Mini dairy farm as a business. How to open and where to start. Which tax system to choose for cattle breeding. How much does a dairy farm cost: financial and economic justification

In the current difficult socio-economic conditions, creating your own farm is of interest to many. Although everyone has different goals - business, hobbies or the meaning of life - nevertheless, everyone wants to have environmentally friendly products on the table and for their subsidiary farming to also bring profit. There is nothing impossible about this. Today there is such a variety of building materials that you can easily build and equip a barn yourself in any region of the country, despite difficult climatic conditions.

Typical design device

First of all, remember one rule: the comfort of the cows comes first. This is the only way you will receive meat and dairy products good quality and recoup your costs. Regardless of the livestock, a convenient barn consists of the following sectors:

• stalls with feeding trough, drinking bowl and waste disposal;
• food storage room (kitchen);
• maternity area for newborn calves;
• area for walking animals;
• utility room for storing equipment;
• manure collection area;
• compartment for storing milk, as well as containing milk containers;
• boiler room for heating all rooms.

The stalls are arranged in rows depending on the number of heads. In individual farming, there are mainly single-row, two-row or three-row buildings.

There should be enough free space between stalls

The animals should not be crowded, so the passage between the rows is made moderately wide.

Types of barns

From the right choice The size of the barn depends on how productive the farm will be. Many factors are taken into account here: separate keeping of different-sex animals, the proportion of young animals, the number of heads, etc.

For small farms with a maximum capacity of 50 heads, as a rule, mini-barns are built - prefabricated frame hangars, well-lit and ventilated, which can be warm or cold. The latter are more suitable for cattle, since cows, calves and steers feel better in cool buildings (with outside temperatures). In such conditions, they get sick less, develop better and produce more milk.

It is more appropriate to build frame hangars in regions with year-round warm weather conditions

Unfortunately, in most regions of our country, harsh weather conditions do not allow keeping animals in cold barns. It is necessary to build insulated barns with a large number of windows, which are constantly kept open, which provides a suitable microclimate for the animals. However, when keeping more than 30 cows, you already need to take care of additional ventilation - install fans or polyurethane ventilation curtains, light aeration ridges or a Frivent DRW ventilation unit (if finances allow).

Additional ventilation avoids excess moisture and regulates temperature regime

Although there are many types of barns, all of them should be cool, light and cozy.

According to the materials used in the construction of barns, there are:

• in the form of buildings made of metal profiles, with indoor temperatures close to street temperatures;
• like buildings made of thermal insulating building materials;
• type of hangars made of sandwich panels.

According to basic design:

• 2+2-row cattle shed for free housing of animals (loose-stall) with a high trapezoidal roof made of metal profiles with a minimum number of beams, which will ensure good air exchange;
• 3+3-row for the combined housing of dairy cows with calves and a separate milking parlor;
• 3-row barn, where the calf section and milking area are in the same room;
• A 4-row barn makes it possible to fully mechanize all work - milking, water and feed distribution, manure removal.

Video: supply and exhaust ventilation of a barn for 200 heads in the Irkutsk region

Preparing to build a barn

On preparatory stage building a barn, you need to solve a number of critical problems for your efforts to be crowned with success.

1. Choose the direction of farming - do you plan to deal only with milk or meat, will you process the resulting products yourself, or sell the milk to dairies and hand over the cows by live weight. Will the young stock be purchased or produced locally? What is the size of the herd, how automated will labor be?
2. Deciding on a site for construction is important not only for the terrain, but also for the groundwater level. The predominant direction of winds, their intensity. Availability of convenient access roads and is it possible to organize pasture nearby.
3. Choose a suitable barn design. Or, based on the standard one, do it yourself, taking into account all your desires and capabilities.

Standard standards for animal housing

Premises for keeping animals must meet certain standards:

1. Free-stall housing - 6 m² per head of an adult and 4–4.5 m² per calf. If calves will be kept together with cows, the area should be 10 m².

   Free-stall housing of cows is most often used on farms with a large number of livestock: animals are kept on a farm without stalls, with a milking parlor, and move freely both indoors and on walking areas

2. Tethered housing is the construction of individual boxes, the sizes of which depend on the sex and age of the animals. An adult cow is given an area of ​​1–1.3 x 1.8–2.1 m, a bull is given 1.3 x 1.4 m, a calf will be comfortable in an area of ​​1 x 1.5 m, a cow with a calf 1.5 x 2 m.

   Tethered housing of cows has its advantages - there will be no collisions between animals, this method of housing compared to loose housing increases milk productivity by 15%, and reduces feed costs by 10%

3. The average dimensions of a barn are: width 4 m, length 6 m and height 2.5 m. The size of utility rooms depends on the number of heads, and the sizes of stalls and stall equipment depend on the size of the animals.

