Different types of accommodation

General

Accommodation around calving time
Cows are herd animals. If a cow needs to be segregated it must be kept in contact with the rest of the herd by auditory, visual and odour contact. This will prevent the animal becoming stressed. The advantage is that the cow will continue to eat, preventing milk disease.

The calving room must be kept clean to prevent the introduction of disease. This room must never be used for the isolation of sick cows as that would form a major source of infection for the newborn calves.

Accommodation for calves
The calf must be separated as soon as possible after birth to prevent infection from outside. There are many options when it comes to accommodation for calves. A number of these possibilities are set out below, together with some of the advantages and disadvantages. Whichever system you provide, you must always take account of comfort, separation, light, ventilation and labour.

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Igloos

Benefits:
  • Separate accommodation
  • Fresh air and good climate
  • Plenty of freedom of movement
  • Good monitoring of calves is possible
  • Easily cleaned

Disadvantages:
  • Feeding may be hindered in bad weather conditions
  • High initial investment

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Calf hutches

Benefits:
  • Individual accommodation
  • Animals are easily supervised
  • Feeding is easy
  • Work is largely unaffected by weather conditions

Disadvantages:
  • Limited freedom of movement
  • Loss of space within buildings

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Plastic calf hutches

Calf hutches are an indispensable element of good calf rearing practice. Particularly in the first 10 days, calves are very prone to diarrhoea. Bacteria and viruses are often the underlying cause, and individual accommodation is therefore an ideal countermeasure.

The main advantages of calf hutches:
  • Low risk of infection
  • Allow close observation of excretion patterns
  • Improved observation of general condition of animals

Alpuro Breeding has developed her own calf hutch. It is available in a fixed configuration (resting on the ground) or fitted with wheels.

Advantages of Alpuro Breeding calf hutch in fixed configuration:
  • low investment
  • extended life
  • simple installation
  • easy cleaning
  • lightweight materials

Advantages of Alpuro Breeding calf hutch on wheels:
  • allows hutch to be cleaned outside the stable
  • extended life
  • fewer hutches required
  • flexible in operation

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Mobile calf stable

Building a calf stable is a time-consuming and expensive job. But you do want the best for your calves! Alpuro Breeding has found a solution; in dialogue with the dairy farmers we've developed a mobile calf stable, suitable for max. 10 calves. The unique thing about this stable is that it's on wheels. Therefore you don't need a building permit (no guarantee) and it's easy to muck out the stable on this way. Mucking out the stable is even possible when calves are in the stable. The stable exist of a 'standard' concept, which you can extend with dam-wall around the stable, an isolated roof, hayrack and/or waterer. If you are willing to invest a relative low amount of money, you are able to keep a high number of calves extra on your farm. Besides it's a fine way of housing your calves for the first three months.

Summarized:
  • Complete calf stable for 10 calves
  • Fully covered
  • By solid wheels good transportable
  • Good climate because of isolated roof
  • So-called open-front stable (no run-out for the calves)
  • Provided with feeding fence and feeding through
  • No building permit necessary (no guarantee)
  • Low investment per calf
  • Calves can be easily housed in the mobile calf stable for the first three months
  • Easy to muck out, even when there are calves in the stable
  • The feeding fence is supported by 2 wheels, which is why it is to be opened on both sides

Click here to see more.

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Mobile single box barn

A good climate and a low low risk of infection make the single box barns a success. A barn with 5 individual boxes, based on the concept of an open-front barn. No draught, but sufficient circulation of fresh air.

Just like the mobile calf barn this barn consists of a steel frame and synthetic panels. The standard barn has an isolated rooftop. Bucket brackets and teat bucket holders, water bowls and teat buckets all can be ordered separately and according to your specific needs.

The barn can be moved from four sides. Using a lever (included) you simply lift the wheels onto the axle, after which the barn can be repositioned.

The barn's dimensions are 5 x 2,5 x 2,25 m. (lxwxh). An easy to use manual clearly explains the assembly. All the necessary assembly materials are included.

Request Alpuro Breeding for a no-obligation quote.




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Group accommodation

From an igloo or single box the calves are usually moved on to group accommodation. A number of variations on group animal housing are set out below, together with some of the advantages and disadvantages.

Group hutches on straw
Benefits:
  • Economical
  • Ample freedom of movement
  • Better feed distribution
  • Warm bedding in cold temperatures
  • Fewer foot and leg problems
  • Easily cleaned

Disadvantages:
  • Increased infection pressure through direct contact
  • Less effective monitoring of individual animals
  • Large amounts of straw required

Group hutches on gratings with sleeping boxes
Benefits:
  • Economical
  • Ample freedom of movement
  • Feeding is easy
  • Easily cleaned

Disadvantages:
  • Increased infection pressure through direct contact
  • Animals do not lie on a dry and soft substrate

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