Many aspiring entrepreneurs consider organizing a mini dairy farm as an excellent prospect for starting their own business. The popularity of this idea is easily explained:
Ready-made small mini farm project
- A mini-farm requires a small production area.
- Family farms require smart investments.
- Maintenance of a mini-farm requires minimal costs.
Project modern farm for 50 or 100 heads will provide for all family members permanent job and stable good income.
Any investment cash must be justified. Therefore, you should start by creating a project or writing a detailed business plan. Becoming a competitor to large livestock operations requires some thought.
No one is required to immediately erect huge complexes. You can start working with a small herd.
What is a mini-farm?
Mini-farms include farms that keep cattle. Livestock breeders receive and sell dairy, meat and other products.
Interior arrangement of a private mini-farm In livestock farms where profits are already being made, the average number of livestock ranges from 50 to 100 units. The project allows us to increase production volumes and increase productivity in the future. At the same time, anyone can open their own business. Russian family, since you don’t need fabulous funds to buy cattle, erect outbuildings, or open an individual entrepreneur.
Mini-farm project: step-by-step creation
- Select a plot of land.
- Provide all necessary communications.
- Determine the number of livestock.
- Decide what type of industry you will be involved in - dairy, meat or combined.
- Choose a method of keeping cattle - with or without walking.
- Calculate how much you need to build technical premises equipped with modern equipment.
Fence for animals on a farm If it is not possible to bring communications to the site, you should carefully consider your decision: this is an unprofitable purchase when you will have to spend a lot on bringing water or generating electricity.
Nuances of choosing land
For livestock farms, the following rules must be followed. The area of the plot must be at least 1000 square meters. m. Depending on which method of keeping you prefer, you may need pastures for walking, a hangar, fields to grow fodder crops and make hay.
If you don’t have your own food supply, then keeping cattle is unprofitable. Almost all the profit received from the farm will be spent on feed procurement.
Location of the mini-farm on the layout of a summer cottage When an entrepreneur does not have enough money from the district administration, he can rent it.
Connecting communications to the land plot
It is important that the land is in a convenient location. If travel is difficult, the site is low-lying or the soil is depleted, additional investment will be required. The remoteness of the farm from communications and settlements cannot be considered an advantage.
It is better to start construction on former land state farm, where cowsheds, production premises can already be built and water supply, gas, electricity, and sewerage installed.
Number of animals and definition of activity. For a dairy farm, it is recommended to keep at least 25-50 animals at a minimum. Since cows give birth, the number of cattle on family farms can constantly increase. 
Owners of a mini-farm will also need to maintain breeding bulls. Over time, the total amount of large cattle can reach 100 heads.
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Entrepreneurs have to choose one of two options:
- Keeping animals in stalls;
- Free range of cows, bulls and young animals within the facility.
The first option is considered less expensive. Animals are constantly in their stalls. Here they are fed and milked. Construction of utility and administrative premises is required. We need workshops to process products.
Choosing the second method will require a large investment from the business owner. Need to build special places, where the animals will be fed, milked, and walked. It is important to separately equip the premises where the calves will be kept. Properly selected automatic equipment must be installed on livestock farms.
Equipment for calf cages on a mini-farm You can build rooms cheaper if you use a wooden structure. To build metal structures you need money. However, in terms of durability, the latter option is more preferable.
Construction of a mini-farm: possible alternatives
Today there is a demand for the construction of dairy farms. This can be done in various ways:
- Restore an old facility and modernize it;
- Build a completely new complex.
Let's take a closer look at each method separately. The first of them involves the construction of livestock farms on areas where there is a building that was previously used as a cowshed. Do major renovation premises, carry out the necessary insulation work. The interior space is being modernized. Install partitions.
Construction of cattle pens on the farm If the building is well preserved and you intend to use it in the future, then the territory is developed according to the existing project. The second method for building a mini-farm involves starting from scratch. When opting for metal barns, you must remember that the cost of the project can increase significantly. There are modern building materials that are cheaper than iron. As an option, you can consider purchasing a turnkey mini-farm.
