The Best Dairy Barn Solution for Ontario: Doral Farms

Running a dairy farm means managing multiple priorities at once. Feeding, cleaning, milking… the list never ends. When space is tight and labour is stretched thin, calf housing becomes a critical pressure point. Tom and Christie Whytock of Doral Farms in Ontario faced exactly this challenge. Their solution offers a real-world look at how smart infrastructure can ease the burden on a working dairy farm.

The Challenge: Space and Labour in Dairy Calf Housing

Calf housing is not a one-size-fits-all problem. Dairy farms need separate space for young calves, growing heifers, and dry cows, each with different environmental and behavioral needs. Because of these competing demands, space constraints force tough choices: stack animals into tight pens, compromise on air quality, or sacrifice labour efficiency with daily deep cleaning.

Here’s where traditional barns fall short. Concrete floors collect moisture and disease, natural ventilation is unreliable, and manual labour becomes a fixed cost that grows with every weather swing. As a result, for farms already operating on thin margins, this overhead adds up fast.

A Real Solution: How Doral Farms Solved Calf Housing with a Fabric Building

After weighing their options, Tom and Christie Whytock chose a fabric building from Britespan. As a result, what followed was a transformation in how they manage their daily operation, from labour demands to animal welfare outcomes.

• The Whytocks increased farm efficiency with a Britespan fabric building.
• Their 62′ × 190′ dairy barn houses both calves and far-off dry cows in one space.
• The self-cleaning pack floor cuts manual labour and cleaning time dramatically.
• Natural lighting reduces electricity costs while improving animal health.
• The Britespan building proved cost-effective and perfectly suited to their operation.
• Tom and Christie are now advocates for fabric buildings for their efficiency and animal welfare benefits.

Key Features That Made the Difference

Three design features stood out in the Doral Farms project:

Space efficiency. The 62′ x 190′ footprint provided ample room for routine dairy tasks without cramping animals or handlers. Calves and dry cows occupy the same structure but remain separated by pen design, preventing cross-contamination and reducing disease pressure. This dual-purpose approach maximizes the building’s utility without requiring separate infrastructure.

Natural lighting makes a measurable difference. Fabric buildings transmit diffuse, natural light throughout the day. Because of this continuous exposure, calves and cows experience improved mood, bone development, and immune function. For the Whytocks, reduced dependency on artificial lighting cut electricity costs, a financial benefit that compounds over years of operation.

The fabric building installation itself was straightforward. Britespan’s Atlas Series provided the structural backbone, while the Epic Series design accommodated the custom pack-floor layout. Both systems are built for agricultural durability and require minimal maintenance compared to traditional steel-frame alternatives.

The Results: Measurable Improvements

Post-investment, Doral Farms saw tangible operational gains. Cleaning time dropped significantly thanks to the pack floor. Animal health improved with better air quality and natural light. The building proved cost-effective over its lifetime, avoiding the steep repair and replacement costs that plague older concrete barns.

Tom and Christie attribute much of this success to the simplicity of the design. Because the fabric building didn’t disrupt their workflow, it streamlined it instead. No complex mechanical systems to troubleshoot, no outdated infrastructure holding them back. The result? The building simply worked. Day after day, season after season.

Is Fabric Calf Housing Right for Your Farm?

Doral Farms demonstrates one path forward, but every operation is different. Consider fabric calf housing if your farm faces space constraints, struggles with labour availability, or operates an aging barn that drains maintenance resources. Fabric buildings for livestock housing offer scalability, durability, and design flexibility that traditional concrete and steel structures often cannot match.

The investment in proper calf housing pays dividends in animal welfare, labour efficiency, and long-term farm viability. If calf housing has become a pain point in your operation, it’s worth exploring how a fabric building might fit your needs.

Common Questions from the Farm

What makes fabric buildings good for calf housing?

Fabric buildings offer distinct advantages traditional barns cannot match. They transmit natural light, support passive ventilation, and provide open floor plans that reduce disease pressure. Because of this design, construction costs stay lower than traditional barns, and maintenance demands shrink accordingly. Meanwhile, the durability of modern fabric structures means they outlast the useful life of many traditional barns.

How do you keep a calf housing facility clean?

Modern calf housing relies on design, not labour. Pack floors, sloped surfaces, and drainage systems handle waste removal. Natural ventilation through fabric walls and ridge openings keeps air fresh without mechanical systems. Regular bedding maintenance (if used) and routine inspections are sufficient for most fabric building installations.

Can a fabric building house both calves and dry cows?

Yes. Internal pen design allows separation by age, health status, or production stage. A single large fabric structure can accommodate multiple groups with minimal cross-contamination risk. This flexibility is one reason farmers choose fabric buildings for diverse livestock housing needs.

How long do fabric buildings last for livestock housing?

Quality fabric buildings from manufacturers like Britespan typically last 20+ years with routine fabric building maintenance. Covers may require replacement after 15–20 years depending on UV exposure and weather, but the structural frame remains sound. This longevity makes fabric buildings a practical long-term investment for farm infrastructure.

Planning Your Next Step

Calf housing design affects every aspect of dairy farm management, from animal health to labour allocation to financial sustainability. The Doral Farms example shows what’s possible when infrastructure matches operational needs.

If your farm is wrestling with calf housing challenges, the first step is understanding your real constraints. Space, labour, budget, climate; each shapes the right solution. Fabric buildings address many of these at once, but they’re not the only option. What matters is finding a system that works for your herd and your people.

Britespan can help you design and plan a fabric building that fits your operation. Whether you’re housing calves, dry cows, or a mix of livestock, there’s a configuration that makes sense. Reach out to discuss your needs and explore what’s possible for your farm.

Updated: October 22, 2026