Metal sheeting
Having made the decision to expand dairy and beef numbers, Mr Davies decided to take a different approach to calf housing .Having used wooden boarding in the past, he decided to try a perforated metal wall called Highlight instead to improve light and ventilation at a similar cost and lifespan.
"I have been very pleased with it. It gives a better flow of air and makes the building light and airy as well. You can see straight through it to the outside."
Although the vented wall is on the south-west face, 274m up and in an exposed position, it does protect against the wind and rain, he adds.
"We have got a 1.5m concrete wall with 3m of the perforated metal sheeting above it. We were surprised at how little wetness gets in - the cubicles get damp maybe two or three days during the entire winter. We've never had any health problems - the young stock do very well up there."
Mr Davies had previously tried rearing young stock in a large clear span building with limited success. "It was too big - it just didn't work. We tried making a building within a building with straw bales, but the calves just didn't do well there."
About three years ago he replaced 54.8m of walling on the eastern side of the cubicle shed at home. Mr Davies had used slotted metal panels, but replaced them with the perforated sheeting. "This has brightened up the building and improved the air flow," he says. "The better the ventilation, the healthier the animals - I think the perforated sheeting is a big step forward."
Getting the ventilation right in old - or new - livestock buildings is critical to animal health and productivity, but finding the right balance between fresh air and a chilling draught can be difficult, says Jamie Robertson, research fellow at Aberdeen University,
As a result, cows and young stock can suffer from health challenges such as respiratory diseases, mastitis and poor growth rates.
According to Dr Robertson, more than half of our livestock buildings are not fit for purpose - and even new builds are often flawed in their design. "There are three key things we need to pay attention to in buildings: moisture, fresh air and air speed."
