Essential Cattle Housing Tips: Boost Welfare & Productivity

Muhammad Farhan Ghazy

Animal Scientist

5 min read
13/12/2024
Essential Cattle Housing Tips: Boost Welfare & Productivity

Cattle Housing and Animal Welfare: Keeping Them Happy and Healthy!

Cattle are more than just livestock; they’re at the heart of your farm. To ensure they’re happy, healthy, and productive, their housing must go beyond being a basic shelter. Think of it this way: would you choose a bunker over a comfortable, well-designed home? The same principle applies to cattle housing. It should be a space where they can thrive, express natural behaviors, and remain stress-free.

In this article, we’ll explore the link between cattle housing and animal welfare, covering essential housing systems, cattle’s behavioral needs, and more. Let’s dive in!

Why Cattle Welfare Starts with Housing

Unsuitable housing can lead to numerous issues, none of which you want on your farm. Animal welfare isn’t just about avoiding discomfort; it’s about creating an environment where cattle can flourish and avoid exposure to harmful elements. Here are the core principles of effective cattle housing:

  1. Environmental Control: Maintain comfortable conditions to optimize livestock productivity.
  2. Ease of Maintenance: Ensure housing is safe and easy to manage.
  3. Efficiency: Good housing reduces labor and costs, streamlining farm operations.

When cattle are comfortable and stress-free, they eat better, produce more, and stay healthier. Everyone benefits!

Key Features of Welfare-Oriented Housing

Before we get deeper, two types of systems are commonly used for classified cattle housing systems, which are Intensive and Extensive. The difference is that intensive farmers can effectively achieve targets in cattle growth where the farmer gives the food and drinks in a specific portion. As in extensive, the cattle roam freely in a particular area, searching for their own food without the intervention of farmers. 
Things we have to take notes before building our cattle housing: 

Factors to Consider Before Building Cattle Housing:

  1. Topography: The soil type will affect the type of plants that can be planted and the type of barn building that will be built. The slope of the land needs to be considered in anticipating erosion. No less important is the temperature and humidity of the location, which greatly affects the potential for parasites to develop in the area. 
  2. Water Supply: The location of the pen really needs a supply of clean water every day without interruption. Clean water is not only needed by livestock but also by employees who are on the farm. The quality of the water must be drinkable so that it is usually used as a source of well water, springs, lakes, etc. 
  3. Feed Supply: The cost of providing feed in livestock farming is the largest operational expense, reaching 70% of the total operational costs. It is essential to determine the location of livestock farming close to the source of feed so that efficiency in the cost of providing livestock feed is achieved
  4. Infrastructure: Infrastructure, in this case, facilitates livestock businesses in running their businesses. Electricity is very important for operating facilities such as computers, water pumps, etc. Communication networks are important for facilitating outbound business communications. In addition, one of the most important things is road access to the location. 
  5. Local Socio-Economic Conditions: Livestock businesses close to the community can disturb its comfort, so a study of the safe distance between the pen and residential areas is needed. In selecting a location, it is important to know the community's social conditions, namely, its readiness to have a livestock business there, the level of unemployment, security, etc. 
  6. Legal Regulations: Establishing a livestock business must align with the rules of the central and local governments. Determining the location by looking at existing policies and regulations is very helpful in the success of the business that will be built in the long term. So, we learned about what to take into account when making our cattle housing based on the cattle's needs and the local environment. 

Essential Systems for Cattle Housing

1. Feeding System:

Includes feed storage, silage pits, processing mills, feed mixing trucks, feed alleys, and troughs.

2. Cattle Handling:

Comprises reception facilities, lanes, pens, hospital yards, and dispatch facilities.

3. Watering System:

Includes water sources, pumps, temporary storage, pen reticulation systems, and water troughs.

4. Drainage System:

Involves pen drains, main drains, sedimentation systems, retention ponds, and effluent utilization areas.

5. Manure Handling:

Encompasses cleaning equipment, transport tools, storage areas, and utilization zones.

6. Staff Facilities:

Features offices, lunchrooms, parking areas, and workplace safety measures.

Preparing the Perfect Housing Environment

Key aspects to consider when setting up your cattle housing system include:

  • Ventilation: Maintain fresh air and reduce ammonia buildup. Aim for 4-14 m³/minute of ventilation.
  • Non-Slip Flooring: Prevent injuries and keep floors dry and easy to clean.
  • Natural Lighting: Mimic cattle’s natural environment to keep them calm. Allow outdoor grazing when possible.
  • Temperature and Humidity: Optimal conditions are 5-12°C with 50-75% humidity.
  • Water Temperature: Maintain drinking water at 15-20°C for optimal cattle hydration.
  • Sheds: In hot climates, provide shelters that are 3.1-3.7 meters high to protect cattle from direct sunlight.
  • Loading Chutes: Use portable or permanent chutes for safe loading and unloading of livestock.
  • Corrals: Ensure these facilities reduce stress during cattle handling and minimize losses.

Supporting Natural Cattle Behavior

Cattle are social animals with unique behaviors that housing should accommodate. This means:

  1. Space to Move: Avoid overcrowding to reduce stress.
  2. Comfortable Resting Areas: Provide bedding that supports up to 12 hours of daily rest.
  3. Access to Grazing: Incorporate rotational grazing, even in intensive systems.
  4. Climate Control: Maintain optimal conditions that mimic their natural habitat.
  5. Health Monitoring: Invest in wearable devices to track cattle health and activities, enabling proactive decision-making.

Challenges and the Future of Cattle Welfare

Balancing welfare and costs can be challenging, particularly for small-scale farmers. However, innovations like modular barns and eco-friendly energy systems are making it easier to prioritize welfare without breaking the bank. As consumer demand for ethically produced goods grows, welfare-oriented housing is no longer optional—it’s the future

References:
  1. Gaworski & Boćkowski (2022): Comparison of cattle housing systems based on equipment damage and construction errors. Animals, 12(19), 2530. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12192530
  2. Campbell & C (2021): Strategic enrichment for brain development as a key to animal happiness. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.720422
  3. Dunston-Clarke et al. (2020): Developing a welfare assessment protocol for livestock transported by sea. Animals, 10(4), 705. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040705
  4. Schütz et al. (2023): Citizen views on animal welfare and sustainability in livestock farming. Frontiers in Animal Science, 4.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2023.1201685

Further reading

Fundamentals of Livestock Housing for Welfare, Productivity, and Sustainability

How Profitable is Sustainable Farming?

Sustainable Dairy Farming: A Veterinarian’s Perspective on Balancing Health, Welfare, and the Environment

Behavioral Indicators of Livestock Welfare: Signs of Stress & Best Practices

How to Improve Farm Animal Welfare: A Guide to Ethical Livestock CareSustainable Livestock Production Practices and Animal Welfare