Sheep housing in Scotland: what to ask for in a steel shed

More Scottish flocks are housed for lambing or over the winter, especially on farms in the Borders, Perthshire and the Lothians where weather and ground conditions make outdoor lambing hard. A good sheep shed makes lambing easier, keeps ewes in better condition and saves grass. A poor one causes pneumonia, foot problems and a lot of extra work. Here's what to think about before you ask for a price.

Start with numbers and use

• How many ewes, and will they be housed with lambs at foot?
• Winter housing, lambing, or both?
• Breeds and size. Hill ewes and larger lowland breeds need different space.
• Shearing and scanning. Will you do them inside?
• Other uses. Could the shed hold cattle, machinery or straw in summer?

These set the floor area, the pen layout and the frame.

Space allowances

Ewes need enough lying and feeding space for their size, stage of pregnancy and whether they're shorn. The Scottish Government's welfare code for sheep and AHDB guidance give recommended space allowances. Use those as a starting point, and add room for lambing pens, hospital pens and handling. [CONFIRM: link to current Scottish welfare code before publishing]

Ventilation is the big one

Sheep housing needs lots of fresh air without draughts at sheep level. Poor ventilation leads to high humidity, ammonia and respiratory disease. Common features are:

• Spaceboarding or ventilated cladding on the side walls above sheep height
• An open or protected ridge to let warm, moist air out
• Solid walls or gates at sheep level to stop draughts where the sheep lie
• Orientation to the prevailing wind, and room between buildings

Ventilation improvements to existing livestock housing may be eligible for funding under the Future Farming Investment Scheme. A new shed isn't. See our grants guide.

Feed and water

• Feed barriers along a central or side feed passage let you feed from a tractor or quad without going in with the sheep.
• Trough space has to let every ewe eat at once, especially in late pregnancy.
• Water troughs that are easy to clean and protected from fouling, with frost protection in a Scottish winter.

Pens and handling

• Gates and hurdles that let you change pen sizes through the season
• Individual lambing pens, ideally near the main pens, with good light and water
• A handling area with a race and shedding gate, so you can sort, treat and load without stress

Floor and bedding

Most sheep sheds use straw bedding on a concrete or compacted base, or raised slatted floors. Consider:

• Drainage, so liquids don't pool under the bedding
• Mucking out, with doors and headroom for a tractor and loader
• Feed passage surfaces that are easy to scrape

Light

Good natural light helps you check stock and makes lambing easier. Rooflights and open sides help. Add electric lighting for night checks.

Structure and weather

Sheep sheds are often wide, open-sided buildings, which makes wind loading important on exposed hill sites. Snow loads on upland farms shape the frame too. Read choosing steel sections for Scottish snow loading.

Planning and warrants

Many sheep sheds can use Class 18 permitted development after prior notification, if they're within the limits. Bigger sheds, over 280m², usually need a building warrant. Read do farm buildings need a building warrant?.

How Forge & Frame helps

We deliver complete sheep and livestock buildings: groundworks, slab, frame, ventilated cladding, feed barriers and doors, on one contract. See livestock housing. Guide price: [PRICE: Iain to confirm]

FAQs

How much space do housed ewes need?

It depends on size, stage of pregnancy and whether they're shorn. Use the Scottish welfare code and AHDB guidance as a starting point.

What's the most important thing in a sheep shed?

Ventilation. Lots of fresh air without draughts at sheep level helps prevent respiratory disease.

Can a sheep shed be used for other things in summer?

Yes, if it's designed for it, with door sizes and headroom for machinery.

Is there a grant for a new sheep shed in Scotland?

Not through the Future Farming Investment Scheme, which excludes sheds. Some equipment, like sheep handling equipment, may be eligible.

Do I need planning permission for a sheep shed?

Many can use Class 18 permitted development after prior notification. Larger ones, or those near houses or classified roads, may need planning permission.

Get a price for your sheep shed

Tell us the farm postcode, how many ewes and whether it's for lambing, winter housing or both.

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