In this case construction work is handled by a professional company, and the entrepreneur, meanwhile, can devote more time to developing the optimal strategy for his business. Conveniently, the offer is from construction companies The construction of a turnkey farm practically does not require the participation of the customer in construction work.
The process of constructing a mini-farm for cattle You can try to find a suitable project in the catalog of the company you contacted.
The presence of the business owner is necessary when the farm has already been built. He inspects the object and accepts the work. Entrepreneurs can order the creation of individual family farm projects. Then, during the construction of the facility, all the wishes of the customer are taken into account. can be designed for a different number of cows: 25; 50; 100; 150.
Today, agricultural business is supported in every possible way by the state - many entrepreneurs have turned their attention to this niche. There are enough advantages of running your own farm - a huge market, quick payback costs, obtaining consistently high profits. Of course, a newcomer will face many difficulties - but they are completely surmountable if you organize your activities correctly.
Our business assessment:
Starting investments – from 50,000 rubles.
Market saturation is average.
The difficulty of starting a business is 7/10.
How to become a farmer from scratch in Russia?
Here, as in any other area of business, you will need to draw up a business plan. This is especially important if you start using borrowed funds to organize your activities.
Entrepreneurs who decide to start a business in the agricultural sector have many opportunities for business development - it can be either a small family livestock farm or a large agricultural complex. But to minimize any risks, start small - it’s worth expanding your business only if you have “free” finances and accumulated experience.
Peasant farming – commercial structure, aimed at attracting income from the production and further sale of agricultural products. There's not much in our country large enterprises– there is definitely not enough “capacity” to completely fill the market. Everyone has every chance to take a strong position in the niche.
Opening your own farm from scratch will be profitable for the following reasons:
- Currently there are special state programs designed to financially help budding entrepreneurs. Getting a subsidy is quite difficult - you have to collect a lot of paperwork and provide a business plan for the farm. But for many entrepreneurs this becomes an excellent start to a promising business.
- The population is interested in purchasing high-quality natural products - confidence in domestic products is growing.
- Your own farm will bring consistently high profits, as food prices rise every year.
- Due to sanctions imposed on the import of products from European countries, Russian market experiencing a shortage of farm products - the demand is huge.
When thinking about how to organize a farm from scratch, do not forget about the pitfalls that may await you on the path to success - despite all the advantages of the direction, there are also risks. Agricultural business is an area where profitability largely depends on external factors. You could lose half your harvest due to drought or pest infestation. The livestock industry has its own problems - for example, epidemics of diseases, due to which half of the animals raised can die. Farming involves a significant share manual labor- this is especially true family business, When hired labor not used. Therefore, you should prepare for hard work.
Have you already decided for yourself “I want to start farming”? Approach the matter thoroughly - carefully study the direction in which you will work in the future. If possible, be sure to visit operating farms to see everything in practice.
Which line of business should I choose?
Where to start farming business? The first step is choosing the direction of further activity. All further stages of the organization will depend on this own farm. There are several profitable “formats” of agricultural business:
- Crop production – grain crops, vegetables, fruits and berries, herbs.
- Cattle breeding - pigs, sheep, cows, rabbits.
- Poultry farming - chickens, turkeys, pheasants, geese.
- Fish farming – sturgeon, trout, carp.
- Beekeeping.
- Growing mushrooms – oyster mushrooms, champignons.
When thinking about which direction and how to start farming, it is worth conducting a market analysis. Choose niches that are in demand in your region with minimal competition– this will make it easier to succeed in business. The amount of available finance is also important - some areas will require significant investments, while others can be developed with a minimum of costs.
It will be easier for a beginner to open a peasant farm for breeding chickens or geese, pigs or rabbits, growing berries and fruits, and mushrooms. The products that you will receive in the process of activity are in demand on the market. In addition, these areas are easy to learn and inexpensive.
How is registration of a business in the field of agriculture carried out?
Many private farmers operate without registration - significant savings on regular tax payments. If you plan to raise several head of cattle on your own summer cottage, at first you can do without registering a business. But in this case, you will only be able to sell your products to private buyers - even you will not be “allowed” into local markets without the appropriate documents.
