, Boone, Iowa, and Energy Panel Structures (EPS) of Graettinger.

The barns are engineered to maximize performance gains that are possible when cattle can grow in a more controlled, consistent environment, the companies said in a media release.

“Traditionally beef cattle have been raised in open feedlots where they are exposed to weather extremes,” says Matt Herrick, beef barn project manager with Brookstone. “But, just because cattle are tough enough to survive the challenges of extreme heat and cold, doesn’t mean they are growing to their genetic potential or that the producer is capturing the full value of the animal at market.”

The barns are designed to capture the sun’s heat during cold winter months and protect livestock from the sun in summer, encouraging continual growth and potentially increasing days to market, the companies said

The EPS Cattle Barns are touted as "the industry’s only glue-laminated beam construction for clear span of up to 30 feet." The feature offers greater flexibility for pen design, improved working conditions and more options for bedding and manure management. The design also eliminates web trusses, reducing the area on which birds can roost.

Additional EPS Cattle Barn features and benefits include:
• Adjustable roof pitch, front wall and back wall heights to enhance air flow
• Roofline designed to prevent condensation and enhance longevity of roof steel
• Adaptable to deep bedded, deep pits, flush or scraper systems
• Engineered to meet IBC codes

For more information, visit www.epsbuildings.com.