Building a Barn ( milking parlor ) from Pallets and Cattle Panels

Since we are getting a dexter family milk cow we will need a milking parlor for her. I decide to build the structure from pallets and cattle panels. It is a relatively simple process: driving t-posts into the ground in a rectangle formation; sliding the pallets over the t-post; bolting the pallets together; arching cattle panels between the pallets; and tarping the cattle panels.
The milking parlor needs to be on fast ground so the milking stand is level. I find a place next to our garden that looks like a good spot for it.
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[@CogHillFarm]

Now this was too awesome!! Oh I can think of 100,000,000 things we could use this! Thanks Dan

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Perhaps a butcher shop expansion? (I can't take credit for the design but you're welcome)

[@CogHillFarm]

LOL!!!!

[@BethGrantDeRoos]

The foam pipe insulation on the edges of the cattle panels was brilliant! Am going to borrow that idea!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

awesome!

[@tughillbillyhomestead]

Like it allot.. my only advice from the been there done that lessons is get some heavy duty zip ties and attach each roof section together, otherwise they will flex independently under snow load and fail. Zipping them all together increases the total strength across the roof. Great job

[@ritanbuu9463]

Tughillbilly Homestead I use a 2 x 4 and fence staple to hold all that panels together

[@JAW88]

Great job. I was laughing watching you struggle with the cattle panel by yourself as it reminded me of me. With that you do have two great helpers.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm glad you got a kick out of that :)

[@jesusredeemedhomestead7264]

We built our greenhouse in a similar way using wood for the bottom in place of the pallets. The cattle panel are AWESOME for using to create a roof when covered with tarp or greenhouse plastic. We used layers of greenhouse plastic and did some bracing for the "roof". Worked wonderfully!

[@ForgingFreedomTV]

I built a similar structure to provide extra shade for my rabbit hutch. Wish I would have had a video of myself arching the cattle panels, lol 😂 Also used foam tubing to keep the tarp from ripping. Works great going on 6 years now. Held up to snow and wind, no problem. I do have to replace the tarp about every 2 years

[@thedirtyhoehomestead]

Curious how much longer it lasted.

[@RobertasArtisticAdventures]

We built our greenhouse in a similar way using wood for the bottom in place of the pallets. The cattle panel are AWESOME for using to create a roof when covered with tarp or greenhouse plastic. We used layers of greenhouse plastic and did some bracing for the "roof". Worked wonderfully! You did a great job!

[@bigmamankc6101]

I think you do the best job of explaining a project on Utube. Really I do ‼️🤗

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm flattered :)

[@007darryl]

Very smart and resourceful! Good job.👍

[@madelinebrownlee5787]

Love the good intentions and enthusiasm you bring to all you do. After all, being a good steward of your livestock is any animal owners solemn duty and responsibility. Their very lives depend on your best judgement. I also understand the concern for keeping expenses down but my experience has taught me proper construction initially is the less expensive in the long run because you only have to build it once! Tarp shelters will not last and when they fail (which is usually at midnight in the most miserable freezing storm in one hundred years as you are going thru a near death experience trying to recover from a killer flu [lol]), your livestock will be at serious risk for disease and/or injury, and as you experienced with your piglets, death can be the result not to mention their suffering. It looks like you are enjoying mild weather now but when the real cold begins with rain, winds, and snow, they are going to potentially experience some very serious consequences. Animals are hard on fencing and structures, as is mother nature. Build to last the first time. It is cheaper in the long run and your charges have a much better chance at living long, productive lives. How nice it is in that horrible weather to run into a solid, single building that provides proper shelter and warmth from the elements, the piece of mind that you have provided for all your critters, who are safe and comfortable, and your list of chores can be accomplished under one secure, strong, dependable roof top. Your videos are wonderful and I am rooting for your success! We desperately need more farmers! All the best

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thank you Madeline. I will be framing the structure before winter to allow for snow load

[@joypierce2757]

Some long 4"X4"'s bracing rhe roof, 2x4s laid across the width, (length-wise) will keep the roof from collapsing during the snow season. Snow load could bury your animals. Also will give the roof some much needed stability.

