| We all know that heat stress on llamas is NOT A GOOD THING. Since our first summer with llamas, we have searched high and low for the best way to keep them comfortable in the heat of the summer. We have purchased 4' floor fans, pole fans, hanging fans and most any other type of fan that can be purchased. We were not happy with the air movement from any of the aforementioned fans. The floor fan was good for the first llama that laid down in front of it. The pole and hanging fans simply did not circulate enough air. So, the search continued. One day we received a catalog from FarmTek. (Their website is www.farmtek.com) They offer thousands of items for the farm and section of their catalog that caught my eye was the ventilation section.
We purchased their industrial ceiling fans (for dusty and humid areas) and thermostatic fan controllers. WOW, what a god-send. These fans move air at the rate of 15,000 CFM and with the thermostats, we are always assured the fans come on automatically when the temperature reaches 75 degrees (or whatever you choose to set them at). Since the fans hang from the ceiling, they are NEVER blocked by the first llama that lays down in the moving air.
In Barn #1, with 648 square feet of floor space, we installed three fans and one thermostat control. In Barn #2, which is 12' x 24" and no ceiling insulation, we installed two fans and one thermostat control. In barn #3, with 1,296 square feet of floor space, we installed four fans and one thermostat control. Barn #3 has insulation on the ceiling and the fans keep the barn about 5 - 6 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. In Barn #4, pictured below, with 3,030 square feet of floor space and an insulated ceiling, we installed four fans and two thermostat controls. There is literally air movement throughout all our barns. And, the llamas love these fans!
In addition to the fans, we also purchased and installed a 24" x 24" solar powered, thermostatically controlled louvered ventilation system in barn #1. This system opens the louvers when the temperature exceeds 75 degrees. We did this to draw air in through the solid wall at the back of the barn. This made a significant difference in the air movement in this barn.
The fans and controllers that we have installed are extremely easy to install.
If you are fighting with what kind a fans to use in your facilities, give FarmTek a try. We had two fans go bad and they replaced them in two days with no questions asked. These particular fans came with a three year guarantee. I don't believe you can find a better guarantee anywhere.
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