Why a simple shelter pays for itself

Hardy livestock are tough, but they are not waterproof. A wet coat, a cold wind and a muddy lying area drain energy, reduce growth and milk yield, and invite pneumonia, foot rot and fly strike. A field shelter gives stock somewhere to dry off, escape summer sun and lie on dry ground. You do not need a barn. A simple three-sided structure with a good roof and raised floor will do more for your stock than almost any other smallholding improvement.

Siting: the difference between shelter and swamp

Put the shelter on the highest, driest part of the field, not in the dip where water collects. In most of the UK the prevailing wind is south-westerly, so the solid back wall should face south-west or west. The open front should face south or east, giving winter sun and a dry lying area. Angle the shelter 15 to 20 degrees off the prevailing wind so driving rain is deflected rather than blown straight in. Leave at least 3m clear around the open front and sides for mucking out and for animals to queue without standing in a bog. The ground should fall away from the open front at about 1 in 100. Avoid mature trees.

• Back wall to the prevailing wind
• Open front facing south or east
• Ground falls away from the entrance
• 3m clearance for access and airflow
• Not in a valley bottom or drainage line

Affordable materials, locally sourced

Build from tanalised softwood, reclaimed scaffold boards, larch cladding from a local sawmill, or corrugated steel sheets. Avoid chipboard, OSB and untreated pallet wood for anything structural or in ground contact. For a 6m by 4m shelter you need six 100mm x 100mm posts, rails of 100mm x 50mm, roof sheets, cladding boards and a few bags of postcrete. Galvanised screws and nails last far longer than plain steel. Reclaimed materials are fine if you check for rot, split ends and old nails. For lower walls, use stockboard or stout boards to take rubbing and kicking from cattle or ponies.

• 100mm x 100mm tanalised posts
• 100mm x 50mm rails for the frame
• Box-profile galvanised roof sheets
• Scaffold boards or larch cladding
• Hardcore, gravel and postcrete

A straightforward 6m by 4m design

Mark out a 6m by 4m rectangle. Dig six post holes 600mm deep: three along the front, three along the back. Set the front posts so the finished height is 2.4m, and the back posts at 2.0m. This gives a mono-pitch roof that sheds water to the back. Concrete the posts in, checking with a spirit level and string lines. Fix a top rail and a mid rail along the back and both sides. Clad the back and sides, leaving a 150mm gap at the top for ventilation and a 20mm gap between boards if using green timber. Leave the front open. Fix 50mm x 50mm purlins across the roof slope, then screw down the roof sheets with a 300mm overhang at the front and 150mm at the back. Raise the floor inside with 100mm of compacted hardcore, topped with 50mm of sand and a layer of rammed chalk or earth. Fit a kickboard 1.2m high along the inside walls. Add guttering and a downpipe to a water butt or soakaway. Leave ventilation above head height, but no draught at lying level.

Mud, drainage and daily management

A shelter can become the muddiest spot in the field if you ignore drainage. Roof water must be diverted away from the entrance. Fit guttering and a downpipe into a water butt, or run it to a soakaway or hedgerow. Put a 1m wide gravel apron around the open front. Use woodchip or bark in gateways and around hay racks. Move feed and water points regularly so animals do not poach the same patch. Clean out wet bedding and dung every few days; a dry bed stays dry only if the wet material is removed. Rotate stock so the shelter paddock gets a rest, especially in winter.

• Gutter and downpipe to water butt or soakaway
• Gravel apron at the entrance
• Woodchip in gateways and high-traffic areas
• Move feeders and water troughs weekly
• Clean out wet bedding regularly

Maintenance, safety and planning pointers

Check the shelter after every gale. Look for loose sheets, lifted nails and posts that have started to move. Re-tighten bolts and replace cracked boards. Keep the roof clear of fallen branches and moss. Make sure there are no sharp edges or protruding screws at livestock height. On planning, small agricultural buildings may be permitted development, but rules depend on the size of your holding, the land classification and whether the building is permanent. A shelter on skids or a mobile field shelter often avoids the need for permission, but always check with your local planning authority before you build. Hardy livestock do not ask for much: a dry back, a dry bed and clean air. Build simply, site carefully, and the shelter will earn its keep for years.