Table: sizes of stalls and stall equipment depending on the weight and dimensions of the livestock

Typical barn designs

A mini-farm involves keeping from 2 to 10 cows. For such a quantity, it is not difficult to draw up a barn plan yourself. The main thing is to adhere to the area standards for keeping animals.

The main principle of mini farming is to use available resources as rationally as possible.

The average farm includes from 20 to 50 heads of cattle. The barn layout looks quite simple.

It is advisable to entrust the construction of a farm with 100 or more head of cattle to professionals.

If you are just starting to raise cows, it is better to start with keeping fewer heads.

Well, only a team of experienced craftsmen can handle the construction of large farms. It is impossible to do this on your own according to the rules and regulations.

Drawing up a project is not everything. We now need to obtain approval from the relevant authorities. This procedure is troublesome. If possible, consult a lawyer. Perhaps after such a consultation you will change the concept of your farm or select a different site for construction.

Selecting materials for building a barn

To build a farm with your own hands you will need:

• crushed stone;
• baked brick or durable concrete for the foundation;
• waterproofing material (roofing felt is most often used);
• wooden boards for flooring;
• covering material for the roof - slate, for example, or tiles;
• building material for the construction of walls.

The walls and floors have great importance when building a barn, since heating of the barn, as a rule, is not provided even in harsh climatic regions. Well-insulated walls and floors will be sufficient.

Wooden structures have performed well in terms of thermal conductivity, but they are short-lived. Brick barns are widespread, but in the northwestern regions it is recommended to make a two-layer structure, laying insulation between the layers. And this increases the cost of construction. Therefore, barns made of foam blocks and sandwich panels deserve more and more attention - they are easy to assemble, durable and well maintain the required temperature in the room.

But adobe is considered the best building material. It retains heat in the barn, ensures sufficient dryness in the room and is relatively inexpensive. Lay adobe in 1.5 bricks (hollow in one) on a good cement mortar, and line the bottom with ordinary brick. Inside, the walls are plastered, leveled and whitewashed.

The farm floor must be warm, dry, level and waterproof. Custom-fitted timber flooring is ideal for all these requirements. However, due to some properties of wood, it will have to be repaired every 3-4 years. Therefore, fired hollow bricks are more often chosen for the device, laid on edge on top of roofing felt or slag. Such a floor will last at least 14 years in an aggressive environment without repair. True, it is not too warm, which is why in the winter the floor in the barn is covered with a thick layer of bedding or rubber mats are used.

The floor in the barn should help maintain the health of animals and increase their productivity; for this purpose, rubber flooring is used

Video: cow stall equipment

Calculation of materials

The amount of material depends on the area of ​​the barn, which, in turn, is directly related to the number of animals kept. We will show the calculation principle using the example of constructing walls from adobe, since this option is the most profitable. Moreover, it is quite possible to make adobe yourself from the straw of any cereals, clay and sand.

Adobe for a cowshed is a convenient, cheap building material that our ancestors have used for centuries

Calculation of wall A: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, one doorway measuring 1x1.8 m, total area 13.2 m², doorway area 1.8 m², wall area without doorway 11.4 m².

Calculation of wall B: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, 5 window openings with dimensions (0.8x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m, 0.6x0.4 m, 0. 6x0.4 m), total area 13.2 m², area of ​​all window openings 1.68 m², wall area without window openings 11.52 m².

In the barn it would be more practical to install PVC windows, which will be lift-and-section or hinged with colorless polycarbonate filling

Calculation of wall B: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, 4 window openings with dimensions (0.6x0.6 m, 0.8x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m, 0.6x0.6 m), total area 13.2 m², area of ​​all window openings 1.56 m², wall area without window openings 11.64 m².

Depending on the climatic characteristics of the region, inflatable or roller blinds, as well as lift-and-section windows can be installed on the windows

Calculation of wall D: wall length 6 m, height 2.2 m, blank wall (without door and window openings), total wall area 13.2 m².

A blank wall without windows will protect cows from strong winds

Determine the amount of adobe to build a barn:

1. Let's derive a single formula for calculation. The area of ​​any wall is equal to the total area of ​​the wall (height x length) minus the total area of ​​all openings (windows, doors). The area of ​​each opening is also equal to height x length. So: S total. = (S A + S B + S B + S D) – (S openings A + S openings B + S openings B + S openings D) = (13.2 + 13.2 +13.2 + 13.2) - (1.8 + 1.68 + 1.56) = 47.76 m².
2. Find out the area of ​​one adobe brick. S sk = W sk x H sk (usually 0.08 m²). If you make adobe brick yourself, its area may be different, depending on the size of the mold for production.
3. We determine the amount of adobe that will be needed to build a barn. K c = S total. : S ck = 47.76: 0.08 = 597 pcs. Round up to 600 pcs.

