Cowshed for 5 cows: scheme, dimensions and barn project, how to build with your own hands

It is important for every farmer that his livestock live in convenience and comfort. This is especially true for cows: it has been scientifically proven that the happier they are, the tastier the milk turns out, and the more offspring they give. And the cow is a sensitive animal, she really does not like dirt, cold and dampness. Therefore, today we will talk about how to build a cozy barn for 5 cows, build its approximate scheme and discuss the dimensions.

Drawings and sizing

Before you start building, you must determine the following factors:

1. Building site.
2. Building material.
3. Operating conditions.
4. Interior arrangement.

When everything is decided, you can draw up a project. Please note that the barn should be placed on level ground, where it will not be blown by the wind. If you don’t have such a place on the site, you will have to fork out for special equipment and level the selected area.

When building a barn for 5 animals, you should consider that you will need at least space for 5 stalls, but it is desirable that there be a little more space.

The dimensions of one stall are calculated so that the cow is comfortable and free in it. Consider the following: the length of an adult cow from nose to tail is 260 cm. To shake her head without hitting the fence, she needs about 80 cm. Summing up, we get more than three meters: this is how much it takes for a cow to feel comfortable.In a stall that is too short, the cow's udder will protrude over the edge, and the hind legs and tail will get dirty with manure.

Preparation of building materials

As a rule, cows are most comfortable in "houses" made of ordinary building materials: wood, brick, concrete or cinder block. But choose carefully, because each of them has both pros and cons.

For the best result, you can combine building materials in your project, combining their best qualities and eliminating shortcomings. You can build a foundation of brick or rubble, and walls - of wood or brick. Concrete is better suited for the floor - because of its high strength. However, it conducts heat poorly, so you will need to cover the floor with sawdust or straw. Slate or tiles are perfect for the roof.

When building a barn for 5 animals, think about bedding in the stalls in advance. The purity of the cow depends on this, as well as her comfort and convenience, and hence the quality of the milk that she then gives out.

Construction stages

When the place is chosen, the budget is calculated, and the drawings are in hand - you can start building.

The basis of any building is the foundation. Choose how it should be:

1. Columnar.
2. Tape.
3. Monolithic.

This video explains in detail how to choose the best foundation, and which is more suitable for what:

Gender

When a solid foundation is ready, you can start preparing the future floor. It should be as warm and moisture resistant as possible. As a rule, the floor should be slightly above ground level, with a slight slope - in order to divert various wastes to the drain. Just don't overdo it with the slope: 3 degrees will be enough.

The concrete floor is everything: it is strong, durable and moisture resistant, and its main drawback - poor thermal conductivity - is easily corrected. Cover the floor with warm material, and you're done. Now the barn will become much more comfortable.

Walls

For a barn for five heads, wood or adobe brick is good. These materials are very cheap, and also have excellent thermal insulation properties. They also don't cost too much money. With the construction of the walls there will not be much trouble if you have already decided what material you will build the shed from and act strictly according to your project.

Roof

The last stage of construction is the erection of the roof. As a rule, in cowsheds they are made of wooden floors or roofing sheets, forming a gable structure. It is better to trim with tiles, but you can also use slate. It will also be possible to build an attic for storing hay or some equipment.A lean-to roof would work for our small barn as well.

Doors and windows

Cows, like all living things, are very fond of natural light. Therefore, the area of windows in total should be from 10% of the floor area. In this case, the lower part of the window should be at the level of 150-160 cm from the floor level.

Windows can be installed in a variety of ways: hinged, sliding, double-glazed or polycarbonate. But the doors must be hinged: remember that through them it should be convenient to enter and exit not only for you, but also for the cows. And if you also equip them with insulation, then in winter the cows will not freeze in their cozy home.

Interior design

Now that the "frame" of our barn is ready, it's time to talk about its interior arrangement.

Gutters

First of all, what distinguishes a cowshed from an ordinary barn or barn is the system of chutes and the slurry collector installed inside. We have already said that the floor should be slightly sloped in order to facilitate the flow of sewage into the system. These gutters converge at one point: a slurry collector, the volume of which must be at least 1 sq.m. It should be at least 80 cm deep and more than 1 m wide. All this is done in order to facilitate the cleaning of the barn.

Stables

They are not difficult: you can build them from wood or metal pipes. Also plan where you will put waterers, feeders and a s alt box.

Drinkers and feeders should not be part of the stalls. As a rule, they are made of plastic or metal, and they need to be built separately. Make sure that the width of the feeder is at least 40 cm, and is located at the level of the cow's knee.

Properly calculate the volume of the drinker, based on how many cows you have. Cows do not drink stagnant water, so it is worth changing it in time.

Ventilation

Finally, ventilation plays a big role in cow comfort. After all, in the summer heat, cows lose their appetite, and they will produce less milk. So ventilation in the barn must also be forced to remove polluted air and replace it with fresh. We are talking, of course, about small windows, vents or hoods with shutters.

The comfort and convenience of a barn is extremely important not only for the cows that will live in it, but for you too - because the quality of life of the livestock depends on what product you get at the end. Therefore, the construction of the barn is approached carefully.

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