Farm registration is required if you plan to sell finished products to wholesale buyers in the future. Form your activity in the form of an individual entrepreneur or LLC. You register with the tax office, register with Rosportebnadzor and SES. If we talk about the sale of products of animal origin (meat, eggs), finished products must undergo regular veterinary checks before marketing.
Financial costs for starting a business
Is farming profitable? Definitely, yes - if you consider that organizing a business in some areas requires a minimum of costs. For example, to start raising chickens on your own summer cottage, you need no more than 50,000 rubles. Therefore, without having an impressive amount of money at your disposal to open a large farm, start small.
It will be quite difficult to determine the exact investment figure - it all depends on the chosen field of activity. But in any case, in a business plan it is important to calculate all upcoming expenses.
Make a list of what it takes to become a farmer. Investments will be required for the following needs:
- Rent a plot. You will save a lot if you own land.
- Purchase of equipment and inventory. To work in any of the possible directions you will need consumables– this often becomes a significant expense item. Shovels and rakes, automatic sprinklers, greenhouses, feeders, buckets are just a small part of everything needed. In some cases, to ensure that the finished product does not spoil while waiting for its buyer, you will need to buy refrigeration and freezer compartments.
- Preparation production premises. Stalls, chicken coops, pigsties - you will need to invest money to build “premises”. Even when growing vegetables, fruits and grains, you will need to build a storage barn finished products. If you do not need to comply with any special conditions when keeping animals or birds, you can build a barn yourself.
- Purchase of breeding stock, seeds. A farm from scratch, if you are organizing a business in the field of livestock or poultry farming, will definitely require significant expenses for the purchase of several heads of livestock or birds. For planting crops, seed material is purchased from required quantity. There is no point in saving money here - there is a high risk of buying sick animals or low-quality seeds.
- Purchase of feed, fertilizers. You will have to spend money on replenishing feed and fertilizer supplies regularly. To save on variable costs, you can feed livestock “homemade” food.
When thinking about where to start farming, be sure to think about ways to raise funds to get started. It's great if you have your own savings. If the savings you have accumulated to start a business are not enough, you will have to take out a loan from a bank or try to apply for a government subsidy.
Sales channels for finished products
Becoming a novice farmer by considering possible risks and it’s not difficult to think through all the nuances. It will be difficult for a beginner to search wholesale buyers finished products. Immediately establish cooperation with large networks supermarkets are unlikely to work - focus on small ones retail outlets and private buyers.
How much a farmer earns depends on the volume of sales of finished products. The better your sales channels are, the more profit you will receive.
We conclude - when thinking about where to start a farming business, monitor the market and already at the stage of drawing up the project, start looking wholesale clients interested in a specific type of product.
When should I expect my first profit?
How much do farmers earn in Russia? The exact profitability indicator will depend on the “scale” of the business, sales volumes and prices set for the product. Small farms from sales of finished products by the end of the season can have up to 500,000 rubles in net profit. Some areas of activity (for example, raising chickens) generate income throughout the year. Home business, of course, will give less profit, since sales will be significantly less.
Despite different size investments, both livestock and crop production pay off in approximately the same time frame. Over the next 9-12 months, you will invest in growing animals or crops. Only after the heads are slaughtered or the harvest is harvested do you receive the proceeds. In most cases, the first profit can be expected only after a year.
Knowing where to start farming can help you build a highly profitable farming business.
Anyone who once lived in nature and ate homemade products dreams of returning “to the earth” again. And even those who have not lived, but only heard about it, also dream. And sometimes such a thought comes unexpectedly to the person himself. It would seem that you have your own business and wealth, but one day you realize that this is not that it is not enough. And only your own home, your own land, your own farm make life full, interesting and rich. And the work of a farmer now is not what it used to be. A variety of devices and new technologies turn work into pleasure. Today, housekeeping, which once fed and took time and energy, also brings great joy. Where to start, what you will need for your mini-farm - let's understand this week's topic.
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The business of breeding farm animals in most cases becomes very profitable. Today, family farms of almost any specialization can bring quite a significant income. But, of course, making a profit from breeding animals or poultry is possible only with the right approach of the entrepreneur to the matter.