Table: calculation of adobe blocks for the construction of a barn measuring (6x6x2.2) meters

To make 600 pieces of adobe blocks you will need:

• clay ≈ 4600 kg (2.8 m³);
• sand ≈ 1500 kg (1 m³);
• straw ≈ 230 kg (4 m³).

Any material is calculated in the same way - brick, sawdust concrete blocks, panels, wooden beams, flooring according to the floor area, roofing material according to the size of the roof, etc.

Set of tools

The necessary tools depend on the building materials used, but in any case you will have to use:

• crowbar and shovel;
• building level;
• trowel, spatula and screws;
• rope;
• construction mixer or concrete mixer.

Building a barn with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

Cowsheds are built using two technologies - frame and frameless. The frame method is considered more promising. Its main advantage is the speed of construction and ease of laying communications - ventilation, water supply, manure removal, etc. The construction of a small utility block consists of several stages:

1. Laying the foundation. Any - columnar for small wooden outbuildings, strip or monolithic for heavy buildings. Remove the top layer of soil from the area. They usually deepen it to 50–70 cm and fill it with crushed stone. With frame construction, this is where the laying of the foundation ends. To build a brick barn, a solid foundation is made - strip or monolithic. A trench is dug to a depth of 1 m, formwork and reinforcement cage are installed, the bottom is covered with crushed stone and filled with concrete. Roofing felt is laid on top as a waterproofing material.

   The foundation of the barn must be strong and able to withstand heavy loads

2. Lay out the walls using a trowel and a building level, not forgetting to leave openings. To ensure that the walls retain heat, they provide good thermal insulation.

   Since the barns do not need heating, the walls need to be well insulated: the adobe masonry underneath is lined with brick, laying polystyrene foam insulation

3. The roof is being installed. Wooden logs are installed at the top of the walls and sheathing is made. Then covered with roofing material. Slate is usually used as it is more accessible and cheaper. The ceiling is usually covered with reed slabs and plastered with clay. It is advisable to have an attic - this is additional insulation, you can store hay and other feed there. The roof of a barn without an attic must be insulated.

   For the slate roof of the barn, a grid is installed with a pitch calculated for the slate sheets

4. Install windows and doors.
5. Carry out interior work. Special attention are given to the floors. The soil is compacted, a layer of roofing felt or slag is made, and the floor is laid with small gaps and a slope so that animal feces flow into the drainage pit. A layer of straw or sawdust is placed on top, to which peat can be added.

   Cows will rest comfortably on straw bedding

Cowsheds on a large number of livestock are built in a similar way, equipping each stall with a feeder 1 m long and 0.65 m high.

Barn ventilation

The most simple circuit ventilation system of the barn: an exhaust pipe made of boards is installed on the roof of the building. One or more, depending on the length of the room, equipped with a fan and a damper in case of bad weather. Fresh air enters the barn through the window openings. If there are none, then intake openings with dampers are created to allow air to enter at the bottom of the walls almost at the very foundation. Stale air is removed through an exhaust pipe.

Air exchange occurs by itself: warm air exits through exhaust shafts on the roof of the building, and cold air enters the room through special openings in the walls of the barn

To reduce the penetration of infections from the street, a box of sawdust is placed in front of the entrance, which is periodically moistened with creolin. In barns housing 200 or more animals, additional ventilation is provided in the form of a canopy on the roof.

Manure removal system

• hydraulic wash or self-alloy;
• delta scraper or belt conveyor.

More often, farmers use a self-fusing system for cleaning the premises. To do this, pipes wrapped in slippery material with plugs are laid at an angle across the entire area of ​​the barn, and when opened, manure flows into special tanks.

Lighting in the barn

There are certain requirements for barn lighting that must be adhered to:

• lighting standards - in the stalls 50 lux, in the feeding area - 75, in the entire barn - 200 lux and no more, otherwise production rates will decrease;
• It is necessary to use LED lamps, since fluorescent lamps emit low-intensity light when the standard temperature drops to 20–25 °C;
• When arranging lighting in the barn, it is important to correctly calculate the duration of daylight hours and gradually change the lighting during this period - from 4.00–4.30 to 8.00–8.30 the illumination is increased, and from 16.00–16.30 to 20.00–20.30 it is gradually reduced.

For the normal development of animals in the barn, it is necessary to provide high-quality lighting - with daylight cows give more milk, and calves eat better and grow faster

Absolute darkness in the barn is unacceptable to avoid injury to animals. For night lighting, red spectrum lamps with a power of 10 W are used.

A selection of videos: life on the farm - building a barn with your own hands

Start of construction. Preparing and laying out the area for a barn. Welding of frame elements.

Video: building a barn - the beginning

Laying the foundation and erecting the frame. The foundation is made of strip form, formwork is installed, into which previously made frame elements are installed level and secured. The trench is then concreted.

