Slat Floor

Concrete Slats

Slat floors allow manure and wastewater to pass through the floor either directly into a storage tank or a gutter system that will carry the manure away.  This reduces the amount of bedding and labour required by allowing the manure to be handled as a liquid. Slat floors that are on a deep pit system that are more than one slat wide require concrete post and beams under the floor to support the slats across the width of the barn.

Heating

Propane (Liquified Petroleum Gas) & Natural Gas

Generally natural gas and propane appliances can be modified to burn either gas. Typically, burner orifices, pressure regulators and piping may have to be changed. Currently natural gas is by far the cheapest fuel source in Ontario and piping networks are available to many rural customers. Pricing for natural gas is either based on the spot market or on a contracted price.

Propane is the second most popular option for Ontario Farmers. It is delivered from a local propane distributer by truck to a bulk tank on the farm that is sized accordingly. Prices are set by the local distributer and contracting options are typically not available.

Elite Agri Solutions strives to provide background information on topics which are hard to research. In cases where no reputable print resources were available for us to reference, we interviewed industry experts, so it is inevitable that the contents of this document will contain inaccuracies and bias. Use this as a resource to help you ask the right questions, not as a source of definitive answers. Elite Agri Solutions and its employee will not be responsible for the consequences of any decision made based on this guide. Where text or data has been copied directly, the sources have been noted, otherwise it can be assumed that all the information in this guide has only been curated by Elite Agri Solutions and is not our original property.

Post framing differs from stud framing in that the vertical members extend from the footing right to the trusses, are typically large dimension pressure treated posts and are spaced much further apart. Post frames have a splash rail instead of a bottom plate to hold the frame rigid at ground level, and instead of a top plate for trusses to sit on, a plate beam is used. Post framed buildings are best suited to low-cost, non-insulated applications.

In its most basic form, a stud framed wall consists of vertical studs butted and fastened to a bottom and top plate all made of dimensional lumber (2×4 2×6 or 2×8). This wall will sit on a foundation wall of concrete or preserved wood and will be protected by a roof truss system attached to the wall’s top plate. Stud spacing is always either 16 inches on centre (o.c.) or 24 inches o.c. Tables are given in SB-11 for stud sizes and spacing based on the wind and roof load, for agricultural buildings under 600m² not needing professional engineering.

If the building requires professional engineering, all building components, including studs and fasteners will be specified on the engineering drawings. To determine if your structure needs engineering or not, refer to our summary of important information from the Ontario Building Code and most importantly, refer to the Code itself to finalize any building.

The primary functions of ventilation are to regulate temperature and to remove moisture and undesirable gases. The priority of each of these purposes must be weighed and ventilation rates adjusted according to conditions.

Each species has its own requirements, so the ventilation for a cattle barn will tailor to a much different set of needs than say a broiler barn. Despite the large differences across livestock, the fluid mechanics and heat transfer principles remain the same throughout.

If you are looking for plug and play calculations for ventilation, refer to OMAFRA’s publication 833 “Ventilation for Livestock and Poultry Facilities” we have collected the important work sheets from that document into “OMAFRA Ventilation Heating and Cooling Work Sheets”.

This is a list of definitions which are useful while trying to understand the building code, engineered drawings and throughout the building process.

Allowable bearing pressure (as applying to foundations)

The maximum pressure that may be safely applied to a soil or rock by the foundation unit considered in design under expected loading and subsurface conditions.

Appliance

A device to convert fuel into energy and includes all components, controls, wiring and piping required to be part of the device by the applicable standard.

Attic or Roof Space

The space between the roof and the ceiling of the top storey or between a dwarf (aka. knee) wall and a sloping roof.

Many agricultural buildings have fixed deadlines that need to be met, whether it be season dependent ( such as getting a silo up before harvest), or contract dependent (such as placing a flock of broilers on a certain day).

