School Bus Calf Shelter

School Bus Calf Shelter DAIRY EQUIPMENT & IDEAS Dairy Equipment & Ideas 20-4-10 "It makes a great calf shelter and took only a few hours of work to set up," says Steven Deneke, Wessington, S. Dak., about his converted 54-passenger school bus. Deneke removed the chassis and front end of the bus and set the body directly on the ground with a hole in front for calves to enter. He left the floor intact. "The calves use it a lot to get out of the wind. I've had up to 16 calves inside it at one time," says Deneke. "The floor is covered by a rubber mat that stays dry and warm. If we have a wet spring I put straw bedding inside. The opening is too small for cows to enter. However, if we're having a blizzard and the calves won't come out to nurse I pin three 10-ft. portable corral panels together at the back side of the bus and open the rear door so cows and calves can get together. "The windows can be opened in warm weather for ventilation. In the winter they let the sun in for warmth. I enter the bus through the passenger door on the side. I bolted a pair of 4 by 6 wood stringers on the bottom in case I ever want to move the bus to a new location." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Steven Deneke, Box 526, Wessington, S. Dak. 57382 (ph 605 539-9309).

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