Effect of housing on livestock productivity
condition for animal health and productive. It went on to identify such aspect of freedom as freedom from hunger and thirst, which is ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor; freedom from discomfort - providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area; freedom from pain, injury or disease - prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment; freedom to express normal behavior - provision of sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animals own kind; freedom from fear and distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering. These basic concepts of freedom must be considered in the architectural design of facilities to house animals so that they can remain comfortable, healthy and productive. In Nigeria, food production and agricultural development is a necessity if the country can feed its people. Protein and dairy products’ development is a significant part of this aspiration. However, it is observed that sufficient attention has not been paid to the design of shelters for animals in Nigeria. The practice to enclose these animals in poorly constructed shackles, ignoring the fact that the comfort of the animal has direct bearing on its productivity. This research serves to provide an initial overview of the types of housing systems currently used in Nigeria, the management practices associated with their uses, and highlights potential animal welfare advantages and disadvantages, including areas where further research is required. The understanding the various spaces and enclosures for animal husbandry or shelter are key and is an objective of this work. The insight will aid designs for animal accommodation
HOW ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS AFFECT THE COMFORT AND HEALTH OF ANIMALS AND CATTLE PRODUCTIVITY
HOW ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS AFFECT THE COMFORT AND HEALTH OF ANIMALS AND CATTLE PRODUCTIVITY By Agbonome, P.C; Ezennia, I.S; Onwuchekwa, S.N. Department of Architecture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Abstract If a housing system for animal production is to be successful, it must provide for the spatial and behavioral needs of the animal. To achieve this, it is important to understand how an animal behaves when performing routine activities such as drinking, feeding, lying, rising and walking. Housing an animal in a confinement, rather than letting them roam freely, modifies its behavior, thereby, affecting the animal’s health and comfort. An understanding of animal psychology combined with well-designed facilities has the capacity to reduce stress on both the animal and the minders, consequently enhancing health, comfort and productivity. Stress reduces the ability to fight diseases, gain weight and productive capacity. Facilities must be appropriate for the species, anticipated number of animals and the expected length of stay in order to ensure physical and psychological well-being of the animals. The design should also provide for proper sanitation, separation of animals by health status, age, gender, species, temperament, and predator-prey status integrating a relatively soft, clean, flat bed with good footing. This research has not been designed as a blueprint for all herd situations. Spaces for cattle rearing is used as a case study of this work and as a thought provoking instrument to allow for the design of the best-fit situation for individual farms taking into account existing waste management systems, type and availability of bedding materials in the area, cow and herd size and the potential for future changes. However, ventilation requirements in particular, need urgent consideration in all cattle buildings due to the direct and immediate impact on cow comfort and health, feed intake, cow cleanliness and overall pr
Architecture in livestock house designing
If a housing system for animal production is to be successful, it must provide for the spatial and behavioral needs of the animal. To achieve this, it is important to understand how an animal behaves when performing routine activities such as drinking, feeding, lying, rising and walking. Housing an animal in a confinement, rather than letting them roam freely, modifies its behavior, thereby, affecting the animal's health and comfort. An understanding of animal psychology combined with well-designed facilities has the capacity to reduce stress on both the animal and the minders, consequently enhancing health, comfort and productivity. Stress reduces the ability to fight diseases, gain weight and productive capacity. Facilities must be appropriate for the species, anticipated number of animals and the expected length of stay in order to ensure physical and psychological well-being of the animals. The design should also provide for proper sanitation, separation of animals by health status, age, gender, species, temperament, and predator-prey status integrating a relatively soft, clean, flat bed with good footing. This research has not been designed as a blueprint for all herd situations. Spaces for cattle rearing is used as a case study of this work and as a thought provoking instrument to allow for the design of the best-fit situation for individual farms taking into account existing waste management systems, type and availability of bedding materials in the area, cow and herd size and the potential for future changes. However, ventilation requirements in particular, need urgent consideration in all cattle buildings due to the direct and immediate impact on cow comfort and health, feed intake, cow cleanliness and overall production.