Barn is a farm building that provides storage for crops, such as hay, grain, and vegetables, and shelter for animals and machinery. Barns are designed to promote the breeding, birth, and growth of animals, and to protect the health and safety of farmworkers. Barns may be insulated, ventilated, and equipped with heating and cooling systems. Some barns also have automatic systems to feed and water the animals and to remove wastes.
Farmers use general-purpose barns to store crops and to house livestock. There are also specialized barns designed for specific uses. For example, dairy barns house herds of milk cows. These barns have a facility called a milking parlor attached nearby. Most milking parlors include milking machines, a water supply, and a refrigerated storage tank.
Farmers may divide barns into spaces according to their use. Individual compartments called stalls are common in horse barns and some dairy barns. Freestalls enable animals to enter and leave the barn at any time to eat, drink, or exercise. Barns may have cribs for corn, lofts for hay, or bins for grain. Many dairy and beef barns have airtight bins or towers called silos next to them. Silos help preserve cut grasses and grains used to feed livestock during the winter (see Silo ).
Barns should be placed where there is some elevation or slope enough so that rain water can drain off. They should be 100 feet (30 meters) or more from dwellings and from wells that supply drinking water.
