Carl Piper’s farm near Davenport, North Dakota, was a featured stop on the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association Feedlot Tour, where he showcased his fabric-covered hoop barn built in 2022. The structure, measuring 50 feet by 476 feet, includes 420 feet of feed bunk, 15-foot alleys, and a 35-foot bed pack. “We feed anywhere from 400 to 500 light feeder cattle in here every year and background them,” said Piper. “We’re in the valley here, so we’re dealing with very heavy soils that get real muddy when it’s wet. We decided to find something that was more compatible as far as feeding and easier to manage livestock in.” Piper said the hoop barn has led to healthier cattle and better feed efficiency, even holding up during severe weather.
