Unit 2: Housing Management of Livestock

1. Housing Principles for Livestock and Poultry

Proper housing is essential to protect animals from environmental stress, ensure welfare, improve feed conversion efficiency, and facilitate easy management.

A. Objectives of Housing

• Protection: To shield animals from adverse climatic conditions (extreme heat, cold, rain, wind), predators, and theft.
• Hygiene: To provide clean conditions for milk/meat production and prevent disease spread.
• Management: To facilitate feeding, watering, milking, vaccination, and waste disposal.
• Health: To maintain thermal comfort, which directly impacts productivity (milk yield, weight gain).

B. Selection of Site

When establishing a livestock farm, the following criteria must be considered:

• Topography: The land should be elevated and level to ensure proper drainage and prevent water stagnation.
• Soil Type: Sandy loam is preferred for drainage. Avoid heavy clay soils that retain moisture.
• Accessibility: Near all-weather roads for transport of feed and produce.
• Water and Electricity: Continuous supply of potable water and electricity is mandatory.
• Orientation:
  • Tropical Zones: Long axis should run East-West to minimize direct solar radiation entering the shed.
  • Temperate Zones: Long axis should run North-South to maximize sunlight exposure.
• Distance: Should be away from residential areas (to avoid odor/fly complaints) and industrial areas (pollution).

C. Systems of Housing

1. Loose Housing System

Animals are kept loose in an open paddock (manger/feeding area is usually covered).

• Advantages: Lower construction cost, animals have freedom of movement, easier detection of heat, expansion is easy.
• Disadvantages: Requires more floor space, competition for feed among animals, difficult to treat individual animals.
• Suitable for: Tropical climates, growing stock, and dry cows.

2. Conventional (Stanchion/Barn) Housing System

Animals are tied or confined to specific stalls.

• Tail-to-Tail System: Cows face outwards with a central gutter. (Better for milking hygiene and detecting heat).
• Head-to-Head System: Cows face each other with a central feeding alley. (Better for feeding efficiency, but higher risk of disease transmission).
• Advantages: Individual feeding and care, requires less land area, better protection from extreme cold.
• Disadvantages: High construction cost, restricted movement, labor-intensive cleaning.

2. Space Requirements

Providing adequate floor space is critical to prevent overcrowding and stress. Requirements vary by species, age, and production status.

A. Cattle and Buffaloes (ICAR Standards)

B. Sheep and Goats

Note: Goats generally require raised slatted flooring in humid areas to prevent pneumonia and parasitic infestation.

C. Swine (Pigs)

D. Poultry

3. Management of Dairy Cattle Categories

A. Management of Calves (Birth to Weaning)

Care during infancy determines the future productivity of the herd.

1. Immediate Care at Birth:

   • Cleaning mucus from nostrils and mouth to facilitate breathing.
   • Navel Cord Hygiene: Cut the navel cord 2–3 cm from the body and dip in Tincture of Iodine (7%) to prevent Navel Ill/Joint Ill.
   • Allow the mother to lick the calf (stimulates circulation and breathing).

2. Feeding Colostrum:

   • Must be fed within the first 1–2 hours of birth (gut permeability for antibodies decreases rapidly after 24 hours).
   • Rate: 1/10th of body weight per day.
   • Function: Provides passive immunity (Immunoglobulins), acts as a laxative to expel meconium (first feces), and is rich in Vitamin A.

3. Weaning: Separation of calf from mother. Can be done at birth (zero-day weaning) or after 3 months.

4. Identification: Ear tagging or tattooing should be done within the first week.

5. Disbudding: Removing horn buds using a hot iron or caustic potash at 10–15 days of age.

6. Castration: Done at 2–3 months for male calves not intended for breeding (using Burdizzo castrator).

B. Management of Growing Heifers

Heifers are the future replacement stock.