Video: foundation and frame for a barn

Continued construction. Another video report in real time - what we did during the week.

Video: we continue to build a barn

Roof arrangement. The barn design determines the materials that will be used to cover the roof. Inexpensive options are slate and tiles.

Video: barn roof

Laying water pipes. The water supply in the barn begins with a Ø 32 mm riser, to which is connected the main ring main made of Ø 25 mm pipes. Automatic drinking bowls, watering and water taps are installed in the premises.

Video: water supply for a barn

The final stage of setting up the water supply and septic tank. It is necessary to adhere to sanitary standards - when laying water pipes and sewer pipesØ up to 200 mm, the distance between them must be at least 1.5 m. It is advisable to lay water pipes in a protective case.

Video: finishing the water supply and septic tank for the barn

Building a barn yourself will take more time than installing a ready-made structure or construction by a team of professionals. But this is perhaps the only drawback. But mansions for little cows, warm, solid, cozy, made with your own hands, will cost much less. We hope that with the knowledge you have acquired, you will build a barn that will serve you faithfully for many years.

A mini-farm for cows will help provide a stable income. Initially, you can purchase a small livestock. Gradually the business will increase, the number of bulls and cows in the herd will increase. The following recommendations will help you organize and arrange everything correctly.

A mini-farm for cows will help provide a stable income

If you are planning to organize a farm, you need to carefully think and calculate everything. An approximate business plan for a dairy farm for 20 heads includes the main points of organizing the process and financial issues.

The main points include:

• choosing a location for a future mini-farm;
• rent or purchase of land (if it is not available);
• purchase of equipment;
• purchase of initial livestock - bulls and cows;
• organization proper care for each individual;
• maintaining cleanliness;
• cleaning waste products - manure.

Financial issues include expense items and ways to generate income in farming. The required investments determine the amount of initial capital required to organize a business.

The main expense items are as follows:

• purchase of building materials;
• construction of a mini-farm;
• purchase and delivery of livestock;
• wages for hired personnel;
• food preparation;
• payment for veterinary services.

A mini-farm for 10 cows will pay for itself very quickly. Such an enterprise can generate income in several directions. It could be:

• sale of milk and dairy products;
• sale of high-quality beef and/or meat by-products;
• sale of skins;
• sale of bulls and heifers, i.e. young stock;
• sale of manure as organic fertilizer;
• paid provision of breeding animals for mating to owners of other farms.

In addition, you can also organize the sale of hay and/or silage. Of course, subject to the availability of appropriate land plots.

Farm from scratch (video)

Choosing the right place

To build a farm for cows without any problems, you need to choose the right piece of land. This should be a flat and well-trodden area. The presence of a small forest belt near the mini-farm will protect animals from drafts and/or strong winds.

Natural bodies of water and/or springs drinking water By legal norms of the relevant laws of the Russian Federation must be at least 30 m away from places where mass livestock are kept, otherwise the owner may be fined a large sum. In this case, the mini-farm will have to be moved to another site.

No less important point- the absence of residential and/or other buildings near the place where the mini-farm and cattle will be built is an inevitable unpleasant odor. You should not create discomfort for residents of nearby settlements. On its own site, a mini-farm for cows is set up closer to the place where fruit and vegetable crops are planted. This will make it easier to use manure to fertilize the soil. A modern farm should be located at a distance of 15 meters or more from a residential building. Additionally, the main wind direction in the region should also be taken into account.

Saving money

For a beginning farmer to maintain, for example, ten or twenty heads, it is better to rent land. It will be much cheaper than buying it. You can select a site with ready-made buildings, which, after minor repairs, will provide proper living conditions for cattle. A rented plot and/or barn for 50 heads has such a significant advantage as the ability to terminate the contract without any problems. For example, if a more suitable option was found.

The farm design and initial estimate should be drawn up based on recycled material. Used bricks, wood, etc. can be purchased much cheaper. The main thing is to check the quality of the product - the degree of wear, safety, etc.

Sawdust is used for bedding in the barn. You can prepare them yourself. To do this, you can buy old wood - frames, boards, lumber that is not suitable for use.

Preparing for construction

A farm diagram that needs to be prepared in advance will help ensure proper maintenance and/or care of the cows. You can do it yourself or find a suitable mini-farm project from friends and acquaintances.

Markings must be made on the work site. At the same time, a place for storing building materials and tools must be prepared.

Independent construction of a cattle farm requires significant labor and time. You can speed up the process by inviting assistants. Hiring a construction crew will be very expensive.

Tools and materials

Before building a farm, you need to stock up on the necessary tools and materials. To work you will need:

• dry concrete mixture or cement and sand;
• brick, wood or blocks;
• slate;
• roofing felt;
• insulation;
• fasteners;
• beams and/or beams.

