Every livestock keeper faces the same question: how to let enough fresh air into the barn without exposing the animals to draft. The answer is not to close the barn up or leave it fully open, but a well-thought-out combination of ventilation systems that guide and control how air passes through the building's shell.
What happens when ventilation is not sufficient
Animals in a barn constantly release heat and moisture into the air. If that moisture and heat cannot leave the space quickly enough, they build up inside, leading to heat stress, which in turn negatively affects fertility and feed efficiency in high-performance animals.
Insufficient ventilation triggers a chain reaction: reduced air exchange increases humidity and microbial load in the space, weakens the animals' natural resistance, and the result is damp bedding, dirty animals and a higher incidence of respiratory, skin and udder disease. A well-designed ventilation system breaks this chain at the start, by providing a dry, bright space with a constant but gentle airflow.
Permanently fixed and removable systems
For basic protection against wind and draft, permanently fixed windbreak nets are used, covering openings in the building's shell and letting air pass through their structure. Where more flexibility is needed, for example seasonal opening of a building, removable net systems are available, which can be taken down entirely and reinstalled. These suit open barns, machinery and storage halls in particular, where fresh air and light need to get in while rain and birds are kept out.
Tensioned nets are also used as a light screen in combination with a guide rail, which makes it easy to move the net depending on the weather.
Doors for controlled ventilation and fast access
Where an opening needs to be closed completely and reopened quickly as needed, wind-protection doors are used. They come in three basic versions, which differ mainly in how they are operated:
- pull doors with a spring mechanism and a pull-rope handle, allowing quick manual opening and closing,
- roller doors and quick doors with a chain or electric drive, which can be opened even at high wind speeds thanks to side guide rails,
- Agrartor Pro doors, tensioned on both sides with horizontal reinforcements for extra stability, operated by chain or electric drive with a remote control.
All these systems have sealing edges at the bottom that compensate for uneven ground and stop cold air from entering underneath the door. Robust steel profiles and side guides keep the doors sealed tightly at the edges even in stronger wind, preventing unwanted flapping and additional draft.
Additional protection: curtains and shading
For places where cold and insects need to be softened along with wind, strip curtains made of 3 mm thick PVC strips with rounded edges are available, posing no risk of injury. Such curtains remain transparent, preserving visibility and light in the space, while in summer they noticeably reduce the presence of flies. They suit doors, small gates and passageways, and remain usable at lower outdoor temperatures.
Where animals spend part of the year outdoors, shade netting is a sensible addition, providing protection from the sun and a more comfortable microclimate on pasture. Such netting lets some light through while blocking a large share of solar radiation.
How to choose the right combination
Before settling on a ventilation system, answer the following questions:
- How is the barn oriented relative to the prevailing wind and rain direction?
- Do you need constant gentle ventilation, or occasional full closure of the opening?
- How often, and how quickly, does the opening need to be closed or opened?
- Do the animals also have access to the outdoors, where they need shade?
Based on the answers, the most sensible approach is often a combination: a permanently fixed or removable net on part of the building's shell, and doors at points where regular access is required. PATURA develops these systems specifically for agricultural buildings, and Kancler Sistem Pro, as its Slovenian partner, helps you choose and install a solution matched to your barn.
Need advice?
With a few photos and the dimensions of your barn, sent through our contact form, we can judge which system will balance the air best.