It is important to ensure that you anticipate how long the build will take and account for some delays. It is equally important that any contractors are equally committed to the deadlines as well.

The best way to ensure this is by having a robust contract that details who is responsible for each component, when each component needs to be complete and what the penalties are for falling short of the contract.

Flashing

Flashing can be bent on site with a break or standard profiles can be ordered. For a barn where there will be few unique pieces, it is best to order standard profiles. Painted flashing should be ordered from the same supplier as other cladding products. Even the difference in paint between lots can become noticeable as the cladding weathers.

It should be noted that aluminum and concrete are reactive and anywhere aluminum is used in contact with concrete it should be effectively coated or separated from the masonry by an impervious membrane.

Concrete Work

Concrete Fundamentals

• Concrete is a mixture of sand and gravel bonded together with cement. Adding water begins a chemical reaction that turns the semi-liquid mixture into an extremely strong solid.
• The more water that is added to concrete, the lower the strength of the concrete.
• Concrete is placed, not poured.Placing concrete within 1 m of its intended location makes the separation of aggregates from the paste less likely.
• Concrete cures very slowly, after 28 days concrete will be nearly at full strength, but it will continue to cure and gain strength for over a year.
• Concrete is extremely strong in compression, but weak in tension.
• Concrete will not cure properly if it is cold.
• If there is frost in the excavation concrete cannot be poured, it is essential to wait for soil conditions to thaw so that concrete can be properly placed.

Internet Connection

Most of today’s new livestock barns have a need for internet connection. Most commonly it is for live camera streams or for remote monitoring and control of ventilation, heating, feeding and robotic equipment. It is important to consider how technology will be integrated when building a new barn.

Type of Connection

Rural internet users are increasingly getting better access to internet. Each of the following connection types has its own advantages and disadvantages which are best discussed with providers in your area. For basic use, any of them will have enough speed, so the most affordable or reliable one is likely the best option.

• Fiber
• DSL cable
• Mobile Network
• Satellite

General Liability

Covers the liability of everyone who steps foot on the site.

Covers third parties who suffer loss on the building site or because of the building process.

If a worker’s compensation policy is in effect the law says that injured workers may recover fixed insurance benefits but may not sue their employers. If you are the owner and builder, you may be considered the employer.

Check to ensure that your contractors have proof of liability insurance for themselves.

Solar

For maximum efficiency, a solar collector that has a flat surface should always be exactly normal to the sun’s rays. This is achieved with standalone solar installations where the structure moves with the sun throughout the day. If a barn is to be used as the solar collector however, it is not so practical to change the orientation or slope of the building throughout the day. Solar collectors on a farm building may be solar panels generating electricity or solar collectors heating air or fluid. As a good compromise, most collectors are installed to face within 5^o of the true south. And the angle is set to be close to the average position of the sun for that time of the year.

The Ontario Building Code outlines specifications for the type and number of nails used for when building under section 9 of the code. There are some unique connections for farm buildings built under SB-11 that aren’t described in the code, such as through bolted plate beams. Use this as a guide, and double check with the Ontario Building Code or with your chief building official.

Nails and Screws

9.23.3.1. Length of Nails

(1) All nails shall be long enough so that not less than half their required length penetrates the second member.

9.23.3.3. Prevention of Splitting

(1) Splitting of wood members shall be minimized by staggering the nails in the direction of the grain and by keeping nails well in from the edges.

Grading

Lumber grading is overseen by the National Lumber Grades Authority, each mill will have their mill identification on the grade stamp along with the Grading Agency who oversaw the grading.

A lumber grade is the minimum characteristics that a piece of lumber will exhibit. If the piece of lumber is part of a bundle, the grade of the bundle guarantees the minimum standard of any single piece.

Lumber is either graded visually or mechanically to determine the quality of the lumber. Visual criteria such as knot size, grain characteristics, and defects are used as indications of the lumber’s structural properties. Mechanical properties are also used to grade, such as density that can be determined through non-destructive tests and compared to known data. Lumber that you buy at a building centre will typically be visually graded, while lumber that is used by truss manufacturers is all mechanically graded.

