Calf Boxes

Calf hut & Calf house for successful calf rearing

The foundation for successful is laid in the first few weeks of a calf's life, because the first few weeks in particular have a decisive influence on the health and performance of the later dairy cow and a successful . In addition to other factors, a healthy start to cow life can also be achieved through species-appropriate accommodation in a calf hut or in a calf igloo if suckler cow husbandry is not possible or desirable. Regardless of whether it is a single calf house or a large calf house, at Agrarzone you will find an extensive range of calf huts for individual housing and calf boxes for group housing.

In order to support you in choosing a suitable calf hut, we provide you with a lot of useful information on this page with which you can buy the right calf hut:

1. Why do you need a calf house?
2. Advantages of the calf house & calf igloo
3. Single hut for calves or large calf hut?
4. How to choose the right calf house
5. Practical accessories for the calf house
6. Buy a calf hut & calf igloo at Agrarzone

1. Why do you need a calf house?

A calf hut is indispensable for healthy calf rearing and this has the following reason: In the first few weeks of a calf's life, young cattle are particularly susceptible to germs and infectious agents. To reduce the risk of infection, the calf is housed in a calf house during this time. A (also called a calf hut or calf igloo) effectively reduces the risk of infectious diseases and reduces calf mortality to a minimum. The individual rearing in a calf house also satisfies a calf's need for rest and thus supports it in its earliest development into a high-performing cattle.

2. Advantages of the calf house & calf igloo:

Increase in well-being: In the first few weeks of life, the calf needs a lot of rest and security in order to be able to develop in a healthy and balanced way. A calf house in the form of a satisfies the young cattle's need for rest, which they have immediately after their birth, and ensures a successful development into an adult cow.

Fewer infections: A calf crate helps you to minimize the pressure of infection on your farm, especially during the period when the calf is most susceptible to germs and infections. Keeping calves in a calf house has the advantage over classic stable keeping that the animal comes into less contact with germs, bacteria and other pathogens. This is due on the one hand to the hygienic cleaning option and the continuous exchange of air in the calf house, on the other hand, a significantly lower fly infestation ensures less bacterial contamination. In this way you ensure healthy and stress-free growth of the calf.

Promotion of health: The calf hut has natural air circulation. Thanks to the continuous ventilation, the calf hut stays dry and the calf always has enough fresh air. These cold stimuli from the ambient air promote the health of the calf, strengthen the immune system and stimulate the metabolism. Regular air exchange also reduces the risk of the calf contracting pneumonia, for example, and thereby reducing the daily gain.

Easier work: A calf hut made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic with the smoothest possible surface is particularly easy to clean and also helps you to prevent dirt particles, germs and parasites from nestling in pores or grooves. The handling is also very practical: With the removable entrance door of the outlet grille, you lock the calf in the , tilt the grille over the calf hut and push the straw away from the outlet. For easy calf feeding, you can attach several bucket rings to the fence and thus provide the calf with concentrated feed, milk and water at the same time.

3. Single hut for calves or large calf hut?

Single calf hut without fence:

A is ideal for use as a quarantine area when purchasing new calves or for isolating young cattle that have become infected with contagious pathogens. A single house for calves promotes a quick recovery of the calf, because the fresh air, which is guaranteed thanks to optimal air circulation, strengthens the immune system and has a positive effect on the health process.

Single calf hut with fence:

A is suitable for rearing calves up to a maximum of 8 weeks of age. Because it is kept alone, the calf is exposed to a lower level of germs in the first few weeks. The robust calf huts including fencing are characterized by an optimized ventilation system, through which the climate in the calf hutch is regulated without drafts. More space and more stability offer the calf adequate protection from the weather and the farmer more freedom for treatments such as when .

Group calf hut for several calves:

From the 9th week of life at the latest - better earlier - calves must be kept in groups in accordance with the animal husbandry ordinance. This is particularly important because a effectively prevents social isolation and its effects. The use of a calf hut for several calves has a positive effect on learning good social and group behavior. Calves from a group calf hut also suffer from less stress when transitioning from a calf hut to the herd.

4. How to choose the right calf house

Overview: A calf igloo (also called a calf house) is ideal if …

• ... the calf igloo offers the calf enough space for healthy development.
  
• ... the calf igloo protects the calf from various weather influences such as wind, rain, heat and cold.
  
• ... the calf igloo gives the farmer enough space for treatments (e.g. ).
  
• ... moving is easily possible thanks to a or transport with a pallet fork.
  
• ... the calf igloo can ideally be converted into a group calf igloo.
  
• ... the calf igloo guarantees optimal air circulation.
  
• ... a fastening option for food can be mounted on the fence.
  
• ... the calf igloo offers UV protection as well as high resistance to cold and heat.
  
• ... the calf igloo has an easily accessible run.
  
• ... the calf igloo can be equipped with a .
  
• ... the calf igloo has a smooth surface and is therefore easy to clean.
  
• ... the calf igloo has a high level of stability and durability.

This is what calf huts or calf igloos should offer:

Sufficient space:

The dimensions of a single calf hut must be at least 120 cm x 80 cm x 80 cm, with a lying area of at least 0.96 square meters. Since young calves have a strong urge to move around, it is better to choose a more spacious calf hut with more space. This additional comfort has a positive influence on the development of the calf into a productive and healthy dairy cow. With the size of the calf hut, it is also important to ensure that the entrance opening to the calf hut is large enough for an adult to get to the calf. The size also determines the possible holding time.

