Fixed Atlas cover
A roof-only or partially enclosed steel structure sized for the agreed site and load conditions.
Agricultural structuresAgricultural structures / cattle
Cattle and feedlot cover designed for heat, airflow and access
Atlas fixed steel cover can support cattle handling, dry-lot and feedlot operations when shade area, airflow, machinery access and manure management are resolved together.
cattle or feedlot structure
Atlas roof-only or enclosed shell
Projects across South Africa
Operation-led delivery
Roof area is only useful when it creates effective shade.
ARC beef guidance describes shade as a heat-load management measure and stresses airflow, position and the relationship to nearby buildings. The shadow cast by a structure changes with orientation, height and time of day, so nominal roof area is not automatically equivalent to effective animal shade.
Smart Steel can configure Atlas as fixed roof cover or as a more enclosed handling or farm building. Livestock density, welfare, feedlot design, pen surfaces, water, feed, manure and veterinary requirements remain part of the farm’s professional operating plan.
Published planning basis
What the cattle-cover brief should test
The ARC Beef Bulletin provides a practical heat-load and shade-area example while making clear that site and airflow matter.
01
Airflow around fixed shade and separation from obstructions
02
Shade target based on animal numbers, class and heat-load strategy
03
Orientation and structural height reviewed for the actual shadow footprint
04
Feed, water, pen and machinery routes kept clear of columns and bracing
05
Drainage, surface wear and manure removal coordinated with the site works
Atlas building pathway
A transparent starting point for fixed feedlot shade
The ARC Beef Bulletin illustrates a 100-LSU heat-load calculation using 3m² shade per animal and a 75% compromise, or 225m². The W15 × 16m Atlas shell provides 240m² of roof area as a preliminary fixed-cover envelope; it is not a universal stocking prescription.
01View in 3D
Illustrative 100-LSU fixed-cover envelope
15m × 16m × 3mA 240m² roof-only Atlas starting point for review against the ARC bulletin’s 225m² illustrative shade target.
Sizing basis: ARC Beef Bulletin example: 100 LSU × 3m², using a 75% compromise = 225m². Final usable shade depends on sun angle, orientation, height and layout.
Smart Steel scope
A structural package with clear boundaries
The quotation starts with the building shell and records exactly what Smart Steel will supply, coordinate and deliver.
Operational clearances
A structural grid reviewed around pens, cattle movement, feeding and machinery access.
Defined steel package
Engineering, manufacture and agreed delivery or installation scope with clear civil exclusions.
Need fixed cattle or feedlot cover?
Send the livestock capacity, pen plan, site and operating routes. We will test an Atlas envelope against the actual shade and access brief.
Agricultural project brief
Request an Atlas review for your cattle or feedlot structure
Share the farm location, production intent and structural package you need. You do not need a finished plan to start the conversation.
Useful before you start
Share the cattle numbers and class, feedlot or handling purpose, pen layout, shade target, machinery routes, water and feed positions, plus the proposed site.
Responsibility matrix
Know who carries each part of the project
01
Smart Steel structural scope
- Develop the Atlas envelope from the livestock and site brief
- Review structural spans and column positions
- Define roofing, optional cladding and finish scope
- Confirm structural assumptions and quotation boundaries
02
Client and professional team
- Confirm cattle numbers, classes and operating system
- Provide pen, handling, feed, water and access layouts
- Coordinate welfare, veterinary, drainage and manure requirements
- Appoint professionals and obtain approvals where required
The W15 × 16m option is an illustrative structural starting point derived from an ARC Beef Bulletin example, not a universal stocking or welfare specification. Smart Steel is independent of the ARC; final livestock, shade, site and approval decisions remain project-specific.
Agricultural design inputs
The structure has to support the operation
These considerations shape the brief before a steel package can be responsibly confirmed.
Effective shade
01Orientation, height, sun angle and time determine where the shadow falls.
Air movement
02Obstructions and nearby buildings can reduce the cooling benefit of shade.
Heavy access
03Feed delivery, scraping and livestock routes need suitable clearances and surfaces.
Corrosion and wear
04Manure, moisture and wash-down influence detailing and coating choices.
What to send
Information for a useful first review
- Cattle numbers, class and operating purpose
- Target shade area or handling footprint
- Pen, feed, water and movement layout
- Farm location, terrain and nearby obstructions
- Machinery clearances and access routes
- Roof-only or enclosure requirements
Delivery roadmap
01
Set the livestock brief
Confirm numbers, use, heat strategy and operating layout.
02
Test the shade envelope
Review area, orientation, height and structural grid.
03
Coordinate the site
Resolve access, drainage, surfaces and civil interfaces.
04
Engineer and quote
Confirm the Atlas package for the site and scope.
Agricultural building system
One template, distinct farming applications
Piggery structures
Atlas steel building shells for 20-sow breeding, farrowing and growing-pig facilities.
Available
Poultry houses
Structural shells for broiler and layer houses, developed around the supplied production brief.
Available
Milking and dairy sheds
Practical steel cover for milking, holding and dairy-support areas.
Available
Sheep and small-stock sheds
Steel structures for lambing, shearing and covered small-stock facilities.
Available
Grain and farm storage
Atlas storage buildings for equipment, inputs and protected on-farm operations.
Available
Questions before quotation
cattle or feedlot structure FAQs
Is 3m² of shade per animal a legal universal requirement?+
No. It is used in the cited ARC Beef Bulletin as a practical example. The appropriate target depends on livestock, climate, operation and professional guidance.
Why is the Atlas example 240m² rather than 225m²?+
Atlas uses released spans and 4m structural length bays. A W15 × 16m roof provides 240m², slightly above the bulletin’s illustrative 225m² target.
Does 240m² of roof guarantee 240m² of usable shade?+
No. Effective shade changes with orientation, roof height, sun angle and time. The project layout must evaluate the actual shadow and animal access.
Can Atlas cover cattle handling facilities as well as pens?+
Yes. The structural envelope can be coordinated around handling and working areas, provided the livestock system, gates, races, crush and machinery clearances are confirmed.
Start with the plan and site
Bring us the agricultural brief. We’ll define the structural next step.
Project reviews across South Africa · Reviewed 26 October 2026