First stage
The specialization of the future farm is, of course, what a novice farmer must first decide on. Family livestock farms are organized in Russia usually for the purpose of raising traditional cattle, pigs or chickens. All these types of agricultural animals are kept using fairly simple technologies developed over decades, and sometimes centuries.
Standard family farms that specialize in breeding traditional types of farm animals, of course, usually bring in a good income. However, the owners of such a farm will most likely have to face strong competition in the course of their activities. After all, we already have quite a lot of farms of this specialization in our country. Therefore, perhaps entrepreneurs should think about breeding some other, rarer agricultural animals.
Some ideas for the beginning farmer
IN lately In our country there is an increased demand for this type of meat such as lamb. Previously, such a product was not particularly popular in Russia. Many consumers simply didn't like the smell. However, recently, breeders have developed many breeds of sheep, the meat of which is completely devoid of such a defect. So today, organizing a small cattle breeding farm can also become quite a profitable activity.
Agriculture in Russia, after all sorts of economic shocks, is, in fact, still developing. Some niches in this area of the country's economy are still practically unoccupied. Therefore, the business of breeding some very unusual animals can also become quite profitable. For example, an entrepreneur might want to think about starting a farm:
- trout;
- rabbit;
- nutria.
Business plan
Of course, first of all, future entrepreneurs should develop a detailed project for a family farm. Organizing a livestock farm of any specialization is always quite expensive. Own funds Most likely, there simply won’t be enough for a family to start such a business from scratch.
The best solution in this situation may be, of course, a bank loan. In Russia, in our time, programs are periodically implemented aimed at maintaining and developing just such an industry. national economy like livestock farming. A family farm can be organized, including with money borrowed from a bank at very low interest. But, of course, in order to convince a potential creditor of the prospects of the newly organized economy, he needs to be provided detailed business plan. If necessary, you can draw up such a document yourself.
Whatever specialization family farms are created, their business plan should include:
- Description of the final product. In this paragraph, you need to indicate the type of product that will be supplied to the market from the farm and its expected volume. You should also provide the bank with information about exactly how meat, milk, eggs, etc. will be sold.
- Production plan. This item should include information about where exactly the money received on credit will be sent (for the construction of premises, the purchase of young animals, feed, etc.).
- Financial plan. This includes all expected expenses of the farm in the process of its operation and development - wages to workers, public utilities, prevention of animal or poultry diseases, transportation of feed and carcasses.
- Variable expenses. At this point, farm owners usually indicate the expected expenses for feed (for one animal per year and for the entire herd).
- Income. The estimated profit is indicated here, along with the necessary calculations.
Cattle breeding farm: organizational features
Most often, these are the types of family farms that have been registered in Russia lately. In our country, cattle are traditionally bred to produce milk. Farm owners rarely keep such animals for meat. This product is most often considered secondary in relation to milk. Therefore, the profitability of almost any such farm depends on the amount of milk yield. Therefore, entrepreneurs first of all need to take care of choosing a high-milk breed of cattle. This could be, for example, a red steppe cow, black-and-white, Holstein, Kholmogory or Yaroslavl. In addition to productivity, when choosing a breed, it is worth paying attention to such an indicator as whimsicality in terms of care. For example, Holstein cows produce the most milk. However, a less experienced farmer should still choose red steppe or black-and-white to begin with. Such cows are much more unpretentious, and there will most likely be no losses in the herd during their breeding, even if any technology is violated.
The construction of family farms for breeding cows is usually carried out in compliance with the following requirements:
- the ceiling height in the room should not be less than 2.5 m;
- the farm should have good natural light;
- windows in the premises are located at a height inaccessible to cows;
- Ventilation should be installed in the barn.
The most convenient are barns with stalls on the sides and a passage in the middle. In addition to the barn itself, staff quarters and outbuildings (for storing feed, equipment, medicines and protective clothing) will need to be built on the farm.
Of course, entrepreneurs will also have to organize the supply of feed to the farm. The better the quality of the animal's diet, the more milk can be obtained from them. Cows are required to be given all three types of feed intended for agricultural animals:
- juicy (root vegetables);
- rough (grass, hay);
- concentrated (grain, bran, mixed feed).
