Equestrian & Agricultural Steel Buildings

The Canadian Farm Buildings Handbook 'Good Practices' section begins with the following: “Practices for the production of animals and plants change rapidly as new technology and management evolve, and so the structure and layout of farm buildings must also change.”¹ The advent of pre-engineered steel farming and equestrian buildings is a major part of this evolution. Pre-engineered metal farm buildings are taking the agricultural industry by storm, because of their lower costs, ultra-quick and easy construction, unparalleled durability & superior performance in all weather conditions – not to mention their lower insurance costs, and superb energy efficiency.

Building Design Options

Quonset Farm Buildings

• Ideal solution for economical hay storage
• Fastest construction times
• Up to 40% cheaper than other building options

 

Straight Wall Buildings

• Attractive 'Peaked Roof' building design
• Superior strength & security
• Column & pole free designs provide maximum usable space

 

The Smart Choice in Modern Farm Buildings

Those who are in agriculture, whether they farm, manage a dairy, or work with horses, know that every dollar counts. Steel buildings save customers money from the outset, and continue to pay off for years and years into the future, as they require the least amount of labour in their construction, and in future upkeep. The Steel Buildings Experts write the following: “In a farming sector increasingly characterized by tight margins and financial pressures, prefabricated steel farm buildings are a popular solution for agricultural workers faced with the problem of achieving effective storage and accommodation for livestock, vehicles, equipment and goods cheaply and with a minimal commitment of labour.” ²

For U.S. agricultural customers, an additional incentive has been introduced that will mean huge tax savings if purchase of a steel building is made over the next two years, thanks to a special depreciation law that has been passed! Assets purchased between September 9, 2010 and December 31, 2011 may qualify for a 100% depreciation deduction their first year. This “bonus” depreciation is set at 50% for 2012. Kathryn Sullivan, president of Complete Steel Building Systems, recently published an article on this subject at her company's blog:

“Normally, a machine shed or shop or other general purpose farm structure is a 20-year depreciable asset, and is not eligible for the Section 179 first-year expensing deduction. But those assets do qualify for 100% bonus depreciation in 2011, and 50% bonus depreciation if placed in service during 2012. The ability to fully deduct in 2011 an asset that otherwise takes 20 years on a depreciation schedule represents a significant tax opportunity.” ³

Steel's innate properties make it the perfect building material for farming structures. Huge clear-span areas are possible thanks to the state of the art technology employed in designing metal building systems, along with steel's superb strength-to-weight ratio – which gives steel the advantage in all sorts of extreme conditions. As the Steel Buildings Experts put it: “Steel buildings are quick to build and easy to maintain compared with brick and mortar structures, and – with their built-in weather and fire-proofing – lose none of the robustness and security one would expect from more traditional agricultural buildings.”² In fact, steel provides vastly superior “robustness and security,” when we consider that steel is neither prone to rotting nor pests, and unaffected by damp conditions.

Immense energy goes into the planning and engineering of these metal building systems, which results in the production of superb designs. As the Canadian Farm Buildings Guidebook states, “good design ensures the physiological wellbeing of the animals. Providing for the health and comfort helps to maintain – even to improve – productivity, and therefore, the farm's economic viability. Distressed animals are not productive.”¹ By choosing a pre-engineered steel building, you are taking the first step to producing the very best lodgings for animals, or for other agricultural purposes, and thus working for the very best and most productive farming conditions.

Explore Agricultural & Equestrian Building Applications

• Horse Barns
  
• Riding Arenas
  
• Agri Storage
  
• Dairy Barns
  

Additional Farm and Agricultural Resources:

• View sample Farm Building Photos
• Agricultural & Equestrian Resources

Citations:

1. The quotations above are from page 11 of the Canadian Farm Buildings Handbook, published by the 'Research Branch' of Agriculture Canada.  ISBN: 0660127970
2. Taken from the article titled, “Prefab Agricultural and Steel Farm Buildings,” published at The Steel Building Experts:
   http://www.steelbuildingexperts.co.uk/prefab-agricultural-steel-farm-buildings
3. This quotation is taken from a quote by Kathryn Sullivan, president of Complete Steel Building Systems, who can be reached through her company's website.  The blog entry is available at: http://completesteelbuildings.com/blog/?p=21