Lab 1.

Design and Layout of dairy farm

Q. A new dairy barn is to be build which will house 40 cows of 544 Kg each. All roughage
and whole grain required for concentrates are grown on the farm. Design the dairy barn.
Assume suitable data, if necessary.

The housing layout or floor plan of a dairy barn is the most important document in the design
process. This is where all the stall barn components come together to develop a plan that is
functional, flexible, expandable and cost-effective.

COMPONENT DESIGN
Decide on the individual components first, and then determine how they will fit together best to form
the complete plan.

1. Stall size: The size of stall depend upon the size and age of animals. Narrow and cramped
stall should be avoided, as it restricts the movement of animal resulting in discomfort and
even injury to the animal which will affect the milk yield. As the size old cow varies with
different breeds, a general space requirement of each type of the basis of its weight is given
in the following Table 1. The finish of the floor should be rough to avoid slipping but not so
to accumulate water on it. The length of stall may be variable to accommodate cows of
various lengths. Sufficient slope should be there on floor to allow drainage of water in gutter.
Stall length refers to the bed in the tie-stall. Length is determined by the space a cow
occupies when she is lying down, including the space from her knee to her tail. This is often
described as imprint length.
Traditionally, stall width was determined by imprint width. Details of length and width of
cow is explained in figures 1, 2 and 3.

Table 1.  Dimensions of cow stall

Weight of Girth (per
Stall width Stall length
cow meter)

Kg cm cm cm

363 162.5 100.0 135

454 176.25 110.0 140

544 187.50 120.0 150

634 198.75 130.0 160

723 210.0 140.0 170

Figure 1: Several cow measurements taken on standing cows are useful for building free
stalls. Other essential measurements are imprint length and imprint width of resting cows.

Figure 2 Imprint length extends from the folded foreknee to the tail (see arrows) when
lying in the narrow position. This length defines the bed length of a stall.
 Figure 3 : Imprint width is the lateral distance from the left hock to the right abdomen - a
distance of about 52 inches for this cow. It increases when the rear legs extend outwards
or the cow reclines in wide resting positions.

Note:
 Imprint length describes the length from folded foreknee to tail while lying in the
narrow position. It defines the bed length needed for resting with all body parts on
the stall. Imprint length is greater when the cow extends her front legs forward in
normal (long) resting positions.
 Imprint width is the lateral distance from the point of the hock on the upper hind
leg and the extension of the abdomen on the opposite side when resting in the
narrow position. This width is the minimum stall width for a resting cow.
 For improved comfort, most new free-stall barns are being built with stalls wider
than the imprint width of a cow in the narrow resting position.

2. Mangers:  are feeding structures for the animals. The size of the mangers should be
sufficient to hold the feed.  It should, be sufficient to hold the feed.  It should be shaped in a
curved form so that no wastage of feed is allowed. The usual width of manger varies from 75
cm to 90 cm. At the foot of manger a stanchion curb of height 12.5 cm is provided to prevent
the animal from dragging the feed into the stall.  This curb separates the manger and the stall
and provides support for the bottom of stanchion.
3. Feed alleys: feed alleys are pathways provided between two rows of mangers in case of face
in system or pathways between the mangers and side wall in the case of face out system.  The
usual space left is 1.8 to 2.0 m so as to allow the conveyance of feed in a push cart.  In the
case of big dairy barns it should be wide enough for a farm cart drawn by bullocks or farm
 tractor.  In the case of face in arrangement no separate litter alley is provided as the sides are
not enclosed.  But in face out arrangement litter alleys are provided for a width of 1.8 m to
2.4 m for facility of milking and taking out animals.
4. Gutters:  these are provided to convey the animal waste and to drain urine and wash-water to
manure pits provided outside the dairy barn.   These are provided by the side of litter alleys
and their width varies from 40cm to 45cm and the depth is 15 cm.  A minimum bed slope of
1 to 2% should be given for the gutters to drain without any stagnation. Figure 4 shows
location of gutter

Figure 4: showing location of gutter

5. LAYOUT OPTIONS
Decide on the components in the layout, then assemble them to form the overall layout.
Options include: • 4-row head-to-head • 4-row tail-to-tail • 6-row • 6-row with perimeter
feeding • 3-row • wide-body head-to-head • wide-body tail-to-tail Each component has
its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Few examples of dairy barn are shown below.
 Manger 80 cm
Feed alley 1.8 m
Litter alley 2 m
Gutter width 40 cm.

Determining the Cost of Barbed Wire

Fencing of the Farm

Title:
Determining the cost of barbed wire fencing of the farm having length and breadth in 3: 2
ratio.

Purpose:
1. To determine the requirement of angle iron and barbed wire for fencing.

2. To determine the cost of fencing.

Needed:

Purchase rates of wire, concretes, iron poles.

Procedure:

One acre area = 4046.724 sq. meters

100 acres farm area = 404672.4 m2

The length and breadth of the given farm is 3: 2 ratio

Let the length of the farm in meters = 3x

Therefore, 3x x 2x = 404672.4 m2
6x2 = 404672.4 m2
X2 = 67445.4 m2
x = 259.7 m

Actual length of farm = 259.7 x 3 = 779 m; Width = 259.7 x 2 = 519.4 m

Perimeter of the Farm = 2 x (3x + 2x) = 6x + 4x = 10x

(779 + 519.4) X 2 = 2596.8 m. = 2597 m.

1. Cost of wire:
If number of strands be four, the length of wire needed = 2,597 x 4 = 10,388 m

Cost of wire @ Rs 6,000/bundle of 365 m = 10,388/ 365 x 6,000 = Rs 1, 70,762.

2. Number of angle iron for poles:

Distance between two poles 5 Number of poles = Perimeter of farm/ Distance between two
poles + 8 poles at corners

= 2597/5 + 8 = 527 poles

Cost of 527 poles @ Rs 500 each = Rs 527 x 500 = Rs 2, 63,500.

3. Cost of digging pits for fixing poles:

Size of pit = 0.3 x 0.3 x 0.45 m = 0.04 m3
Total volume of pits to be dug = 527 poles x .04 m3= 21.08 m3
Cost of digging the pit @ Rs 200 per m3 = Rs 21.08 x 200 = Rs 4,216.
4. Cost of concrete and lime:
Assuming 1 m3 of concrete and lime costs Rs 600
The cost of concrete and lime for 21.08 m3 volume of pits
= 21.08 x 600 = Rs 12,648.

5. Labour charges for filing concrete and lime

@ Rs 180 per m’ = 21.08 x 180 = Rs 3,794.

6. Cost of iron gates:

Cost of 4 iron gates at the rate of Rs 15,000 each = Rs 60,000.
7. Labour charges for stretching and fixing wire:
Number of labourers 10 for 20 days

Wages @ Rs 180 per labour/day

10 labourers x 180 per day x 20 days = Rs 36,000

Summary of total Expenses:

Cost of fencing per running meter perimeter of the farm = 5, 50,920 ÷ 2,597 = Rs. 212.1