Every livestock building depends on three shared systems: manure management, water supply and rodent-proof feed storage. Plan them once for the whole settlement, because they decide whether the animals stay healthy, and a mistake in any one of them shows up in every building.
Part of Barn & Livestock Housing Design
Shared systems are the services that every animal house needs regardless of species: waste removal, drinking water and protected feed.
The Three Systems Cut Across Every Species
Whether the animals are chickens, goats or cattle, the same three things happen daily: they produce manure, drink water and eat stored feed. Each system has its own hazards and each connects to the others. A manure pile too close to a water source fouls the water. Feed left in an open pile feeds rats, which then foul the water and the bedding.
| System | What it handles | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Manure | Droppings and soiled bedding, from about 0.1 kg a day per bird to 25-35 kg per cow | Manure Management |
| Water | Daily drinking water, from 0.2-0.3 liters per bird to 80-120 liters for a dairy cow | Water Systems for Livestock |
| Feed | Grain, hay and roots, protected from damp and rodents | Feed Storage & Rodent Prevention |
What You Need
- A site plan showing buildings, the manure area, the water source and the feed stores
- The animal list and daily volumes for each
- Carts or barrows and a route for each flow that does not cross the others
- Containers and bins for feed
Method: Plan Once
Step 1: Put the manure area downhill and downwind. Keep it away from buildings and at least 30 m from any water source.
Step 2: Place the water source upstream of the animals and the manure. Water should reach the animals before it meets waste.
Step 3: Place feed stores near the animals but away from the manure route. Rodents follow waste and feed.
Step 4: Keep three separate routes. Manure out, water in, feed in; avoid crossing them.
Common Mistakes
- Manure pile uphill of the well — runoff reaches the drinking water.
- Feed left in sacks on the floor — rats and damp.
- One path for everything — manure gets into the feed.
Safety
Manure gas
Manure that is stored under a floor, in a pit or in a deep wet pack produces hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide; see Manure Management for the specific hazards before anyone enters or empties any manure store.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Manure Management — the largest of the three flows
- Combine with: Settlement Layout — where the systems sit in the whole plan