Animals will also need to receive mineral and vitamin supplements. In summer, cattle are usually turned out to pasture all day.
Pig breeding: features
Such family farm- business is also usually quite profitable. When organizing a farm specializing in raising piglets, it is important to choose the right place to build a barn. The smell from a pig farm can be very strong, even when the animals are well cared for. According to the regulations, the construction of premises intended for raising piglets is allowed only outside settlement, no closer than 50-500 m from its border (depending on the number of heads in the herd).
In this case, the choice of animal breed must also be approached as responsibly as possible. All varieties of pigs existing today can be divided into three large groups: meat, tallow and meat-greasy. Breeding the first type of piglets is more difficult than the last two. But at the same time, leaner pork costs more. A novice farmer should choose a tallow or meat-fat breed of piglets for breeding. It will be much easier to raise such pigs.
The room for piglets should be built from sufficiently durable materials (these animals love to chew walls and floors). Most often, pigsties are built from foam blocks. Indoor floors should be smooth, waterproof, non-slip and easy to clean. Most often in pigsties they are made of concrete. For insulation, such a floor is covered with boards. A drainage chute must be installed in the middle of the passage in the pigsty. The floors themselves are poured with a slight slope towards it. Near the piglet farm, it is worth, among other things, installing several septic tanks.
There are different technologies for fattening pigs. The choice of a specific one depends, first of all, on the breed of piglets. Fat and meat-greasy pigs are usually fed products containing large number carbohydrates. This could be, for example, potatoes, corn, beets, barley. Of course, such piglets are also given food waste.
How to organize a rabbit breeding farm
There are breeds of such animals, both meat and skin or fur. Most often today in Russia, novice entrepreneurs organize a mini-farm for rabbits of the first variety. The best meat breeds These animals are considered to be Risen, white and gray giants, and Flanders. Also, very often, beginning farmers breed unpretentious “Soviet” chinchillas.
Fur-bearing animals, including rabbits, in most cases are not at all afraid of low temperatures. Therefore, on farms they are sometimes kept in shads. This is the name of special structures that are a single- or double-sloped long canopy, inside of which cages are installed in several tiers. Keeping animals outdoors in winter allows the farm owner to obtain better quality skins. But, if a mini-farm for rabbits is organized to sell only meat, the premises, of course, should be made closed. In this case, the animals will feel more comfortable (and, therefore, will begin to gain weight faster).
Today, rabbit cages can be purchased ready-made. Farmers will have to buy three varieties of them - intended for queens with offspring, for young animals and for producers. Cages are installed in sheds or sheds, usually in 2-3 tiers. In large farms of this specialization, individual feeders are more often used, mounted on the door. The drinking bowls are installed at the top of the last tier. Hoses are led from them to each cage.
The diet of rabbits, like cattle, usually consists of three types of feed. The main emphasis in this case, just as when keeping cows, is on roughage. Rabbits should receive dried grass or hay very large quantities. Of the concentrates, the menu of these animals usually includes only barley. Farmers also sometimes use oats. Of the root vegetables, rabbits are most often given only carrots and beets (in limited quantities).
Nutria farms: how to create
The organization of a farm of such specialization also has a number of its own characteristics. It is better for beginning farmers to purchase breeders, as well as young nutria, from special nurseries. You can also, of course, buy animals from private owners. However, in this case, entrepreneurs should first visit the seller’s farm and make sure that the animals are kept in compliance with all required technologies.
Farmers who decide to start breeding nutria will have, among other things, to drill several wells on the site. Therefore, it is worth choosing a place for such a farm, including taking into account the depth of water underground. Family farms for breeding nutria are almost never established on the shores of natural ponds and lakes. The fact is that such reservoirs usually contain a lot of different kinds of pathogenic bacteria.
They contain nutria, like rabbits, most often in cages. However, the design of such housing for animals is slightly different. In this case, one male and several females are placed in each cage. Distinctive feature nutria is that they do not have a hunting period. The mating of these animals, and consequently the appearance of their offspring, can occur at absolutely any time.
