How long do I need to house calves for?

By housing your calves in a quality shelter with sufficient space, you’ll ensure that they grow as healthy as possible as quickly as possible. Calves should be housed for a minimum of 2-3 weeks for dairy heifer replacements, and 4-5 weeks for beef rearers, although it is more common to house them for eight weeks or more. Ideally a calf will be housed for much of the weaning process, which generally lasts seven or eight months. This early stage of life is when the calf is at its most vulnerable, so by offering it comfortable conditions and easy access to food you’ll also be ensuring its health and future productivity.

How many square metres per calf?

While it’s important that you don’t overcrowd your calves in housing, there’s also no need to make calf sheds too big. 1.5m² per calf is more than enough. You should hold a maximum of 10 calves per calf shelter.

What is the best calf shelter layout?

There is no single calf rearing shed layout that’s better than the rest. The best shed design will be one that suits the needs of you and your animal; one that facilitates easy management, and gives you the best chance of raising healthy and happy calves. SmartShelters’ calf-rearing shelters are available in a range of layouts both standard and custom, which feature a variety of different spans, pen plans and capacities. At SmartShelters our expert team can design and construct a calf rearing shelter with a pen layout that works for you.

How do you control disease in calf barns?

While outbreaks are somewhat inevitable, disease in your calf rearing shelter is a relatively easy thing to mitigate and manage if you have firm processes in place. The following strategies will help to minimise the likelihood of disease, and manage an outbreak if one should ever occur. Ensure all feeding equipment, including feeders, teats, buckets and mixing utensils, is scrubbed with detergent/sanitiser and hot water Spray pens on a regular basis with a broad spectrum disinfectant, while being careful not to apply it to feed and water troughs or the animals themselves Utilise a separate pen to quarantine any sick calves, and keep them away from the healthy animals Disinfect any areas used for treating sick calves Wear appropriate clothing when in contact with calves, and clean it after every use Contact a member of our experienced team today to discuss a truly smart shelter solution for your property.

Calf Rearing Shelters, Sheds & Housing

START ON THE RIGHT FOOT

A clean, well-lit, well-ventilated shelter gives your calves a head-start in life.. A unique hooped design encourages gentle air movement, keeping the shelter environment fresh and clean. This keeps calves cooler in summer, while reducing the risk of airborne and respiratory disease.

HOW IT WORKS

SmartShelters’ ultra-heavy-duty fabric offers excellent light penetration without the fatiguing effect of direct sunlight, meaning your calves enjoy more even temperatures while still getting a taste of sun. The wealth of natural light means a reduction in your electricity bills too! SmartShelters’ calf-rearing shelters are available in a range of clever layouts, giving you the flexibility to choose different spans, pen layouts and capacities.

Farming

BENEFITS

Calves gain weight quickly as they are not metabolising feed simply to retain body temperature

The SmartShelters design maintains even internal temperatures

Excellent ventilation and airflow reduces the incidence of disease and illness

Clear span design and high light transmission provides a pleasant environment

Centralising your young herd, facilitating easier management.

Enabling you to put firm processes in place for vaccinations, disease management and disease treatment.

EXPLORE OUR GALLERY

WHY SMARTSHELTERS ARE THE SMART CHOICE

100+ YEARS OF EXPERTISE

As New Zealand’s first shelter manufacturer, we bring over a century of experience. Our in-depth industry knowledge ensures you receive personalised support and the perfect shelter tailored to your needs.

PROUDLY NEW ZEALAND MADE

Built in Auckland to withstand New Zealand’s extreme weather conditions, our canopy shelters deliver trusted performance with local support and a fast turnaround. We’re here for the long term—offering quick repairs, expert service, and quality that can’t be beaten.

INDUSTRY-LEADING 12-YEAR WARRANTY

Our 12-year warranty is the longest in the market and covers both the container cover and frame against manufacturing defects. We use only premium materials to ensure durability and reliability under New Zealand conditions, giving you peace of mind that our container shade structures deliver long-term value.

ENGINEERED TO AUS/NZ 1170:2:2021

SmartShelters meet the latest engineering and industry standards, ensuring compliance with building codes and health and safety requirements. Designed for your exact location, whether in the far north or the deep south, our roofs for shipping container buildings provide quality shelter that you can depend on.

DURASTEEL - HIGH STRENGTH STEEL FRAMEWORK

We don’t cut corners on strength. Our main canopy hoop arches are built with premium C450-grade structural galvanised steel—square or rectangular profile—with a wall thickness of no less than 4mm. It’s engineered for maximum durability, with quality assurance that outperforms imported alternatives.

SMARTSHIELD® – THE WORLD’S BEST STRUCTURAL FABRIC

Exclusively available through SmartShelters, our SMARTSHIELD® structural fabric is the strongest and most robust shelter fabric on the New Zealand market. It’s 100% PVC-free and built for long-term performance in New Zealand’s toughest conditions. Don’t be misled by thickness alone—this premium-grade ripstop membrane is engineered for real strength, not just weight.

SMART RANGE – FLEXIBLE SIZES & CUSTOMISATION

SmartShelters offers the widest range of container shelters and canopies in New Zealand — with spans from 6m to 45m wide, any length, and multiple height options. As the only NZ manufacturer offering this level of quality and customisation for container domes, we make it easy to tailor your shelter to your exact requirements. Choose from an unmatched range of add-ons and upgrades to create a structure that grows with your needs.