[@peewees6199]

You are so clever...thanks for sharing. God bless!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I didn't come up with this design but thank you :)

[@LizZorab]

I love how much your confidence in building stuff has grown (remember the errors of that first A frame structure for the chickens?) - it's brilliant to see you two make such a big structure together. It looks great!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thanks so much Liz!

[@LizZorab]

You're welcome!

[@PANTTERA1959]

Good vid.Good project. Good job on not getting broken teeth,arm on the cattle panels.Those blasted things can jack you up.

[@imaslowlerner]

Ashley actually made the video much more enjoyable because you were really struggling. I'm going to make one, I need it bad.

[@spinfunfiber4649]

This is perfect timing for me right now! Need an easy up and possibly portable shelter for my horse and I've looked up pictures/plans, but never found anyone actually putting it together. AWESOME! Thank You! :)

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

You're welcome! I still have the building. It's standing strong still (since I framed it for a snow load)!

[@spinfunfiber4649]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead I did build this on a much smaller scale and used pvc piping for the arched roof with perpendicular pieces used to stabilize the arches instead of cattle panels. It worked PERFECTLY! Been binge watching your videos from the beginning and I am up to late spring of 2018, but wanted to let you know that the shelter worked great for my horse. :)

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

@@spinfunfiber4649 That's awesome! I'm glad it worked for you.

[@YourAverageWitch]

I found this at a good time- I'm designing a chicken coop and came up with a similar idea (pallet walls/panel roof). This was helpful!

[@sonyagregory5711]

Very smart idea. I like it! Gives me some ideas! Oh I have a trick that we use when we need to get something over high arches. Just tie some rope to the tarp and then throw the rope edges over the top of the parlor, go to the other side and easily pull the tarp over the parlor. You are a great architect! Journey On!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

You're too kind! Full discloser - I didn't create this design. I don't know who did so I don't know who to credit but I've seen other folks with similar setups.

[@dickdenisse9960]

Don't you have wind in Idaho? I count 6 pallets on either side with 3 posts each so there's 36 staples holding a 300 square foot kite. My biggest kite is 50 square feet and it'll rip my arm off in a storm. It works for a greenhouse because it's closed at the ends and the wind goes around it but this thing is totally open.

[@smithgraincattlesgc4940]

That thing is never gonna last

[@1wolfpup]

Really nice! Gave us an idea for down here in Texas. Here deep in the piney woods the heat is our biggest issue and that open concept is perfect. Thanks for taking us along.

[@margaretbruning1416]

Thanks for making me laugh, I loved the part where you were putting up the cattle panel yourself. Plus really good instructional video. We’ve built 4 of these structures. You learn a little each time

[@Mate2Frio]

Keep a lookout for used coroplast signs for siding.

[@terryhenderson424]

I'm looking at some of the older videos - My gosh "Little Buddy" sure has grown!

[@romanheritagefarms]

Great idea and use of pallets, looks like I will have a new project soon.

[@shibelight2095]

Love it! Multi-purpose large space, I'll be using mine is a milking station and storage facility. I'm losing so much to weather, because mice keep busting in the what I thought was a secure bins. They pop holes in everything, and then rainwater destroys all of my backup food. I've been struggling so hard. I wish I could find one that involves no helpers because I can't seem to find those either. But I could at least get it as far along as I can by myself.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

If you can't do all of it on your own, you be able to get most of it. Just a note - I did frame that structure to take a snow load. It's still standing today!

[@terryhenderson424]

I like this hoop house design and look too.

[@pete56]

I like it, I might copy it for a storage shed, but I would change some things. With the arch of the panels that you have I think that they are strong enough and steep enough that snow load won't be a problem. Wind against the sides probably will be; wind lift maybe,but not as much with two open ends. Secure the panels with more than the staples and leave part of the top open when you cover the back wall.

[@sethjones5078]

Great idea.looks good have to figure out how t insulate it. Keep it up

[@John-mh6mi]

Thank you great build..

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

👍🏻

[@edwardcuevas5667]

Great idea i would love to try that for myself

[@PatriciaRobison]

Wow Daniel Great idea!!! Cracked me up when up tried to do the cattle panel alone. I know it was awful when it happened but made a great video!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

:) I figured someone might get a laugh out of it. I'm glad you did

[@sjr7822]

Good to watch someone else struggling, for a change

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

thanks :/

[@alluniquefashion6202]

YOU MADE HOME FOR HUMAN, GREAT JOB

[@pepperwoster1469]

I am going to try something like this ... my steers would make a quick snack of those tennis balls though lol

[@richardduke9788]

Good idea , put to - Good use !