The basis of the nutria diet is green food. At the same time, farmers should give preference to those plants that can be mowed on the banks of rivers and lakes. Of course, nutria should also receive succulent food. This can be carrots, beets, zucchini and almost any other vegetables and root vegetables. They also give nutria concentrates, but only in limited quantities.
Trout farming
Unfortunately, such farms in our country are still extremely few in number. Therefore, family farms specializing in trout breeding are usually profitable. However, organizing such a farm is, of course, a little more difficult than any other.
Rainbow trout is most often raised on farms. Its main advantages are unpretentiousness in terms of water parameters and high productivity. Farmers also sometimes breed speckled brook trout. This variety is not particularly productive, but its meat is much tastier than that of rainbow fish.
A trout farm is usually organized on the shore of an artificial reservoir. The difficulty in keeping this fish lies, first of all, in the fact that in captivity it does not reproduce naturally. Young trout are simply short terms eats eggs laid by adults. Therefore, a farmer who decides to organize such a farm will have to include the periodic purchase of fry in a separate expense item.
The diet for trout is developed in such a way that per 100 kg of fish there is exactly 3 kg of feed per day. You cannot give less or more. Trout are usually fed with beef offal - liver, spleen, stomachs, etc. The purchased products are first washed, boiled and ground.
Registering a family farm: main stages
Of course, an entrepreneur who decides to start breeding farm animals, poultry or fish will definitely need to formalize his farm. To do this you will have to go to tax office and hand over the following documents to its employees:
- agreement on organizing a peasant farm;
- receipt of payment of state duty;
- an application for farm registration certified by a notary.
You will also need to write an application for the transition to special taxation. Most often, owners of family farms choose the form of payment according to the simplified tax system or unified agricultural tax. The usual taxation system in this case is very unprofitable.
Government support
As already mentioned, our country has adopted many laws aimed at developing agriculture. Small and medium-sized farmers, among other things, can receive assistance from the state. For example, the employment service provides subsidies in the amount of 50-60 thousand rubles to aspiring entrepreneurs who decide to organize a business such as a family farm. Also, in some cases, peasant farm owners are provided with a loan from the bank for favorable conditions according to the agricultural development program.
Sales markets
Of course, raising farm animals, fish or poultry is only half the battle. Entrepreneurs who organized a farm will also need to sell their products. Owners of family mini-farms often sell their products on the market or sell them to small shops. Owners of trout and rabbit breeding businesses can cooperate, including with restaurants. Medium-sized entrepreneurs usually open their own retail outlets in cities. Large farmers also supply products to enterprises food industry, in the workshop for the production of semi-finished products.
If you want to do agriculture, namely cattle breeding meat direction, read my article, maybe it will help you avoid making the mistakes that I made at the beginning of my journey. I didn’t draw up any business plans, projects, didn’t draw any diagrams, everything was built on its own from free space as money became available. Let me be honest, the work is very hard.
But, if you competently organize the process of fattening bulls, keeping them, and preparing feed, you can manage the entire farm alone, and if you have a spouse or able-bodied children, then even better. And don’t listen to those who say that fattening bulls is not a profitable business, that’s what lazy people and armchair experts say. Of course, you won’t get super profits from such a livestock, but it is quite possible to provide yourself with butter and sausage, fresh fruit in winter, and a good car.
There are three pillars on which a successful mini-farm should be built: starting capital and a well-thought-out business plan, efficient and rational use of available land and maximum mechanization of all processes. When you come from afar, everything seems simple, but the closer you get, things that previously seemed simple become overgrown with a bunch of nuances that need to be taken into account.
So, first things first. As always, you need to start by drawing up a business plan based on your financial capabilities. This will help you understand whether you can achieve the desired production volumes on your own, whether you will have to take out a loan, or whether you should wait another year and save up some money. I still recommend starting small, at least in order to obtain initial data for drawing up a business plan. In particular, calculate how much feed is spent on one bull, what weight gain it gives, the price of feed, and of course the final benefit per head. To buy 50 bulls and feed for them at once, you need to be a millionaire. And you also need to build a cowshed, a hayloft, a grain warehouse, a summer pasture and other buildings, and this is not a small amount of money. A business plan and calculation of the profitability of a cattle farm deserves a separate article; read more here.
