This document discusses considerations for planning and constructing a dairy farm and dairy processing building. Key factors in site selection for the dairy processing building include having a good water supply, adequate land for future expansion, proper drainage, locating away from other buildings to prevent contamination, and ensuring effluent can be properly disposed of. The dairy building design should allow for efficient workflow and cleaning, with a sloped concrete floor, windows for light and ventilation, and wide doors. Equipment such as the cream separator and churn should be securely fixed and installed at appropriate heights, while other items like cheese vats can be portable.

1. Dairy Building
MARIA DILBAR

2. There is much more to be considered in planning a dairy farm
than merely the plan of an individual building.
The use of labor-saving equipment and work-simplification methods
of management should be considered along with all the buildings
planned. The organization and location of each of the dairy buildings
should be considered with respect to each other, the other buildings,
and the whole farm. Roads, lanes, fields, drainage, prevailing winds,
sun, all the elements of landscaping, and other special factors should
be considered in planning the farm layout.
Dairy Building

3.  Site Selection
Dairy Building

4. The following aspects should be considered when
selecting a site for the dairy processing room:
i. Good planning
ii. Water supply and quality
iii. Milk supply "catchment"
iv. Land availability and quality
v. Other buildings and activities near the site
vi. Proximity to a road
vii. Effluent disposal
viii. Good drainage.
Site Selection

5. Good, efficient planning reduces the number of man hours
required to care for a cow, which in turn lowers the cost of
production. Approximately 150 man hours of labor per year are
required to care for a dairy cow. In making changes, dairymen
must keep in mind the desirability of reducing time and labor
required for each chore. Careful planning is needed when
remodeling or building from a new start. Kinds and amounts of
feed stored, methods of feeding, and location of storage in relation
to feeding area are important points in the efficient layout.
Another important factor that has received too little consideration
is the elimination of heavy work by the use of power equipment
even though it may not always be a timesaver.
i. Good planning

6. Water serves many functions in a dairy, such as washing, indirect
heating, cooling milk and adjusting product composition.
Water comes into direct contact with the product. It is important,
therefore, to locate the dairy near a plentiful supply of clean
water. Water can be collected from the roof of a dairy building or
nearby barns by putting guttering around the roof and directing
the water to a storage tank.
ii. Water supply

7. When selecting a site one should allow for possible future
expansion. The site should be well drained.
iii. Land availability and
quality

8. It is important to locate the dairy correctly in relation to other
buildings. It should not be located near a hay barn or animal feed
store where mould spores and dust are present as they can
contaminate the raw material and products. It should also be
located away from other sources of contamination such as dung
heaps or cattle assembly areas.
iv. Other buildings

9. For convenience in collecting milk and for product distribution,
the dairy should be located near a road. However, if the building
is too near the road dust contamination will be a problem.
Therefore, the doors and windows should not face the road.
Windows for letting in light only can face the road.
v. Proximity to the road

10. The satisfactory disposal of effluent from the dairy is important.
Since most effluent comes from washing and from spillage, it
can be minimized by careful product recovery, proper
processing practice and care to avoid spillages. Rinsing and
wash water should be piped away from the building for a
distance of at least 15 meters and directed into a soak pit. Raw
effluent should not be piped directly into a river or stream. If
the effluent is not piped away from the building it will become a
source of contamination and of foul smells.
vi. Effluent disposal

11. Type of Building
A simple building of 25 m2 internal floor area is adequate for
processing at the scale being discussed. An additional room of
102 m floor area is desirable for use as a product store and
office.

12. The foundation and floor should be constructed from non-
rotting material. The material for the superstructure is best
chosen according to availability and cost. The dairy can be made
from basic materials and does not need extravagant
construction.
Construction materials

13. Where possible, all floors should be constructed of concrete
with cement surfacing. The floor should slope (1–1.5%) to one
end to facilitate drainage and cleaning. The cement should
continue up the internal walls for at least one metre if the
superstructure of the building is not constructed from
cement.
Floor

14. The sloped floor drains to an outlet. Effluent should be piped
from the outlet to the soak pit through concrete pipes 10 cm in
diameter.
Effluent piping

15. One or two screened windows should be installed to permit
the operation of the dairy without artificial light. The windows
can also be used for ventilation, but should be screened with
mesh to reduce the number of insects entering the building.
Light

16. Where possible, a ceiling should be included. This will help to
improve the hygiene of the building and also keep the inside
cool.
Ceiling

17. The main door should be wide enough to allow for equipment
installation and easy access of personnel with milk cans etc.
Door

18. Arrangement & Installation
of Equipment

19. When arranging equipment one must consider:
The flow of raw material through to product i.e. process
sequence. Access to each item of equipment for operation,
cleaning and storage. Storage and sale of product.
Disposal of byproduct. If both cheese and butter are being
made, the process lines should be located at either side of the
dairy.
Arrangement

20. Some items of equipment must be securely fixed. The cream
separator should be mounted on a level stand fixed firmly to the
floor and should be at a convenient height for working. Once the
separator is mounted on the stand the level should be checked with
a spirit level before final tightening of the fixing screws. Similarly, the
churn stand and butter-working table should be fixed.
Cheese vats of the necessary capacity are portable and can be
located as desired.
The fixing block for a lever-action cheese press should be fixed firmly
to the wall.
If the water supply permits it, two hose points should be installed on
opposite walls to facilitate cleaning.
Installation