[@brianphilbrook5262]

Wow now that's a barn!!!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm sure it has nothing on your barn Brian

[@onfarm6521]

I would be a little worried about that holding up to a cow. If it works I will be the first to shove my foot in my mouth. That also won't be very insulated come harsh winters. Look forward to seeing how well it holds up

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It is simply a milking parlor. She'll be going right in to a milking stand. It'll work. I don't need to insulate it, just put up additional tarps for wind breaks.

[@BobbleheadHomestead]

Love it! Very creative solution to get started without a huge investment. Expanding the cattle panel greenhouse concept was a great idea.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thanks PD! Will you be doing anything similar on the Bobble Head Homestead

[@BobbleheadHomestead]

Probably not, but only because I may already have a barn if I can figure out how to re-engineer a structure already there. And I'm with Ashley about the cow milking :) More homestead success for you.

[@praisethelord4222]

Fantastic job! thank you for this. Going to do something similar.

[@raymondnromero3348]

Great ideas! Ok will put them to good use! Thank you.

[@SunfireWoods]

I seem to recall that your metal sheep barn went flying soon after you'd built it. While this design is good in theory, I'd have to agree with another commenter here that you've built a wind sail. A cow spooked from a flimsy roofand flapping tarp can lead to the cow injuring herself trying to escape. Please make this a temporary structure with plans of building an actual barn. Even a "tiny house" barn would be better in the long run, as it'd be much more sturdy a structure.

[@mapleleaf0]

The metal sheep shelter flew over during a storm because it wasn't anchored. This structure is anchored all around. I could see a flapping tarp could be a concern.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It's anchored pretty well with all those t-posts. This tarp wound up being too small. I'm going to replace it with a bigger one that overlaps on the inside of the panel so there won't be any flapping

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

and I've since anchored the sheep shelter

[@letmwalkon87]

He will be fine.... dairy cattle aren’t crazy.... they could care less about a lot of things 😉

[@EssentialMountainHomesteading]

Great Video, Thanks for sharing

[@thecynic807]

So if you want to shore up that wind sail take hardware cloth and run it halfway up the cattle panels and the other half connected to the pallets.

[@GEAUXFRUGAL]

Bailing wire would be good no drilling. Cover post with bean cans fill space with balled up paper. Could cut bike tires to fit over. I have a inner tube I use for a sink drain. Not the right way but it's my way.

[@psychobunny32]

we used the ratchet tie down straps to pull the ends toward each other. worked like a come=along.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

great idea!

[@drmachinewerke1]

Set 3 post in the ground places beam on top and fasten panel to beam . Will need a 2x4 from beam to pallets

[@muhamedfaour3710]

It’s very unsteady flimsy, it will get blown with first wind storm, You should’ve placed 4x4 posts in ground with some concrete instead of Tposts , And run 2x6 across on top and bottom to brace the pallets And most important thing is nailing the panels on inside of the pallets about 6 inch overlap instead of top .

[@loriannryder6274]

Thanks for sharing this. Looks great😁

[@mdnurealom427]

OK alam

[@portugeeprepper6821]

Thanks for sharing!! Good way to recycle the pallets

[@angkeats3685]

Yes u did have some troubles son 😂 GOOD JOB 👏 sometimes u just need the extra hands

[@Veemack21]

Looks great

[@lennygriffin4464]

Great job

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Should have plenty of room to do all you need in there. Congrats on 10,000 subs!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Thanks guys!! I like the new profile picture!

[@princessperibanu380]

Big thumbs up! Very, very cool idea. Thanks! :))

[@robertpayne2717]

Don't know where your at but, I'm in Arkansas and ice/freezing rain is more common than snow most years

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Idaho

[@marvincarvin1846]

As the saying goes "All Hat and no Cattle"

[@girisaman]

Very nice but you will need some bracing. Just a friendly advice from someone that works with buildings :).

