Housing animals

Why shelter is needed.

To protect the animals from wild beasts, from wind, sun and rain, and from diseases.

Where to build the shelter.

· Near the farmer's house, so that he can watch the animals better.
· On dry ground, on a mound. Wet soil causes diseases. Do not build in a tow- lying place where the rain water collects.

How to build a shelter.

· You can build a shelter without spending a lot of money.

Use wood, earth, straw.

· The animals must be protected from the wind. Build a fairly high wall of earth on the side from which the wind usually blows.

Build small walls on the other sides.

· The animals must be protected from sun and rain. Make a straw roof.
· There must be a door big enough for you to get the dung out easily.
· The shelter must not be too small.

The animals must not be crowded. A sheep needs 1 square metre and a cow needs 5 to 6 square metres.

Front view of shelter

· Along the lower edge of the roof fix a bamboo that you have cut in half lengthwise. You must also take out the little divisions inside the bamboo.

Slope the bamboo slightly, and under the lower end place a drinking trough.

The rain that falls on the roof will run into the bamboo and from the bamboo into the drinking trough.

The bamboo will act as a gutter.

· You must build the shelter in such a way that the wind carries the smell away from the house.

Beside the shelter make a paddock where the animals can walk about.

1. It should be large enough to be divided into sections and should have trees for shade.
2. Make a fenced- off section for milking. This allows easier and cleaner milking.
3. Make another fenced- off section for calves to be separated overnight from their dams, but put it near enough to the milking section to avoid milk let- down.
4. Make a covered hay- feeder.
5. The manure pit is shaded. Put it far enough away from both the milking section and the carves' section.

Farm