As the title suggests, barn curtains are flexible and naturally ventilated artificial walls used as a climate control solution in barns. The origin of the barn can be traced back to the 12th century, while barn curtains evolved in the 1800s, developing progressively. Modern barn curtains are manufactured with unmatched technology to serve beyond their original purposes.
Here is a beginner’s guide to barn curtains.
What Are Barn Curtains?
Barn curtains are the advancement every farmer deserves for their beloved livestock, produce, and facility. The good thing is that professionals keep adding better features to the curtains, and you can customize them according to your needs and preferences. Remember, quality remains unquestionable if you desire a long and productive life with your barn curtains.
A barn curtain boasts plenty of benefits to livestock and their keepers, from offering top-notch flexibility compared to rigid walls to their high dust-management skills. Livestock keepers can never worry about maximum animal ventilation and lighting, as barn curtains have these features.
Climate
The technology used to manufacture barn curtains allows them to adapt to different climatic seasons. For instance, livestock keepers can open the end and sidewalls of barn curtains during summer to allow natural air circulation through the barns.
Versatility
Another crucial benefit of barn curtains is that they are available in various aspects, including thickness, colour, size, additional features, and more. The assortment lets you choose what best suits your livestock’s needs and financial strength.
Protection
Barn curtains protect livestock, especially the young ones, from airborne diseases, mould, and moisture, which pose high risks to their respiratory health if not managed. When the livestock is in good condition with barn curtains, the farmers have nothing but a stable lifestyle.
Costs
You can confidently divide your barn into different sections for various purposes with barn curtains. The curtains are affordable, saving approximately a third of the money that would construct a permanent wall. Most hardware or suppliers offer a 5-year and above warranty on their barn curtains and related accessories.
Maintenance
While the vinyl surfaces in barn curtains are easy to clean, they do not hold much dirt, making everything better. Barn curtains are easy to install and operate, meaning you can uninstall them faster and store or recycle them whenever needed.
How Do Barn Curtains Work?
Many barn curtains function with a pull-down or push-up mechanism, operated manually using a hand rack, powered by motors, or electrically. A standard barn curtain system can have a single mechanism or both. The pull-down barn curtains are mainly used on young animals, allowing air to enter the barn through the upper side rather than around the ground.
The fresh air combine with the warm surrounding above the barn, offering maximum ventilation to the facility. Conversely, push-up barn curtains allow air entry through the barn’s surface, providing maximum air circulation on the ground to cool the surroundings. Both systems have their pros and work even more effective when combined.
Automatic Barn Curtains
Experts developed better barn curtain systems for outstanding performance as the years progressed. Currently, many farmers across the globe are using an automated barn curtain system, which functions automatically depending on changes in weather conditions, climatic factors, and lifestyles.
The automatic barn curtains attend to the crucial duties that would otherwise compel farmers to stay on watch all day. They have temperature and rain sensors that monitor and control ventilation across the facility.
For instance, if the sun is too hot towards the barn, the sensors will automatically detect and cool the environment to keep the animals from heat-related complications. With such technology, farmers can confidently attend to other crucial duties while ensuring their animals are in a safer place.
How to Choose Barn Curtains
All curtain materials require particular considerations to serve their intended purposes effectively. Regarding barn curtains, one crucial factor farmers should consider when selecting or purchasing is quality, which remains undebatable in all aspects of life.
Good quality barn curtains are made with durable and robust materials that can serve farmers for years without frequent replacements. Although acquiring barn curtains for the first time can be expensive, high-quality ones will save you plenty of finances in the long run that would otherwise be used on repairs and replacements.
Breathable vs Non-Breathable Barn Curtains
Farmers should evaluate whether to get breathable or non-breathable curtains depending on their livestock needs. Both options work well, although breathable ones boast more benefits than their counterparts. The former allows maximum air circulation within the barn, especially during summer.
Colour of the Barn Curtains
Another essential consideration a farmer should make when choosing barn curtains for their facilities is colour. Barn curtains made from blackout materials barely allow light into the facility, making them the best option for light-sensitive animals such as poultry.
Again, translucent or transparent curtains can be an ideal way to save energy consumed using artificial light sources within the barn. Farmers should evaluate their financial strengths, energy needs, and the type of livestock or materials in the barn when choosing what colours to use on the barn curtains.
