Solid or "Wyoming style" windbreak

[littlejoe]

"wyoming style' or solid windbreak----

several yrs ago, i think in beef magazine, they featured a solid, V-shaped windbreak. think it was on the hi plains of wyoming. think a univ was involved.

they'd done extensive 'modeling', making little models and putting them on ice.

the one featured must of been at least 16' tall, solid, pointing directly into prevailing wind. the idea was to kinda 'split' the wind, a large area inside and downwind was bare in aerial photo.

measurement across the widest part oF 'V' --which i think was about a right angle--was not to exceed 10 to 15X's height, if memory serves. The one featured would shelter about 300 cows, with emergency hay storage in apex.

I'm thinking of building one, our winds are predominently W, SW----altho we do get the occasional really nasty one right outa the N.

Does anybody know what i'm talking about, have any experience with these?

Any input much appreciated!

 

[tumbleweed_texn]

We have one in our big pasture. Not many trees to hide behind around here, so most ranches have what you are talking about.

Tex

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah quite a few in our country too... I've even seen some haystacks V shaped for a windbreak...

 

[littlejoe]

Thanks, guys---But, how good do they work? I've built some more traditional ones--straight, 20% air----they build a dandy snowbank both upwind and downwind.

The neighbor built a circle one----open on downwind side, again 20% air. On big windy flat. Think the theory there was it'd give shelter, no matter what direction wind came from. Cows wouldn't hardly use it, he ended up using it for a stackyard.

I think the style i'm asking about is supposed to more split/deflect the wind--and snow---to either side.

Can anybody tell me how happy they are with this style, their ideas about height-to-width ratio, etc?

50-60 mph winds not uncommon here, 80 occasionally, sometimes higher. I got a dandy pile of used powerpoles, up to 80 footers, so they're big on bottem, for posts---I can build it stout but want to make sure i build it right and it's worth doing.

I tried one outa big square straw bales---12' high---and wasn't that impressed---but maybe didn't make wings long enuf--it just kinda swirled around it...?

 

[Denny]

We don't have any other than brush and woods which work good. Our neighbor has some he made stands out of old semi wheels and tires welded an oilfield pipe up about 8 ft tall. Then bolted some planks horizontal and nailed the wind break boards vertical. Each wheel is full of cement and they have hooks at the top that he can move them around with his tractor. He moves them around his feeding grounds depending on where he's feeding, pretty handy. He also uses them to split his corral or make a wing while working cattle. With this system you could set them at what ever angle that would best suit you applications.

 

[Anonymous]

Littlejoe-- if you get near your extension office- stop in and ask about their info... I know from judging some of the 4-H speechs and projects that MSU has put together quite a bit of info from studies on windbreaks of all types- and the V ones-- and the amount of area past the V that will get wind protection...

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

A fellow I know built a 20% board fence in a but "Z'. I think the angle at the corners were 90 degrees or a little more but the cows could move around it depending on wind direction.

 

[High Plains]

I believe that if you were building a windbreak with boards or guard rail it's pretty important to leave gaps in between. There has been extensive study done on this and the results showed that snow would pile on the protected side of the windbreak much more if the windbreak were solid. It's all about the dynamics of air flow and it seems counter-intuitive, but I believe that it was sure factual. Can't put my finger exactly on where I saw that info but it was very good and complete in showing how to do it correctly.

 

[lefty]

I have 1 its 100 ft x250ft 8ft.tall 1.5 inchs of gap in the plank alll of the snow piles on the windward side of the fence none on the inside worked good for 25 years .