Now regarding the actual choice of site and construction of buildings on it. It is best to organize a farm on the outskirts, not far from some village, so that the neighbors can sleep better and, if something happens, there would be room to expand. However, with such a plot there will also be difficulties, firstly - communications (gas, electricity, internet, water), and secondly - they may force you to register a peasant farm, and this means taxes and unnecessary attention. You can organize a cattle farm on your own plot; 25 acres is quite enough for this. In many Russian villages, today you can buy a house with all communications, a large plot, developed rural infrastructure at a short distance from the city for quite reasonable money. Sometimes you come across plots of 50-90 acres, plus a residential building with gas heating; this option would be an ideal place for a home mini cattle farm.
After purchasing land, you need to plan the site on paper, where which building will stand. You can also first draw a plan and select a site based on it. On one bourgeois resource I found this diagram of a cattle farm:
In general, of course, everything is beautiful, a good, convenient, ergonomic plan, but it needs to be adapted to the realities of farming in Russia. Here you can find abandoned Soviet farms, with silos and barn buildings still intact, but requiring complete interior decoration. And the scale of those farms is also not suitable for our livestock. Therefore, I propose to build a farm from scratch.
So, what will we fix on this plan:
- Let's remove silo pits; small farms don't need them. Harvesting and preparing silage is a high-tech process; it requires appropriate equipment and experience, and a lot of time will be lost there.
- As for the hayloft, it needs to be built high, and most likely it will be the largest building in terms of area on our farm. The hayloft must have a good roof, and the walls must be covered with at least corrugated sheeting or slate. We widely use the practice of storing hay in the open air; as a result, it gets exposed to water and snow. The top layer of hay rots and becomes unusable, which is not good. Also, pulling hay out from under a layer of snow in winter does not bring much pleasure. Therefore, it would be stupid to argue about the need for a hay barn on a cattle farm.
- A grain warehouse and a feed preparation shop with a crusher and a feed mixer solve several problems at once: forage storage and feed preparation. We need to build at such a height that the body of a dump truck under the roof can rise, because carrying grain in bags and buckets in the quantities that we have to master, you won’t want any farm later.
- It is not necessary to build a calf barn at the beginning, because it is just an additional barn. Of course, if in the future you plan to obtain your own livestock, then yes. In any case, you need to build a calf barn according to the principle of the main barn.
- The main barn - what to build it from, what size, how to equip it inside - this is also the topic of a full-fledged separate article, read in detail here. In general, today many construction companies offer ready-made solutions in the form of farms from frame and tent hangars, but all of them do not inspire confidence, and they are also quite expensive. I advise you to build according to your design so that it is warm and comfortable.
Well, the last part is the maximum mechanization of work on the farm. This will help set up the work so that one person can handle everything. The most important question for anyone livestock farm- removal of manure. There are several ways to solve this problem: slatted floors and a self-alloying manure removal system, a manure removal system using conveyor belts, and the most simple one - take more, throw further while you fly to rest. In Soviet times, a conveyor belt with scrapers was most often used in barns, which automatically raked cow manure into a hole at the edge of the barn, from which another conveyor belt loaded the manure either into a tractor cart or into a barrel.
One more point: the presence of equipment on the farm; our livestock will not need much. You definitely need to have a tractor on the farm; an MTZ-80 or T-40 is quite enough. The tractor must be equipped front loader with replaceable bucket and forks. You also need a cart that will be used to transport manure. In addition, you can purchase a mower and a baler for the tractor in order to make at least part of the hay yourself. It is also worth thinking about the presence of freight transport on the farm; a ZIL or GAZ-53 is quite enough for a small farm.
Perhaps this is all that I would advise you to focus on when building a cattle farm for meat production. Since tethered, non-walking maintenance is planned, renting pastures and their improvement are not included here. However, having your own hayfields can significantly increase the profitability of fattening bulls.
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