Individual housing or group housing:

When buying a calf box, you should consider that calves can only be kept in up to a maximum of 8 weeks of age. From the 9th week - better earlier - the calves must be kept in with other calves in accordance with the animal husbandry ordinance. If you do not want to buy several individual huts and group huts and want to spare your young cattle the stress of moving, then choose a calf hut, where the partition walls can be removed. In this way, individual huts can be converted into large-scale huts. This saves time and money and increases stress for the young cattle.

Protection against environmental influences:

A more spacious calf hut offers greater protection from the elements (wind, rain, cold and heat) than a small calf hut and offers the farmer more freedom for veterinary treatments. In cold temperatures, a also helps to provide cozy warmth in the calf hut.

Stable climate:

A stable climate in the calf hut is very important for future development, because a calf that grows up in an environment that is too warm or too cold is more susceptible to diseases and infections than an adult cow. Our from have some decisive advantages over conventional calf huts:

• In a very practical way, you can move our lightweight Calfhouse calf hut to any location without any problems.
• Ventilation flaps ensure optimal air circulation.
• An insulated roof ensures that the calf hut is up to 12 degrees cooler in the hot summer months.
• On cold days, our Calfhouse Kälberhütte ensures that the young cattle lie dry on the ground. This is important because if the floor is wet, the calf freezes and needs even more energy to keep warm.

Protection against UV radiation:

Our Calfhouse calf huts offer excellent UV protection. The production from a glass fiber reinforced plastic based on polyethylene (HDPE) also ensures high resistance to cold and heat.

Possibility to run:

You can buy our calf huts or . A calf hut without a fence is used when you want to isolate sick calves and protect them from germs. For healthy calves, it is best to buy a calf hut that gives the calf enough space to run out. For easy management, you should pay attention to the construction of the fence before buying:

• The fence should be at least 90 cm high so that the young cattle cannot jump over it.
• The spout should be easily accessible and, if possible, open and close with one hand.
• A small distance to the ground ensures that the litter cannot easily be pushed out by the young cattle under the outlet grille.
• Ideally, a , a and a can be attached to the fence.
• If your fence can be extended with a , there are practical advantages: Calves are less crowded when eating, when mucking out the straw area you can fix the calves in the stalls by locking them up in Groups.

Hygienic cleaning:

A groove-free and pore-free surface concept makes cleaning a calf house easily. The particularly smooth inner surface also ensures that no germs and other pathogens can accumulate in fine depressions. This prevents the development and spread of diseases in the long term.

High stability:

Our calf houses have a high level of stability and durability. This is ensured by the manufacture of high-quality, impact-resistant HDPE plastic. The glass fiber reinforced plastic based on polyethylene (HDPE) is very resistant to aging and has extremely high tear strength and impact resistance.

Simple feeding:

Water and feed should be available to the calves at all times. For an easy supply of , hay and water, you should be able to mount a fastening option for feed holders on the outlet grid. There is space for a , a and a and can be conveniently exchanged from the outside if necessary, without having to open the calf hut.

5. Practical accessories for the calf house

In our category you will find an extensive range of practical accessories for your calf house or calf igloo. Browse through our calf house accessories and complete your equipment for :

• : With a driving device for calf boxes you can move your calf hut even more easily and quickly.
  
• : A hay rack that is mounted on the calf fence can easily be filled from the outside.
  
• & : A feed box or long feed trough is a must-have for your calf hut. In practice, our troughs for feeding calves can be hung on the fence and filled from the outside.
  
• : With a large calf feeder with a , several calves can be supplied with high-quality milk at the same time, saving time.
  
• : A feed fence (also known as a safety fence) serves to prevent the animals from pushing each other out while eating and gives you the opportunity to restrain the calves. Whether for eating or mucking out the straw area, the calves can be locked in groups in the stalls with a feed fence.
  
• : A canopy for the calf hut provides extensive sun protection on hot summer days.
  
• : With modular fence arrangements you can easily create your fence for the calf barn according to your wishes. To keep the calves in a hall or in a covered area, the modular fencing can easily be attached to the wall using a .

6. Buy a calf hut & calf igloo at Agrarzone

Are you looking for a calf hut for your young cattle or would you like to switch from a single calf box to a group calf box so that you can put your calves together? Then you are at the right address at Agrarzone. Discover our wide range of calf huts and calf igloos in our online shop and order your calf crate conveniently online with a click of the mouse. Thanks to the short delivery time, your calf hut will be in front of your stable door in no time. You can buy other practical accessories for your calf hut such as hay racks, fences or feed boxes .

Do you need advice on the selection of the optimal calf house or do you have any questions about ? Write to us using our contact form or contact us by phone, chat or Whatsapp - we will be happy to help you or make you an individual offer.

Your advantages in the Agrarzone shop:

Free returns: This applies to all parcel deliveries that are returned within 30 days. You can also return freight forwarded goods within 30 days. However, the costs for the return with forwarding delivery are to be borne by the customer.

No risk thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee: If the product you have purchased is not the right one for you, you can return the item to us within 30 days of delivery without giving a reason. We will then refund you the full purchase price.

Fast delivery: For deliveries to Austria and Germany, you will receive your order within 1-3 working days.