1. Housing: Group housing based on age/size to prevent bullying.
2. Feeding:
   • Maintain growth rate of 0.5 – 0.7 kg/day.
   • Provide high-quality green fodder and limited concentrates.
   • Avoid over-fattening, which can impair mammary gland development (Fatty Udder Syndrome).
3. Breeding:
   • Heifers should be bred based on body weight (approx. 60–65% of adult weight), not just age.
   • Typical breeding age: Cattle (18–24 months), Buffalo (24–30 months).
4. Deworming and Vaccination: Follow a strict schedule for FMD, HS, BQ, and brucellosis.

C. Management of Milch Animals (Lactating Cows/Buffaloes)

1. Feeding:
   • Maintenance Ration: For basic bodily functions.
   • Production Ration: 1 kg concentrate for every 2.5–3.0 kg of milk produced.
   • Challenge Feeding: Increasing concentrate feed 2 weeks before calving to maximize peak milk yield.
2. Milking Management:
   • Establish a routine (same time, same milker).
   • Practice complete milking to prevent mastitis.
   • Adhere to correct milking methods (Full hand milking vs. Stripping).
3. Dry Period Management:
   • Cows should be dried off (stop milking) 60 days before the next calving.
   • This allows the mammary gland to regenerate and the fetus to gain weight.
4. Summer Management: Provide sprinklers/foggers and fans for buffaloes (as they have fewer sweat glands and black skin) to prevent heat stress.

4. Management of Sheep and Goats

A. Sheep Management

1. Breeding (Tupping):
   • Flushing: Feeding extra grain/pasture 2–3 weeks before breeding to increase ovulation rate and twinning percentage.
   • Crutching/Tagging: Removal of wool around the perineal region of the ewe to facilitate mating.
   • Raddling: Painting the ram's brisket to identify mated ewes.
2. Shearing: Removal of wool. Usually done twice a year (Spring and Autumn). Dip sheep in chemical solution afterwards to control external parasites.
3. Lambing: Keep ewes in a warm, dry pen. Ensure lambs nurse immediately.
4. Docking: Cutting the tail (in some breeds) to maintain hygiene and prevent fly strike.

B. Goat Management

1. Feeding Behavior: Goats are browsers (prefer leaves/shrubs) unlike sheep which are grazers. They require more roughage.
2. Housing: Goats hate rain and wet ground. Elevated wooden slat floors are ideal.
3. Buck Management: Male goats (Bucks) have a strong odor during rutting season. Keep them separate from milking does to prevent "goaty odor" in milk.
4. Kid Management: Similar to calves; ensure colostrum intake. Kids are highly susceptible to cold stress (pneumonia).

5. Management of Swine (Pigs)

Pig farming is known for high feed conversion efficiency and prolificacy (large litter size).

A. Care of the Boar

• Keep boars in individual pens to prevent fighting.
• Exercise is crucial to maintain libido.
• Service ratio: 1 Boar for 20–25 Sows.

B. Care of the Sow and Gilt

• Gilt: A young female pig yet to farrow. Breed at 8 months or 100-110 kg weight.
• Pregnancy: Gestation period is 114 days (3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days).
• Farrowing (Birthing):
  • Move sow to a Disinfected Farrowing Pen 1 week before due date.
  • Use Farrowing Crates or Guard Rails to prevent the heavy sow from crushing the piglets (a major cause of piglet mortality).
  • Provide laxative diet (bran) before farrowing to prevent constipation.

C. Management of Piglets

1. Piglet Anemia (Thumps):
   • Sow’s milk is deficient in Iron. Piglets grow fast and run out of iron reserves quickly.
   • Treatment: Inject Iron Dextran (100–150 mg) intramuscularly or orally on the 3rd or 4th day.
2. Needle Teeth Clipping: Piglets are born with 8 sharp teeth. These must be clipped at birth to prevent injury to the sow’s udder and fighting among littermates.
3. Creep Feeding: Introducing high-quality, palatable solid feed to piglets around 2 weeks of age to supplement mother's milk.
4. Weaning: Usually done at 6–8 weeks of age.
5. Castration: Male piglets for meat are castrated at 3–4 weeks to prevent "Boar Taint" in meat.