Planning Act

The Planning Act is the overarching provincial legislation which regulates land use in Ontario. Each Municipality will have its own official plan and zoning bylaws which stipulate what is permitted in each land use area.

The ‘Farming and Food Production Protection Act’ sets standards for ‘normal farm practices’, which prevents municipalities from passing by-laws that are unreasonably restrictive on agriculture. Mapping and official plans of each municipality are available online and at the municipal office.

Farm Machinery

1. Except as provided in sentence (2) the uniformly distributed live load on an area of floor used for farm machinery traffic shall not be less than 7.0 kPa
2. Where it is anticipated that the area will be occupied by either loaded farm trailers and trucks or farm tractors having a mass in excess of 6 000kg, including the mass of mounted equipment, the live load shall be not less than 10 kPa.
3. Concentrated love loads due to tractors and farm machinery shall not be less than 23kN per wheel, applied over an area of 750mm by 750mm, located to cause maximum effects.
4. Where an area serves as a place for processing or for loading or unloading of vehicles, the minimum live loads for such areas shall be increased by 50% to allow for impact or vibration of the machinery or equipment.

In Ontario, construction aggregates need to be gravel that have been washed and graded to meet the standards of the Ontario Building Code. Depending on the resources in your area, gravel will either be:

• natural gravel, which has been ground and deposited by glaciers, or
• quarried stone, furnace slag and recycled concrete which has been mechanically crushed.

In either case, gravel has to be screened or washed to make specific graded aggregate products.

Common Types of Aggregate in Ontario

Here are the most common types of Ontario aggregates and what they are typically used for

Granular “A” gravel:

Ministry of Transport of Ontario (MTO) sets the technical standards for A and B gravel, which can be found by searching: “Material Specification for Aggregates – Granular A, B, M And Select Subgrade Material”

Requirements for Construction of Farm Building in Ontario

The Ontario Building Code 2012 and the National Farm Building Code 1995 regulate the construction including renovations, additions and relocation of farm buildings in Ontario. Minor Renovations are not covered under these regulations.

The Ontario building code says that a farm building is defined as a building:

• Not containing a residential occupancy
• That is associated with and located on land devoted to the practice of farming; and
• The building is used essentially for the housing of equipment or livestock, or the production, storage or processing of agricultural and horticultural produce or feeds

As the owner of a project, there are certain responsibilities that the farmer should be aware of. If a farmer is to undertake a build acting as the General Contractor, they should also be aware of the responsibilities, liabilities and implication under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.

In this document, the red colored text is taken directly from the Ontario Health and Safety Act, black colored text is commentary on the act. We have gleaned from the act the sections that are of interest and applicable to farmers. There may be other parts of the act that are applicable to your individual case, that we have failed to include. In any case ensure that you use this as a guide and reference the Act yourself before taking actions.

Comparison of Wall Types

Pre-cast panels are panels that are built to a specification in steel forms inside a factory. Cut-outs from windows, doors and ventilation are typically already blocked out in the form and the pattern is re-used many times. Typically, the walls are formed as panels in the horizontal position. Once completed, the panels are trucked to the construction site for installation.

Concrete can be cast in place using modular forms that are erected to form a vertical shell exactly where the wall is desired, the form is stripped off the concrete after it has cured sufficiently. Forms are typically made from lumber and coated plywood. The concrete truck brings the raw concrete to the site and pours it into the forms. Often a pump truck or conveyor truck is needed for concrete to reach parts of the form inaccessible to the chute of the concrete truck.

Municipal Structure

Some two-tier municipalities have one tier take responsibility for all municipal road work. Others share responsibilities. Each municipality will have their own rules, but here is information for the Municipality of West Elgin and the County of Elgin,  provided as an example.

