Housing systems of livestock In India, a great diversity exists in the design of dairy animal shelters. Efficiently designed sheds can help lessen the thermal stress thereby increasing feed intake, milk production and reproductive efficiency. Under varied climatic, geographical and economical conditions prevailing in India, designing an ideal set of building for dairy animals throughout the country is impossible. Hence, practically there are two systems of housing for dairy animals viz., i) Loose housing and ii) Conventional barns

1. Housing of
Livestock
Dr. P. Ravikanth Reddy
MVSc, PhD
Guest Faculty
KBR College of Agriculture and Horticulture
Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University
Dr. YSR Horticulture University

2. Importance of housing
• Protection from adverse weather conditions.
• Minimizing the energy losses.
• Protection against loss of appetite and body weight.
• Protection against theft and predators etc.
• Opportunity to express species natural behavior
patterns.
• Grouping.

3. • In addition, for proper feeding, milking and other
functions, the housing is needed.
• Proper housing is also needed for insemination,
treatment, segregation and parturition.

4. Selection of site for farm building
• For construction of farm buildings selection of site is
most important. Before selecting a site the following
points are to be considered,
Soil
• Soil must be suitable for strong foundation. Marshy,
clay, sandy, or rock soils are not suitable.
• Loamy and gravelly soils are best suited for building
construction.

5. Availability of land
• There should be vast area to construct all building and
should give way to future expansion of farm.
• At least 2-3 acre land is required for 200 cows
accommodation.
• For 10 cows, 4-acre land is essential for fodder
production.
Drainage system
• Proper drainage of rain and subsoil water should be
provided to keep healthy environment and to protect
the building from dampness.

6. Availability of water
• Plenty of water is needed for farm operations like
washing, fodder cultivation, processing of milk and
By products and for drinking. Hence a water source
which provides water constantly is essential.

7. Electricity
• It should be available at the site. It is needed for
operating various machines used in the farm and is
the light source to the animals.
Protection from wind and solar radiation
• If the farm building in open or exposed area, the
wind breaks in the farm of tall quick growing trees
should be grown near the building. This will reduce
the wind velocity and solar radiation.

8. Protection from noise and other disturbance
• The farm site should be away from noise producing
factory/chemical industry, sewage disposing area.
• The industrial effluents in the form of gaseous or
liquid may pollute surrounding resources.
• Noise is also found to affect the animal production.
Hence the farm should be away from city.
Availability of market facility
• The farm should be away from the city but at the
same time it should be nearer to city thereby the
products produced from the farm could be marketed
easily.

9. Transport facility
• The farm buildings should be provided with good
road and also have the accessibility to reach the
market.
• This will reduce the transport cost and avoid spoilage
of products.

10. Miscellaneous
• Other facilities like availability of telephone,
nearby school for children of farm workers, post
office, shopping center and entertainment
facilities should be provided.

11. HOUSING SYSTEMS

12. • In India, a great diversity exists in the design of dairy
animal shelters.
• Building design and construction materials largely
affect the thermal comfort inside dairy shelters.
• Efficiently designed sheds can help lesser the
thermal stress thereby increasing feed intake, milk
production and reproductive efficiency.

13. • Under varied climatic, geographical and economical
conditions prevailing in India, designing an ideal set
of building for dairy animals throughout the country
is impossible. Hence, practically there are two
systems of housing for dairy animals viz.
- Loose housing
- Conventional barns

14. Loose housing
• It is a system of housing in which animals are kept
loose in an open paddock throughout the day and
night except at the time of milking and treatment.
• In this system, shelter is provided along one side of
open paddock under which animals can retire when
it is very hot or cold or during rains.

17. • Common feed manger and water tank is provided
and concentrates are fed at the milking time which is
done in a separate milking barn or parlour in which
cows are secured at milking time and are milked.
• The open paddock is enclosed by means of half walls
or plain wire fences of convenient height.

18. Advantages
• Cost of construction is cheaper.
• Suitable for tropical region and low rainfall areas
• Future expansion is possible.
• The animals will move freely so that it will get sufficient
exercise.
• The animal can be kept clean.
• Common feeding and watering arrangement is possible.
• Clean milk production is possible because the animals
are milked in a separate milking barn.
• Oestrus detection is easy.
• At least 10-15 percent more stock than standard can be
accommodated for shorter period.

19. Disadvantages
• It is not suitable for temperate Himalayan region and
heavy rainfall areas.
• It requires more floor space.
• There is competition for feed.
• Attention of individual animal is not possible.
• A separate milking barn is needed for milking the
animals.

20. Conventional barns
• In this system of housing, the animals are confined
together on a platform and secured at neck by
stanchions or neck chain.
• The animals are fed as well as milked in the same
barn.

24. • These barns are completely covered with roofs and
the sidewalls are closed with windows or ventilator
located at suitable places to get more ventilation and
lighting.
• It is applicable for temperate and heavy rainfall
region.
• The same type of housing can be utilized for tropical
region with slight modification.

25. Advantages
• The animals and men caring for animals are less
exposed to harsh environment.
• The animals can be kept clean.
• Diseases are better controlled.
• Individual care can be given.
• Separate milking barn is not required.

26. Disadvantages
• Cost of construction is more.
• Future expansion is difficult.
• Not suitable for hot and humid climatic conditions.

27. Single row system
• In single row system, 12-16 numbers of animals can
be kept.
Double row system
• If it is greater than 16, then double row system is
preferable. In double row system up to 50 animals
can be maintained in a single shed.
• The distance between two sheds should be greater
than 30 feet or it should be twice the height of the
building.

28. In double row system two methods available. They
are
• Tail to tail or face–out method
• Head to head or face–in method

29. Tail to tail system
Advantages
• Cleaning and milking of animals easy.
• Supervision of milking also easy.
• Less chance for transmission of diseases from
animal to animal.
• Animals can get more fresh air from outside.

30. Head to head system
Advantages
• Getting animals into the shed is easy.
• Feeding of animals also easy.
• Disinfection of gutter will be more due to the
direct fall of sunrays over the gutter.
• Animals are better exhibited to visitors
Disadvantages
• Milking supervision is difficult.
• Possibilities of transmission of disease are
more.

31. Floor space requirement (m2)

32. Recommended floor space requirement for
different age group of calves

33. Feeding and watering space requirement

34. Dimensions of feed manger