The set of tools must include:

• shovels - shovel and bayonet;
• construction tape;
• plumb and level;
• technical knife;
• hammer drill or electric drill;
• construction mixer or concrete mixer;
• containers for solution;
• saw and/or hacksaw;
• mason's tool;
• wire cutters and/or pliers;
• hammers and sledgehammers;
• workwear;
• rags.

To store supplies of materials and working tools, you can set up a small barracks or a fenced area with a canopy.

Mini farm (video)

Barn dimensions

The health of cattle directly depends on the conditions under which the herd is kept. In order for the animals to feel comfortable, it is necessary to plan the following dimensions of the barn:

• main area - 500 m² for 50 heads (at the rate of 6 m² per 1 adult or 10 m² for queens with offspring);
• additional space for storing feed, tools and equipment;
• wall height - from 2.5 to 3 m;
• height to the roof ridge - at least 3.5 m.

Experienced livestock breeders do not recommend building very large barns for a wide range of livestock. In small rooms for 10 or 20 animals, animals feel more comfortable. At the same time, the cows on the farm are healthy and produce good milk yield. If one or more individuals are infected, the main population will be easier to protect from the disease. In addition, a barn for 20 heads is easier to keep clean and tidy to obtain high-quality milk and/or meat.

Construction of a cowshed

The selected version of the mini-farm and barn project needs to be studied and, if necessary, slightly modified. This will help tailor proposed projects to specific conditions.

A brick cattle structure must be built on a solid foundation. A lightweight version can be made for frame, wooden or block walls. The roof is made 2-slope with a high ridge. On top there is a hayloft and a storage system for the necessary inventory, equipment, etc. Another option is a modern hangar-type barn with an arched roof. The profile for it is gradually increased to the required size.

The ceiling of a cattle shed is usually made of thick boards. For cold regions, double decking is required. Sealing joints is done using clay. To maintain heat, you need to pour sand or sawdust. Layer thickness - at least 10 cm.

The floor in the barn is best made of concrete. It is diluted and poured using conventional technology. Concrete floors are durable and comfortable for animals and staff. Maintaining cleanliness will not require significant effort and time.

Plank flooring will be cheaper. However, you will have to cover the joint seams with clay. The required slope for the floor in the barn is no more than 2 cm per 1 m. This is safe for cows and convenient for removing manure.

Inside the barn it is necessary to arrange stalls measuring 170 by 110 cm. The following materials can be used to make partitions:

• board;
• reinforcing rod;
• log;
• beam;
• metal pipe.

The floor is covered with dry chopped straw or sawdust. You can make wooden flooring. A wide passage should be left in the center of the room for farm staff.

A channel or gutter is installed at the rear to drain manure. It is imperative to make a slope towards the container for collecting liquid manure. The gutter is brought out through a special hole (opening) in the wall. It requires a valve.

Drinkers and feeders are easy to make with your own hands. They are placed in front of the stalls. The width of the bottom is 40 cm. From the bottom up, the feeder expands to 70 cm. The height of the outer side is 70 cm. The inner side facing the animal is no higher than 30 cm.

Conditions of detention and sanitary standards

Microclimate is very important for cattle. Therefore, in the barn of a 50-head farm, windows are needed for ventilation. They are placed at a height of 120-150 cm above floor level. A ventilation system and heating device (if necessary) will help ensure temperature control and air circulation.

The area of ​​thermal neutrality, i.e. the optimal temperature regime, is ensured in the barn depending on the breed of animals. Usually +4 to +20 °C is required. Warmth is especially important for young bulls and heifers. Large rooms will require artificial lighting. Electrical wiring must be installed by a specialist during construction.

The introduced food embargo on products from European countries aroused interest in agriculture. Some farms have increased their acreage and livestock numbers. Residents of the private sector are not far behind them. In many ways, the success of livestock farming depends on the living conditions of the animals.

State regulation of private life of cattle

Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation published order No. 551 of December 13, 2016 “On approval of veterinary rules for keeping cattle for the purpose of their reproduction, cultivation and sale.” The owner of one or two cows can give up on the requirements listed in the order. However, farmers who plan to sell their products are forced to bring the sheds for the bulls into an appropriate shape. After all, they will have to endure more than one visit from Rosselkhoznadzor employees. However, losses can be minimized if you build a barn with your own hands, and this is quite possible.

The design of the future barn for cows is determined based on the direction of the farm. Cattle are bred for milk or meat. Again, the method of emergence of young animals is also taken into account - natural or purchased externally.

The second important parameter is the location of the barn. Here, the presence or absence of access roads is taken into account, but also the groundwater level, wind rose, and distance from residential buildings. They are guided by these two points when choosing for cows.

The maximum number of animals on our farm does not exceed ten. For such a herd, you can build a barn yourself. However, if you plan to increase the number of livestock, then use the services of builders with experience in constructing such buildings. In any business there are nuances that are obvious to professionals and unknown to beginners. Ignoring them may lead to sad consequences. Starting from diseases and ending with the death of animals.