West Elgin

Municipal permit required for new access.

County of Elgin

County roads will not be closed, a minimum of one driving lane will always be open.

Excavations within 4 m of driving lane must be back filled at each day’s end.

If road is disturbed it must be returned to original condition.

Engineering and Lead Time

Trusses should be booked 4 months in advance to ensure that they are on site in a timely manner. Usually at this time it is enough to supply the basic building dimensions if finalized drawings are not available at this time. trusses are designed independently of building.

A preliminary design is made by the truss company with pricing, and this takes about3 days). Then, the drawings are sent to an engineer at the truss plate manufacturer, who does the final draft of the drawings and stamps them. This takes about one day. , yYou should plan for a week of design work before production can even begin.

In total, it will take 12 days for the truss design to be finalized.The truss company does not need to see the engineered drawing, (some farm buildings don’t require engineered drawings  anyways).  Truss systems from a truss manufacturer will be engineered, regardless of the size of the building.

It’s all about the maps!

Google “Ontario Source Protection” and go to the Source Protection Information Atlas to see all the Source Water Protection mapping for Ontario.

Source Water applies ONLY to Municipal well supplies.

The province of Ontario is divided into 19 Source Protection Regions based on watersheds – Conservation Authorities combined.

Conservation authorities currently administer with funding from Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks the future of responsibilities are unclear with the new government. Municipalities oversee implementing local Source Protection Plans and relevant policies. Some Conservation Authorities do this on behalf of municipalities.

Types

Self-contained – Permanently installed in a building or in their own generator shed.

• Quiet Operation
• Fuel Efficiency
• Option to be set up for automatic transfer
• Potential for natural gas or propane fueled operation.
• Designed for continuous operation
• Models larger than 100 kW are available

Service Provider

In Ontario, most cities and towns are supplied by independent distribution companies, while most rural areas are supplied by Hydro One. If you search ‘Independent Electricity System Operator’ and ‘Find your local distribution company’ there is mapping available that shows who the local utility is. For the purposes of this document we will presume that most rural users are serviced by Hydro One.

Line Extensions

If there is not adequate service at the intended building site, Hydro One will either upgrade or install new service to meet your needs. The specifics of line extensions vary widely from case to case and must be discussed with Hydro One for more information. It has been anecdotally noted that new connections are typically less expensive than service upgrades. Upgrading a single-phase line to three-phase can cost over a hundred thousand dollars per km. Five years after installation, upgrade costs can no longer be split with new users.

Responsibilities

1. Contact Ontario One Call a minimum of 5 business days before you dig.
2. Wait for utility and buried infrastructure companies to mark or clear the digging area.
3. Dig safely using only hand tools in the vicinity of the marked areas.

General Details

Utility Companies are required by law to be registered with Ontario One Call.

Locates do not have a cost to the property owner.

Locates can either be requested on-line or over the phone.

Finding a suitable water supply at the proposed building site should come before any other actions. A good quality ground water source is generally the most economical source of water.

Whether drawing from a surface or ground source, maximum usage without a permit to take water is 379,000 L/day for livestock watering, and an additional 50,000 L/day for non-animal consumption uses.

According to an OMAFRA specialist, only a handful of livestock producers in the province would come close to this limit, however if you estimate that you will be over this requirement then you will need a permit from the ministry of environment and must have a full hydrogeological survey completed. Famers who exceed the 379,000 L/day maximum and who are on the boundary of a drainage basin, (i.e. their farms drain into two different great lakes) will have to abide by the International Great Lakes Charter. Despite these exceptions, a livestock producer may still be required to obtain a permit if you are impacting neighboring wells or the nearby environment. This is because existing water users in Ontario take precedent over new or proposed uses. This means that if your well is already established and a new water taking activity in the area affects you, the issue can be reported to the Ministry of The Environment by calling the Spills Action Centre 1-866-663-8477