Whether you deal with ranches, farms, fairgrounds or other types of agricultural gatherings, you're going to need farm stalls to secure the livestock. There are numerous types to consider, depending upon your needs. If cost is an issue, then shop around and receive quotes from different companies before making your decision.

When determining what type of barn stalls to purchase, you should know the size and specifications of the enclosed area. If the enclosure needs to be permanent, then you should determine whether it needs to be custom-made or prebuilt. Additionally, if the need is temporary, then you should locate a portable option. Consider the following when investigating stalls types and styles:

1. Utilize prebuilt stalls to save on building them yourself.

2. For instances where you travel, seek out portable horse stalls.

3. Find custom farm stalls to meet your specific needs.

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Locate assembled horse stalls to save you time

If you need a stall in a hurry, then the best ones to purchase are prebuilt horse stalls. These come already assembled and include horse gates, stall fronts or sliding doors all with hardware included. Most of the time the walls come predrilled for you to place the fasteners, allowing for quick and easy installation.

I recommend: Armour Gates offers a selection of prebuilt stalls, most of which are made out of aluminum. It prides itself in using the metal since aluminum does not rust as quickly as other materials, nor does it require as much maintenance. Southern Building Systems features prebuilt barn stall systems for all different budgets.

Find portable horse stalls for sale

There may come a time when you need to transport a horse stall with you, whether you need it for fairgrounds or on your ranch. These options are sturdy, reliable and able to withstand severe winds while keeping the livestock in check.

I recommend: Chinook Stalls sells more than 1,500 types of portable horse stalls. If you need a temporary enclosure, then Chinook Stalls rents its stalls to clients. Stalls from Red River Portable Arenas come with factory-installed plastic sheets instead of plywood, making it more secure.

Work with a dealer who specializes in custom barn stalls

You might have a situation where you need a specific stall frame that requires custom ordering. There are a multitude of companies to choose from, and it's best to do research before making a final decision. These stall designers can work with many different requests, from awkward layouts to obstructions to overall large stalls.

I recommend: Rockin J Horse Stalls sells custom horse stalls that do not require any bolts, which can lessen the chance for injury. Castlebrook Barns specializes in custom designs for horse barns. The types of stalls it designs are more often oversize.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're looking to save extra money, certain barn stall suppliers sell used stalls. Check to ensure these agriculture stalls come with a guarantee or certification before you make the final purchase.

Agriculture stalls are key elements in any farming, ranching, or equestrian operation with livestock or other animals housed in barns. Farm stalls offer the most efficient means of separating and sorting your animals, so it's important you find sturdy and effective stalls to keep your horses or cows in check.

There is a wide variety of barn stalls available, from the straightforward and functional to highly decorative or portable. Know your options when searching for farm or horse stalls:

1. Go with prebuilt stalls for a standard barn setting and the best value.
2. Buy portable stalls for the ranch, fairgrounds, or any travel you need to do with your animals.
3. For elegant barn interiors, contact a manufacturer of custom horse stalls to give your animals stylish barn accommodations.
   

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Keep your animals in line with farm stalls

Whatever livestock you keep on your farm, you can find a manufacturer of stalls online to help keep your creatures in check. Compare prices and sizes to determine the barn setup you need, whether you're looking to fit more stalls in the barn or more room to keep your animals comfortable and happy.

I recommend: Zimmerman manufactures a variety of cattle agriculture stalls. See specifications for their loop stalls or their comfort stalls. If you're looking for conventional horse stalls, check out Country Manufacturing for a selection of stalls made from a range of materials from galvanized steel to aluminum. Armour Gates makes a wide variety of doors for horse stalls.

Find portable horse stalls for sale

If you need to move your horse around but won't have a barn stall available on the ranch or at the fairgrounds, buy a portable barn stall that may be erected anywhere you need it.

I recommend: Quick Stalls sells a number of portable stall products that may be easily put up or taken down in a short time. See their standard quick stalls, or browse their website for other products, including standard barn stalls. RAMM Fencing also sells portable and sturdy stalls of high enough quality to be used as permanent stalling if you desire. Chinook Stalls are horse stalls manufacturers that use puck board, the material from hockey rinks.

Buy high quality stalls for elegance in your barn

Barns aren't just for the animals--the people who work in and visit them enjoy them as well. You can determine the atmosphere of a barn by choosing custom stalls to add a dash of elegance to your equestrian operation. Contact a manufacturer of custom stalls to elevate your barn's appearance and character.

I recommend: Classic Equine Equipment prides itself on producing quality barn interiors. See their standard horse stall products, or contact their engineering department to help you design a custom stall layout.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you find a barn stall design that you like but it isn't in the right size for your animals, always contact the stall manufacturer. They'll often be willing to build stalls in a custom size to fit your needs.
• •  Some dairy farmers are trying cow barns with no barn stalls for better ventilation and more efficient use of space.
• •  For the most strength in horse stall grills, choose steel over aluminum tubes.