The area of ​​the future barn is influenced by the way the cattle are kept. If cows and bulls are not planned to be tied, then 6 m2 is enough for one animal. This method is called untethered. However, among farmers, keeping cows in stalls (tethered method) is more popular. A separate living space for a cow is organized in accordance with the following standards:

• An adult cow requires a box with an area of ​​2.2 to 2.7 m2;
• A cow and calf will require a stall of at least 3 m2;
• One calf needs 1.5 m2;
• An adult bull will have to be provided with a box of at least 1.75 m2.

A box for one adult cow should have an area of ​​2.2 m2

Grown-up calves are usually kept without a leash in a common pen. The area of ​​which is calculated as follows: age up to 1 year - 4 m2, older - 4.5 m2. Animals feel comfortable with a ceiling height of at least 2.5 meters. But you should not rely solely on the data provided. Sizes may vary depending on the breed being bred.

When planning to build a barn for bulls and cows, consider the comfort and safety of people. Such measures include the distance of outbuildings from residential premises and water sources. According to sanitary and epidemiological standards, housing for animals is built at least 20 meters from wells and wells.

Building materials for a barn - what is good and what is bad

So, the theory is left behind, let's proceed directly to construction. When constructing premises for cattle, traditional materials are used:

• brick;
• cinder blocks;
• sibit or aerated concrete;
• wood.

Each of the listed options has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, prices for brick, sibit or aerated concrete are quite high. But you still need to be able to work with them, otherwise you will have to hire masons, and their services are not cheap. Cinder concrete often contains toxic substances that negatively affect animal health.

We are building a barn for a cow with our own hands and at our own expense, therefore, we need to minimize possible costs. Of course, creating a barn project for 10 heads from scratch with your own hands is not easy. Therefore, we will take as a basis the drawings given in this article.

As you can see, in addition to stalls for cows, there are rooms for storing equipment. In large livestock farms, technological premises are added to the design of barns: milk drainage, machine room, washing room, etc. In our case, they are not necessary. By and large, the construction of a small barn comes down to arranging the foundation, erecting walls, covering the ceiling and roof, and equipping stalls.

Where does the construction of a barn for cows begin and end?

A lot of building materials are used for the construction of utility and utility rooms. However, for our purposes it is better to use wood. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. 1. Economic. There is no need to turn to third-party specialists - a novice craftsman can work with wood. As a rule, in most regions of the country, wood is cheaper than other building materials;
2. 2. Practical. Buildings built from brick, sibit and their analogues, not to mention quick-assembled structures, require additional heating. There is enough heat from animals in wooden structures;
3. 3. Ecological. Cows feel most comfortable.

Any construction begins with a foundation. The cowshed is no exception. Based on the given sanitary standards and practical recommendations from farmers, we need to prepare a foundation for a building with an area of ​​100 m2. Considering that we are building housing for cattle from wood, which does not differ in weight, we can get by with a strip foundation.

Wooden walls are mounted on the poured base. The best option is a log house made of logs or timber. However, in the southern regions there are many similar structures, built from thick five-centimeter boards. But such building materials cannot be used in all regions of the country. Pay attention to such building material as 100*150 mm timber. Of course, it will cost more than a log, but the labor costs will be several times less. A log house made of timber can be assembled within a few days and such a building is easier to finish from the inside. Yes, the interior of the barn will need to be plastered and whitewashed - this will serve as additional protection for the animals from harmful bacteria.

The height of an unheated room for keeping cattle rarely exceeds 2.5 meters - this reduces heat losses.

Floors. As already mentioned, it is not advisable to lay wooden floors - they will become saturated with ammonia and will fail within a few years. Alternatively, you can pour a concrete floor. This coating will last for decades. But there is also a minus - concrete floors accumulate cold, which can lead to illness in animals. Another way to arrange the floor in a barn is to lay it out with baked bricks. True, there is no need to talk about savings in this case. In our barn, we will fill the floor with concrete, and in the future we will use bedding made of straw, shavings or sawdust. This will prevent the cows from developing colds and mastitis.

Roof. For outbuildings, shed or pitched ones are used. In our case, we will have to build a roof with two slopes. This is explained simply. The area of ​​the barn is 100 square meters. meters, if you install a roof with one slope, excessive snow load will reduce its service life. In addition, it allows you to organize a place in the attic for storing dry food (hayloft).

