Building a Cooler

[shortyjock89]

Alright, I know that some questions have been raised about coolers.  I have a room in my barn I would like to make into a cooler, and I was wondering if anyone had any input on it.  I think it would be big enough for two calves ( about 10 x 12).  The room is bare studs, and I was wondering what insulation would be best, and how big of an A/C unit I would need to make this work the best. 

Oh, and it has a concrete floor, and it has a place I can put an exhaust fan too.  If anyone that has a cooler could give me some tips, I would greatly appreciate it.  I planned on putting lime down, and then wood chips for bedding.  THANKS!!

 

[jason]

You might search, I think there was a thread similar to this a while ago.

Anyways, you need to measure your room, get the sq. ft, and you will be able to match it up with an air conditioner.

I would say just use standard insulation that they use in houses, easy to come by. 

 

[fluffer]

We have a cooler about that size and I will give you a couple of things I would change with ours-
#1  You want to make it so you can rinse in it- if possible- and even if you can't you will be putting wet cattle into it and we keep our lights off when we aren't in there.  Therefore you may develop a little more ringworm then normal.  That is why I would suggest after you put in your insulation cover it with something that is easy to disinfect.  Like the stuff they use in farrowing houses.
#2 Get a good door.  The one we got seems to me deterorating faster then  normal

That is all I can really think of now- other then the obvious, Like make sure you have PLENTY of bedding down and keep it cleaned out.

Good luck!

 

[shortyjock89]

I wish I could make it big enough to rinse in, but the room is what used to be a feed room in my barn..I can't really modify it so that I can rinse and put calves in there.  I also have a place I can blow the calves out before putting them in the cooler, but I planned on using toolshed-style white sheet metal on the inside covering, and then put a gate in there to tie to.  What bedding do you prefer to put in your cooler?  I was thinking straw wouldn't be the best idea, and we use wood chips in the summer anyhow, so I was going to put lime down and then the chips.

 

[cowz]

We made a cool room out of an old milk parlor in a 60 year old barn.  We used the rigid insulation.  (TIP:  call a wholesale insulation place and ask if they have any damaged rigid.....trust me they will. )  We bought a whole flatbed trailer of the stuff for $200.  It also sheds water, doesnt mold.  Use the foil wrapped if possible.

We are dry, dry, dry here so we can get away with a swamp cooler.  We have a space about 12X50 so we can tie 6 in comfortably.  We designed it so that the swamp cooler blows cold air in through a window, 2 fans carry the cold air across the calves and exits near the door, so it is always positive pressure.  It is not air tight enough to suffocate if power goes off.  (plenty of cracks haha)

Works for us...good luck with yours.  Tell us what you decide to do.

 

[Jill]

You don't want to rinse in the cooler unless you have 2 separate rooms.  An AC unit works to take the moisture out of the air you don't want to put it back in, you defeat the purpose of a cooler.  We use cedar fiber bedding it works the best, keeps the smell down and last the longest.