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

much obliged

[@rebeccaandrews9757]

You might want to put a cement floor down . Easy to clean &would lend stability. But if just temporary maybe not ,but would help with waste.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

it's just temporary

[@Horselackey]

Mybson built one like this for goats....winds during a storm collapsed it....you need to perhaps sink sme 4x4s and anchor it tobtjem ....like apost and beam....construction

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

If you watch some later videos on the "barn" you will see that I framed it for a snow load

[@Stephanie-uy6vo]

Just an FYI they make rubber and plastic caps that go on top of the tpost.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

thanks!

[@colleenrodamer6230]

Like it I need mine just a bit smaller but u did a great job

[@billietribble3383]

those dexter cows must be very tall. i think i will copy your design for my giraffes new barn.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

you obviously don't understand how cattle panels work. To reduce the height I would have to spread the distance of the pallets which would cause the arch of the panels to be very obtuse and not have enough angle on them to hold sturdy

[@Charliemmafan]

Looks cool man but as soon as the wind blows it'll just tear that whole thing down!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

That's why I framed it in a later video. It's still standing today after several north Idaho winters

[@sathiskumar7594]

lol I was about to ask the door to keep mom and the boy locked in during dark!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It's a milking parlor so I won't be using this one as a shelter for the cow.

[@fatw501]

Very Nice.thanks.

[@calamaridog]

Those pallets will rot out quickly touching the ground like that. Could have easily (and cheaply) placed them on a floating stem wall made of cinder block and leveled with some gravel. Also why bolt the pallets together instead of just screwing them? Anyways, thanks for sharing and good luck with your new cow.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It's just temporary

[@calamaridog]

Yeah so are all my projects LOL. Thanks again for the channel!

[@1krmorris]

when you are driving the tposts in, let go just of the handles before the hammer thing makes contact with the tpost. It still has plenty of inertia to slam the tpost in and you will save your elbows. Trust me. It may take a while but your elbows will thank you for it.

[@1krmorris]

I'm learning it's important to take care of your body for the long term. That includes stuff like this. My dad played college football for Baylor (we are in Texas. Football is life!) and he has had major issues with his back. Life altering issues for many years because of it. That t post hammer thing is really rough on the elbows. Holding onto it like it looked like you were doing transfers the impact to your joints. It's bad news! Love you channel btw!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

thanks Kristin - I try to be careful and cognizant of such things. Thanks for pointing that out

[@1krmorris]

Only trying to share those little tid bits I have learned the hard way.

[@tlgardens7598]

Very nice

[@JosephNieboer]

My friend uses Paracord to hold traps and plastic from flapping and would strenthin agaist wind.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

we're using cable ties (just like all our other projects). It wouldn't be a Grass-fed Homestead project with cable ties ;)

[@JosephNieboer]

They used both. The paracord ran up and over the top and was tied to the bottom of their posts. Effective in the strong winds. They lost a few greenhouses from the wind until they started doing this.

[@poshpoultry8721]

I bought cattle panels yesterday to do a hoop coop for chickens.........but looked at the price of wood and was like NOPE NOPE NOPE! So I scored 10 pallets for 5 dollars each and am gonna saw them in half and use them the way you did this (it will be shorter of course with the pallets cut in half) then cover the whole thing in chicken wire and put a door on all I had to pay for was the 2x4x8's for the door frame!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

That sounds like a great plan! Send me a picture of it when you're done!

[@poshpoultry8721]

@@TheGrassfedHomestead I will. I did free range mostly until I started having a problem with a neighbors dog they let run loose, and hawks, getting my pretty rare sultans and houdans and hawks snatched up a couple silkies -this will do nicely for the bantam breeds that I cannot let free range

[@armyguy9735]

Can you back your Pick Up truck in the barn? So no one can fall from the ladder. Just thinking SAFETY. Love the videos

[@carols1030]

Buffer the walls with stacks of hay bales along them for insulation.

[@ubetchya78]

or bales of straw, which is much cheaper than hay...

[@hallbe]

Beware strong winds. ;-)

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

indeed

[@patchampion9823]

Looks Good great job guys, Pat tyfs

[@blitzburghbilly7813]

GOOD THING (ASHLEY) BROUGHT THE BRUTE💪🏼STRENGTH ..... B'COZ YOU 👈🏼, CLEARLY (DIDN'T) @5:14 til 5:25 👈🏼 ... (Girly Man You) ( KNUCKLE👊🏽BUMP ) Ashley ......