Air, light, proper nutrition are the key to high milk yields

Lighting is not a whim, but a necessity. As research by veterinarians shows, in winter, with 16 hours of daylight, cows produce 8–10% more milk. True, they eat more. Of course, it is better to invite a professional electrician to electrify the barn. However, if energy-intensive mechanisms are not intended to be used in the room, you can extend a line from the home switchboard (preferably underground). But when in the utility rooms of the barn it is planned to install devices that consume a large amount of electricity (electric mill, separator, etc.), it is better to install a separate electric meter and then light the barn from there. Yes, such a connection scheme will be more expensive - you will have to spend money on purchasing equipment and paying for the services of electricians, but do not forget that 70% of fires in Russia occur due to wiring.

Even timely removal of cow waste products does not guarantee a healthy indoor environment. Coupled with high humidity, this causes the appearance of harmful bacteria. Fresh air is no less important for cows than for people. Therefore, ventilation will have to be arranged.

There are two types ventilation systems: forced and natural. We do not need to buy a full-fledged supply and exhaust unit - we can make do with the creation of ventilation shafts from polypropylene or metal pipes. To allow air to enter the room, holes are cut in the walls of the barn. Excess warm air rises and is removed through pipes placed in the ceiling. Ideally, both inlet and outlet openings are covered with protective grilles and deflectors.

Dairy cattle breeding is one of the largest livestock sectors. Organizing a mini-farm begins with drawing up a business plan. It includes the farm design and selection of livestock, possible expenses and much more.

Drafting

In order for several people to manage a private farm, it is necessary to correctly draw up a project for a livestock farm for 100 animals. A dairy farm business plan includes many important points.

Among them:

• Selection of milk herds,
• Construction of cowsheds,
• Determination of technological parameters,
• Determination of cow housing schemes,
• Organization of milking and delivery rooms,
• Veterinary and sanitary requirements, etc.

Choosing an animal breed

The economic viability of a dairy farm depends on the quality and quantity of milk produced.

And for this you need to take into account:

• Breed,
• Conditions of detention,
• Quality feed,
• Veterinary services.

The most popular dairy breeds:

• Red Danish,
• Montbeliardskaya,
• Kholmogorskaya,
• Ayrshire,
• Yaroslavskaya,
• Red steppe,
• Kostromskaya,
• Simmentalskaya,
• Holstein,
• Jersey,
• Finnish.

Good housing conditions will allow each animal to produce from 4 to 12 thousand liters of milk with an average fat content of 3.5% per year. Cows reach their maximum milk yield only by the 5th lactation. But organizing proper milking and launch is important from the first year.

Cow placement schemes

There is a classification of farms according to the keeping of cattle: breeding and commercial. Commercial livestock farms are divided into:

• For dairy
• Meat and dairy,
• Meat,
• For rearing young animals,
• I will fatten the calves.

Breeding farms specialize in raising and selling young animals, working on the genotype and breeding new breeds.

The size of farms depends on the focus: breeding farms are built for 400, 600, 800 and 1200 heads, and commercial farms are built for 2000, 1600, 1000, 800, 400 and 200 heads. Cows can be kept either tethered or loose.

A properly organized dairy business takes into account not only the size of the livestock farm, but also:

• Level of feed procurement intensity,
• Providing the dairy farm with the necessary resources,
• Ecological state of the area,
• Installed milk production system,
• Animal housing system
• feeding system,
• Manure disposal options.

Construction of a cowshed

Breeding cows as a business involves building a barn and outbuildings. The main building for a dairy herd for 100 heads is made with dimensions of 26 * 54 m, and two symmetrical blocks are built for 200 heads. This area is enough to keep animals both in boxes and on abundant bedding. When housing in stalls, the boxes are arranged in four rows, and for bulls, double stalls are made in the middle.

The 4.5 m wide feeding table is located in the center. For watering, either automatic individual drinkers or a group drinker for 10 - 12 animals are used. The internal passage is made 2.7 m wide and equipped with automatic gates to separate the herd. This is needed for beating animals during milking, for veterinary procedures, culling or sale. Materials for construction are selected based on the terrain and climate, but usually brick, cinder blocks, foam blocks or reinforced concrete blocks are used.

Milking shop

Construction of a dairy farm is impossible without organizing a separate milking block and pre-milking area necessary for animals awaiting milking. There are also gates that allow several cows to be sent to the maternity section or for insemination at once. The selection section is located at the exit from the milking parlor and has an area of ​​25 sq.m. It consists of two stalls and an insemination machine, as well as a narrow stall for castration of young bulls and collection of sperm from breeding bulls.

On a farm of 100 heads or more, it is optimal to use Euro Class Herringbone equipment.

It allows you to completely mechanize the milking process and service the entire herd in 4 working cycles. To operate the installation, 1-2 people are needed. The advantages of the device are control of the amount of milk production, direct flow of milk into the receiver and cooling tank, the ability to keep records of daily, weekly and monthly milk yields from each cow.

