DAIRY CATTLE

Used for housing calves or followers in the RH30 and using the RH45 as housing for the dairy herd, utilising automated milking machines, the Roundhouse options for the dairy farmer are numerous and varied.

 

The ventilation in the Roundhouse means that housing calves from a day old has dramatic effects on their health and well being.  As long as the building has some shelter for the day old animals during bad weather the financial results are proven and, quite rightly, creating a lot of interest.

 

Similarly using the building for dry cows and followers has had some excellent results. By splitting the building into the eight pens, the crowd pen is accessible from all pens delivering the stock directly into the handling system.  This is ideal for dealing with livestock whether testing, treating or calving. The animals can be handled quickly and safely and with minimum stress and then easily returned to their pens or loaded out of the building using the integral loading dock.

 

Feeding for all livestock is at the perimeter and can be carried out using a TMR or concentrate into troughs. However, for calves, a milk machine can be placed in the centre giving free access to milk. Similarly, fresh water is always available using our gravity watering system that removes the need for ball valves in troughs and therefore dramatically reduces the issue of potential problems. Also with water accessing troughs through the floor, freezing has not been a problem in even the harshest of conditions.

 

For the dairy herd, the use of robot milking machines to the perimeter of the building and an open straw yard is already a reality. This is a very European design, giving the herd free access to both grazing, a ration and the milking machines. The use of the milking machine is becoming increasingly common along with feed automation and the Roundhouse lends itself to incorporating this developing technology.

 

The benefits of the RH for the dairy herd include the excellent ventilation which reduces heat stress, the light interior reducing stress and maximising the living environment.