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Cow Farming
- Thread starter arunabha
- Start date
Hello Sir
Types of Housing
The most widely prevalent practice in this country is to tie the cows with rope on a Katchafloor except some organized dairy farms belonging to government, co-operatives or military where proper housing facilities exist. It is quit easy to understand that unless cattle are provide with good housing facilities, the animals will move too far in or out of the standing space, defecating all round and even causing trampling and wasting of feed by stepping into the mangers. The animals will be exposed to extreme weather conditions all leading to bad health and lower production.
Dairy cattle may be successfully housed under a wide variety of conditions, ranging from close confinement to little restrictions except at milking time. However, two types of dairy barns are in general use at the present time.
1. The loose housing barn in combination with some type of milking barn or parlor.
2. The conventional dairy barn.
Cattle Shed
The entire shed should be surrounded by a boundary wall of. 5" height from three side and manger etc., on one side. T
the feeding area should be provided with 2 to 2 ½ feet of manger space per cow.
All along the manger, there shall be 10" wide water trough to provide clean, even, available drinking water.
The water trough thus constructed will also minimize the loss of fodders during feeding. Near the manger, under the roofed house 5' wide floor should be paved with bricks having a little slope.
Beyond that, there should be open unpaved area (40'X35') surrounded by 5' wall with one gate. It is preferable that animals face north when they are eating fodder under the shade. During cold wind in winter the animals will automatically lie down to have the protection from the walls.
Shed for calves
On one side of the main cattle shed there be fully covered shed "10'x15' to accommodate young calves.
Such sheds with suitable partitioning, may also serve as calving pen under adverse climatic conditions.
Beyond this covered area there should be a 20'x10' open area having boundary wall so that calves may move there freely.
In this way both calf and cattle sheds will need in all 50'x50' area for 20 adult cows and followers.
If one has limited resources, he can build ordinary, Katcha/semikatcha boundary walls but feeding and water trough should be cemented ones.
Conventional Dairy Barn
The conventional dairy barns are comparatively costly and are now becoming less popular day by day. However, by this system cattle are more protected from adverse climatic condition.
The following barns are generally needed for proper housing of different classes
Cow sheds can be arranged in a single row if the numbers of cows are small.
less than 10 or in a double row if the herd is a large one.
Not more than 80 to 100 cows should be placed in one building.
In double row housing, the stable should be so arranged that the cows face out (tails to tail system) or face in (head to head system) as preferred.
The surface of the cowshed should be laid with a gradient of 1" to 1 14" from manger to excreta channel. An overall floor space of 65 to 70 sq.ft. Per adult cow should be satisfactory.
The inside of the walls should have a smooth hard· finish of cement, which will not allow any lodgment of dust and moisture.
Comers should be round.
For plains, dwarf walls about 4 to 5 feet in height and roofs supported by masonry work or iron pillars will be best or more suitable. The open space in between supporting pillars will serve for light and air circulation.
A height of 8 feet at the sides and 15 feet at the ridge will be sufficient to give the necessary air space to the cows.
An adult cow requires at least about 800 cubic feet of air space under tropical conditions.
Manger
Cement concrete continuous manger with removable partitions is the best from the point of view of durability and cleanliness.
A height of 1 '-4" for a high front manger and 6" to 9" for a low front manger is considered sufficient.
Low front mangers are more comfortable for cattle but high front. mangers prevent feed wastage.
The height at the back of the manger should be kept at 2'-6" to 3".
An overall width of 2' to 2 1/2' is sufficient for a good manger.
Alleys
The central walk should have a width of 5'-6' exclusive of gutters when cows face out, and 4'-5' when they face in.
The feed alley, in case of a face out system should be 4' wide, and the central walk should show a slope of 1" from the center towards the two gutters running parallel to each other, thus forming a crown at the center.
The manure gutter should be wide enough to hold all dung without getting blocked, and be easy to clean/ Suitable dimensions are 2" width with a cross-fall of !" away from standing. The gutter should have a gradient of 1" for every 10' length. This will permit a free flow of liquid excreta.
Each calf shed should have an open paddock or exercise yard. An area of 100 square feet per head for a stock of 10 calves and an increase of 50 square feet for every additional calf will make a good paddock.
20-25 square feet per calf below the age of 3 months,
25 -30 square feet per calf from the age of 3-6 months,
30-40 square feet per calf from the age of 6-12 months and over, and
40-45 square feet for every calf above one year, should be made available for the sheltering such climatic conditions.
A suitable· interior lay-out of a calf shed will be to arrange the standing space along each side of a 4 feet wide central passage having a shallow gutter along its length on both sides. Provision of water troughs inside each calf shed and exercise yard should never be neglect.