Maternity unit

Cow breeding as a business involves the sale of both milk and breeding stock. Therefore, the farm must have a maternity ward. Most often, it is equipped in the same building with a milking and dairy shop. The maternity block can be connected to the main barn by a covered passage. The department is equipped with ten separate stalls for deep-calving cows, and several calving stalls are installed. Maternity boxes are made 3.5*3.5 m in size.

A solid partition demarcates the room for calves, in which boxes for 10 animals are located. The size of each calf stall is 1.5 * 1 m. A feed kitchen is located nearby - this simplifies the preparation of mixtures and mash for feeding newborns. The calf is kept in the maternity ward for the first month of its life, after which it is sold or transferred to a barn.

Microclimate organization

Milk production directly depends on the creation the right conditions for the life of cows. This includes not only feeding and watering, but also the organization of ventilation, maintaining the desired air humidity and temperature.

In winter, a comfortable temperature for cattle is from -15 to +10 C. Fresh air and constant ventilation of the room are required. To do this, when building a farm for cows, a certain angle of the roof is laid, and blocks of mesh and polycarbonate are made in the walls, covered with special curtains.

Additional heating is only required in the maternity ward and milking parlor.

In the main building, the cows themselves produce the necessary amount of heat for heating. Additional buildings can be heated either with a heat gun or with a system of water pipes.

Veterinary and sanitary requirements

A successful dairy farm as a business must comply with veterinary and sanitary regulations. Otherwise, the veterinary station will not issue accompanying documents for sending raw materials to the dairy plant. Exists single register rules for dairy farms and collective farms, private dairy farms. The main one is that all milking livestock must be registered with veterinarians. According to the schedule, a blood test is collected for tuberculosis, brucellosis and other diseases characteristic of the region.

If milk or meat products are supplied to kindergartens, schools, boarding houses or camps, then the farm must be classified as safe and not have infected animals within a radius of 25 km. All livestock are checked every two weeks by the supervising veterinarian. A form on the health status of the livestock, along with test results, is provided monthly to the chief district veterinarian.

Veterinary and sanitary rules for dairy farms stipulate the isolation of sick animals for a period established by the quarantine requirements of the region. Milk from infected individuals is manually milked into a separate container and destroyed.

Another important point is the isolation and disposal of cows suffering from diseases dangerous to humans. These include brucellosis, anthrax, plague, foot and mouth disease.

All dairy premises must be kept clean. The territory, in accordance with veterinary requirements, is fenced, and a disinfectant barrier is installed at the entrance. The manure storage facility is being built according to a standard design, at a distance of 100 m from the dairy block.

Financial expenses

The dairy business requires investment, but if properly organized it pays off quite quickly. The main component of the cash expense item is the purchase or rental of land and the construction of a barn. For a small family farm of 100 heads, the minimum plot area is 1000 sq.m. Ideally, there should be meadows for grazing animals near the farm territory.

Renting ready-made buildings is cheaper than building a farm from scratch.

The cost depends on the area, the building area and pasture lands, the condition of the cowsheds, and communications. The advantages of renting are that old Soviet farms for keeping cattle meet all necessary standards.

Construction of a typical mini dairy farm for 200 heads will cost approximately 12 - 15 million rubles. A separate expense item is the purchase of milking equipment and inventory. The average cost of setting up a milking area is about 5 million. An important part of financial planning is the purchase of livestock. Depending on the breed, adult dairy cows cost from 60 to 120 thousand rubles, and three-month-old heifers cost from 10 to 45 thousand. It is more profitable to buy heifers, but you will have to wait two to three years for the first milk yield. It is also worth considering whether to buy the entire herd, or leave room for development and replenish the herd with heifers from self-repair.

Another important expense item is the purchase of feed. You can calculate the costs for the entire herd based on a simple calculation: on average, one cow eats 25 thousand rubles worth of feed per year. The amount includes hay, silage, grain, root crops, salt and feed. You can reduce the amount if you have the opportunity to independently produce hay, straw and haylage.

Required documents

Livestock farming as a business requires a mandatory package of official documents. If the farm is small, then the most simple form registration - private enterprise. This is the best option for a family business. The average cost of registration across the country is about 2,000 rubles, and the process takes no more than 5 working days. When choosing the type of taxation, you should give preference to the unified agricultural tax. In this case, the farmer pays only 6% of the total profit.

To breed cattle, you need permission from the veterinary service, and to sell finished products, you need a quality certificate.

To obtain it, a milk sample is regularly sent for testing to a laboratory and sanitary and epidemiological station.

Sales of products

When drawing up a business plan, it is important to take into account both how to make a farm, but also how it will work. This requires a market. A dairy unit organized on the farm will allow not only to receive, but also to cool milk. The refrigerated product is much easier to send to factories and processing plants, as well as to sell in markets. Farmers with up to 200 head of livestock can open a small store and sell their own products. Another sales option is sale to resellers or agents who will carry out subsequent sales.