What is Animal shelters?
An animal shelter (here for dairy cows, buffaloes etc) is a agricultural structure where Cows, Buffaloes, Bulls are housed. These are also called as dairy barns.
The main purpose of livestock production and management on farm is to get the products such as milk, eggs, wool, draught power and manure (fertilizer) that can be utilized by human beings. Traditional livestock production involves more human energy to take care of them and therefore can be justify on small scale particularly for one’s own home/farm use.
For commercial livestock production and management, improved cattle breeds, efficient management and feeding is needed to get economic benefit from the livestock production. Animal shelters built with proper design is therefore necessary in commercial livestock production practices.
Different types of animal shelters (housing) are usually adopted for cattle, poultry, pig, sheep and goat housing etc. Some modifications in such animal shelters are usually done according to environment of particular region. Planning, design and implementation of any animal shelter for efficient livestock production system involves numerous alternatives for materials of construction. Thus it can turn into a complex and theoretical subject however this subject is simpler in practical world.
One should consider number of factors during planning of constructing animal shelters such as layout and location of animal shelter, types and properties of building materials, equipment used etc. These all factors are important in determining the profitability of livestock production. The future expansion of animal shelters should think during planning and design for approximately 05-15 years for different housing.
While planning and constructing new animal shelter for dairy animals, size and location of barn, approach to connecting roads, drainage channels etc should be considered. The requirements of feed and water for the dairy animals should also be considered.
Types of Dairy Barn
There are three general types of barns.
i) Stanchion barn
ii) The loose housing barn with milking room and
iii) The open air barn
In the stanchion barn the cows are housed and milked in the same building. This is also known as general purpose barn of the cow.
The loose housing barn is one animal shelter in which the cows are housed in a covered/ partially covered yard, but they are milked in batches in a separate milking house. This system is also called the milking house system.
The open air barn does not have any covers. The cows live in field and they are fed and milked there. The system is also known as the loafing barn system and is not common on a well established dairy barn.
Barn equipment are required for efficient functioning. Various barn equipment and accessories such as feed fences, drinking trough, cow curtain, circulation fans for cow’s wellbeing, Track screens for providing ventilation etc are required for this.
Examples for ventilation and air circulation for cattle comforts can be seen here.
The photos given below shows glimpses of loose housing barn for dairy animals.
(Source: https://powergotha.com/en/loose-housing-dairy-farm-in-india)
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