Welcome
Beef producers in the United States who are looking for lower cost structures for confinement finishing of beef cattle have shown a great deal of interest in hoop barns or hoop shelters. Hoop barns can be used successfully for finishing of cattle, though they have traditionally been used for swine. In order to implement hoop designs successfully, producers need to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of housing weighed against those of open lots or other facilities.
A number of manufacturers are offering these units for sale, and research-based information is available to help producers decide if a hoop barn is a good investment. This site summarizes information about designing and using hoop barns for finishing cattle.
This project was conducted by Iowa State University.
Last updated 20-February-2008 at 3:45 pm CDT. Click here for details.