Farm stalls are a must for some agricultural ventures. Whether you're setting up an advanced array of horse stalls or protecting your milking stalls from rust damage, start off on the right foot with an appropriate installation and maintenance plan.

A well-made barn stall is no small investment for any size agricultural business. Develop your stall setup, cleaning and regular maintenance schedule using cow and horse stall information from the experts:

1. Visit barn stall suppliers’ websites for help installing and maintaining prebuilt stalls and portable stalls.

2. Contact horse stall manufacturers for information about getting the most out of accessories like stall mats, latches and door hinges.

3. Perform installation and maintenance for stalls and accessories using information from people like you.

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Design and install a housing system using custom or prebuilt stalls for horses

Today's agricultural producers can build or order custom-designed barn stalls to meet specific needs. Horse owners, for example, may need to consider stall flooring or rubber mats to prevent health and maintenance issues due to the animals pawing in dirt or bedding.

I recommend: Take advantage of stall configuration tips from the agricultural experts at Tractor Supply Company and Horsekeeping.com, and keep your horse stall project appropriate for your livestock and your budget.

Outfit or alter existing dairy farm stalls to better meet your production goals

Dairy producers know how labor-intensive it can be to remodel, install and maintain barn stalls while also keeping the milk flowing and keeping cows happy and stress-free. In the end, however, exposing your cows to minimal stress while improving their environment and lessening your maintenance workload can be well worth the effort. Consider a freestall milking barn setup -- complete with advanced drainage and cleaning features built into new concrete subfloors -- to greatly reduce stress on milking cows and contribute to increased production and efficiency. Your most important decision regarding initial investment and maintenance will be bedding materials, and choosing the bedding that will help your cows relax without adding a hefty sanitation workload.

I recommend: Read more about remodeling a tie-stall milking barn to accommodate a lower-maintenance, lower-stress freestall barn system, at eXtension. Design and maintain your free-stall system with help from the animal health experts at the Oregon State University Extension Service.

Maintain the beauty and functionality of each barn stall on your property

Whether you've installed prebuilt horse stalls or designed and built your own livestock housing, regular stall maintenance is essential to the health of your animals -- and your pocketbook. A good maintenance schedule should include daily mucking, or clearing out soiled bedding, and may also include washing stalls with artificial flooring. Depending on the type of flooring and stall materials, you may also need to scrub with soap as needed to maintain proper stall function and animal health standards.

I recommend: Use the Horse-Journal.com review of rubber stall flooring to decide if stall mats would help you save money on bedding and stall wear-and-tear. Read more about stall accessories and maintenance at Stock Horse Show Source.com.

When searching for animal stalls it is important to know what features are important for your animals. Perhaps a v-door would be better suited for you as opposed to dutch doors. Perhaps you need a portable stall, or maybe a loop stall, for when you travel with your animals. No matter what you need out of a stall, it is essential to know stall key terms in order to select the proper configurations for your animals.

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V-door

A v-door allows you to open only a portion of the stall gate in order to feed the animals. The v-door flips down so you can easily pop off that part of the stall door during feeding time. This kind of door is especially good for animals that may try and push their way out if you open the entire door.

I recommend: RAMM Fencing details a type of v-door for stalls.

Stall partition

A stall partition allows you to make multiple stalls by separating them into sections. A stall partition can either be configured like a full wall, or the top can be a gate so that the animals in each part of the stall can see each other.

I recommend: Equine Systems displays stall partition options.

Portable stalls

Portable stalls can be set up anywhere and taken with you during fair showings and other events. Although portable, these stalls do require set-up and should be used only for temporary stays. Portable stalls come in different shapes and sizes to accommodate not only the number and size of the animals, but the elements as well.

I recommend: Quick Stalls outlines different portable stall varieties.

Loop stalls

Loop stalls use large metals loops to section off space for each individual animal. These are mostly used at fairs and other large events where space is limited. Loops stalls don't provide a complete divide between animals, only a guide for each animal to stay in their space.

I recommend: The Zimmerman Company shows the benefits of loop stalls.

Dutch doors

Dutch doors allow you to open up the top-half of the door into the stall, but not the entire door. This allows you to keep the animal in the stall, yet still have some interaction at feeding time or if the animal needs other types of attention, but needs to stay inside of the stall.

I recommend: Armour Gates details dutch doors for stalls.

Stall grills

A stall grill is often the top portion of the stall door. It can either slide or be stationary, depending on the type of access you want to the animal. Only a portion of the stall grill can open as an option as well. Stall grills can be made out of many materials including steel and aluminum.

I recommend: Horsestalls.com details the types of stall grills available for installation.