Housing, Sanitation and Farm Management Practices
Domain 5: Housing, Sanitation and Farm Management Practices
This domain tests site selection, floor space, ventilation, drainage, sanitation and routine farm records. Numerical questions on floor space and cubicle numbers are common.
Housing rules
- Site: elevated, well drained, near fodder and market but away from stagnant water; the long axis should be east to west to reduce direct sun on the long wall.
- Floor: impervious and non-slippery, with a gentle slope of about 1 in 40 to 1 in 60 towards the urine channel.
- Space: as a guide, a crossbred cow needs about 4 to 5 square metres covered and 8 to 10 square metres open area; a buffalo slightly more. A calf pen needs about 1.5 to 2 square metres per calf.
- Ventilation: ridge opening, side curtains and adequate air inlet; avoid draughts on calves.
- Manger and water trough: clean, reachable, with a neck rail to prevent feed wastage.
Sanitation and management
Daily removal of dung and urine, dry bedding, disinfection of calf pens, a foot bath at the entrance, fly and rodent control, isolation of sick animals, and a manure pit away from the water source. Records should cover identification, breeding, calving, milk yield, feed, treatment and mortality.
Worked example
Plan housing for 10 crossbred cows. Covered area = 10 multiplied by 4.5 = 45 square metres; open area = 10 multiplied by 9 = 90 square metres; add a calf pen of 4 square metres, a store and a milk room. Reason: floor space is multiplied by animal number, then circulation and feeding passages are added; do not forget the passage, or the shed will be too narrow.
Traps
Giving only covered area and omitting open area; making the floor slope too steep so animals slip, or flat so water stagnates; and placing the manure pit uphill or near the well.