Types of Housing
The most widely prevalent practice in this country is to tie the cows with rope on a Katchafloor except some organized dairy farms belonging to government, co-operatives or military where proper housing facilities exist. It is quit easy to understand that unless cattle are provide with good housing facilities, the animals will move too far in or out of the standing space, defecating all round and even causing trampling and wasting of feed by stepping into the mangers. The animals will be exposed to extreme weather conditions all leading to bad health and lower production.
Dairy cattle may be successfully housed under a wide variety of conditions, ranging from close confinement to little restrictions except at milking time. However, two types of dairy barns are in general use at the present time.
1. The loose housing barn in combination with some type of milking barn or parlor.
2. The conventional dairy barn.
Cattle Shed
The entire shed should be surrounded by a boundary wall of. 5" height from three side and manger etc., on one side. T
the feeding area should be provided with 2 to 2 ½ feet of manger space per cow.
All along the manger, there shall be 10" wide water trough to provide clean, even, available drinking water.
The water trough thus constructed will also minimize the loss of fodders during feeding. Near the manger, under the roofed house 5' wide floor should be paved with bricks having a little slope.
Beyond that, there should be open unpaved area (40'X35') surrounded by 5' wall with one gate. It is preferable that animals face north when they are eating fodder under the shade. During cold wind in winter the animals will automatically lie down to have the protection from the walls.
Shed for calves
On one side of the main cattle shed there be fully covered shed "10'x15' to accommodate young calves.
Such sheds with suitable partitioning, may also serve as calving pen under adverse climatic conditions.
Beyond this covered area there should be a 20'x10' open area having boundary wall so that calves may move there freely.
In this way both calf and cattle sheds will need in all 50'x50' area for 20 adult cows and followers.
If one has limited resources, he can build ordinary, Katcha/semikatcha boundary walls but feeding and water trough should be cemented ones.
Conventional Dairy Barn
The conventional dairy barns are comparatively costly and are now becoming less popular day by day. However, by this system cattle are more protected from adverse climatic condition.
The following barns are generally needed for proper housing of different classes
Cow sheds can be arranged in a single row if the numbers of cows are small.
less than 10 or in a double row if the herd is a large one.
Not more than 80 to 100 cows should be placed in one building.
In double row housing, the stable should be so arranged that the cows face out (tails to tail system) or face in (head to head system) as preferred.
The surface of the cowshed should be laid with a gradient of 1" to 1 14" from manger to excreta channel. An overall floor space of 65 to 70 sq.ft. Per adult cow should be satisfactory.
The inside of the walls should have a smooth hard· finish of cement, which will not allow any lodgment of dust and moisture.
Comers should be round.
For plains, dwarf walls about 4 to 5 feet in height and roofs supported by masonry work or iron pillars will be best or more suitable. The open space in between supporting pillars will serve for light and air circulation.
A height of 8 feet at the sides and 15 feet at the ridge will be sufficient to give the necessary air space to the cows.
An adult cow requires at least about 800 cubic feet of air space under tropical conditions.
Manger
Cement concrete continuous manger with removable partitions is the best from the point of view of durability and cleanliness.
A height of 1 '-4" for a high front manger and 6" to 9" for a low front manger is considered sufficient.
Low front mangers are more comfortable for cattle but high front. mangers prevent feed wastage.
The height at the back of the manger should be kept at 2'-6" to 3".
An overall width of 2' to 2 1/2' is sufficient for a good manger.
Alleys
The central walk should have a width of 5'-6' exclusive of gutters when cows face out, and 4'-5' when they face in.
The feed alley, in case of a face out system should be 4' wide, and the central walk should show a slope of 1" from the center towards the two gutters running parallel to each other, thus forming a crown at the center.
The manure gutter should be wide enough to hold all dung without getting blocked, and be easy to clean/ Suitable dimensions are 2" width with a cross-fall of !" away from standing. The gutter should have a gradient of 1" for every 10' length. This will permit a free flow of liquid excreta.
Each calf shed should have an open paddock or exercise yard. An area of 100 square feet per head for a stock of 10 calves and an increase of 50 square feet for every additional calf will make a good paddock.
20-25 square feet per calf below the age of 3 months,
25 -30 square feet per calf from the age of 3-6 months,
30-40 square feet per calf from the age of 6-12 months and over, and
40-45 square feet for every calf above one year, should be made available for the sheltering such climatic conditions.
A suitable· interior lay-out of a calf shed will be to arrange the standing space along each side of a 4 feet wide central passage having a shallow gutter along its length on both sides. Provision of water troughs inside each calf shed and exercise yard should never be neglect.
Peniel Farming Consultancy INTL
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