[@teauxmeauxfarms1480]

Stealing this! 😍😍😍

[@jeff4655]

A big wind and that's gone!

[@parapearce3129]

Awesome

[@GEAUXFRUGAL]

Saw a guy bend a 90° on a cattle panel, I think I can do that with a pipe wrench? I'm going to have to remember to do that when I build here. I want to do a carport need a plan I bet I can make it look good and it'll be strong too.

[@turkeycreekhomestead]

nice video!

[@ClissaT]

If you watched my video about making a similar shelter you would see a very easy way to get that tarp into place. ;)Just to mention that my shelters are still going strong 5yrs on but I'm in a tropical area with no snow load or really bad storms. We do get up to 90kh winds & the shelters have stood up well.

[@mrsimpson2022]

hopefully it will last the week.

[@londellwatson7901]

PVC pipe schedule 40 works great for stability for your roof

[@fortbenningmom]

I heard that PVC doesn't hold up well under direct sunlight & that anywhere it's touching the plastic tarp, it causes deterioration of the tarp at those exact points, too.

[@marrerofamilyfarm]

I love this idea. I want this for my highland and mini Jersey. Can you give me a link to the tarp you used for the top?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I bought it at a local farm store

[@heidimichaelson4512]

I really like this affordable idea. My question is how it holds up under wind storms? I'm thinking of this set up for my horse hay. Thanks!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

In follow-up videos you'll see that I framed it to hold a snow load. Since doing that 3.5 years ago, it is still standing strong after three north Idaho winters and many wind storms.

[@heidimichaelson4512]

Good to hear. Thanks! I live in MT and wanted to make sure it was durable

[@mohanedsalim4405]

Good jop man 👍

[@akindofmagick]

How are you going to insulate it for winter? Looks chilly!!! :)

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Just some additional tarps for wind breaks. We won't be miking in the dead of winter so the cold won't be much of an issue

[@akindofmagick]

I was thinking about insulation for the cow, actually!!! LOL!!

[@Avilacrazy]

I don't believe the idea was permanent overnight housing, just a milking parlor.

[@georgesimpson3113]

I get what you are shooting for... you could have built roof first on the ground THEN lifted each side up one at a time onto walls...

[@valentinoliparulo7485]

HI! great video. A question: is it still standing? thanks in advance!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Yes, it is

[@janedmunds4218]

Would something like this work as a run-in for a couple of horses?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I don't have horse experience so it's hard for me to say

[@dollyperry3020]

One comment. I'm not sure how you plan to tether the cow as you milk her...But if it is a stanchion or a tie...It needs to be super strong and secure. Don't tether her to this barn or she could pull the whole thing down!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm building a milking stand with a head gate. She won't be tied to the structure

[@gonzalezpandura]

Have you consider motion solar lights

[@MsSixdays]

What about putting solar lights on the cattle barn so you have some kind of light at all times at night.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

That would be cool!

[@joeybraswell3065]

How wide did you set the pallets to get the width before putting the panels on top

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

3 pallets width

[@foxglove8836]

what if it gets windy ? bit wobbly.

[@dlmudge1]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@lanedouglas2165]

I see a couple of others have mentioned wind. I would address that immediately, too nice a project / barn to let wind take it away. Rope and anchors, like you guy out a tent would be a temp fix.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It's anchored with all the t-posts.

[@homesteadgonewild112]

How did you fasten down the tarp? To withstand the tarps.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

zip ties

[@mysticwriter5319]

I need to know the length of your cattle panels as my husband insists that it's either two hooked together or some oversized panel.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

They are 16' - standard size for cattle panels

[@user-io3hy4zb4s]

I'm wondering if you have any problems milking the cow due to windwhip of the tarp. I need a place to milk her , in winter especially, but was cautioned about that noise from the tarp or greenhouse plastic. Certainly I could do some things like use ratchet straps to hold the plastic or blow air in between two layers of greenhouse plastic, but want to see what your experience is. Thank you kindly for the help!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Joel Salatin uses a rope going across the hoop tops diagonally to tie down the greenhouse plastic. It works really well with eliminating the wind flap.

[@JessicaWheeler-kx9gu]

Where did you get the vinyl for the top of your milking parlor?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

It's a large tarp from a farm store