UTIA ARP NETREC Backgrounding Barn

The UTIA: ARP – NETREC Backgrounding Barn expands facilities for cutting-edge research on backgrounding production, a type of beef management system that optimizes pasture and foraging to increase cattle weight during the intermediate stage of their development. Oriented east-west, the south facing, expansive shed roof provides shelter to protect cattle from the elements; centralizes areas for feed and water; and facilitates ventilation—all of which reduce stress and improve overall health as the cattle grow. The barn is sited just below a slight knoll to balance grading and preserve existing drainage.

Adopting the backgrounding industry’s contemporary monoslope design, the barn integrates typical pole barn construction with backgrounding barn elements. Subdivided into 6 pens that support up to 1,000 cattle, the open structure is framed by wood columns and steel angle trusses. 4-foot concrete kneewalls and concrete slabs provide resilient surfaces where the cattle are housed; a concrete pit stores manure for application on adjacent fields and paddocks. Corrugated metal siding and roofing, used on the facility’s existing barns, enclose the structure, simplifying maintenance and maintaining a consistent aesthetic.