1 – 5 cows
A starter dairy operation focused on family consumption and small surplus sales. Capital-light, low regulatory burden, and easy to expand. Land requirement is modest (0.5 – 2 hectares per cow depending on pasture vs. zero-grazing).
Climate adjustments
Switch climate to see how the design changes.
Temperate. Distinct four-season climate (mean 8–18 °C). Standard free-stall designs apply directly.
Sample farm layout
Schematic top-down view. Final designs are tailored to your land and climate.
What changes in temperate climate
Housing
4-row free-stall barn, natural ventilation with adjustable side walls.
Ventilation
Natural year-round; supplemental fans in summer; close side walls in winter.
Bedding
Sand or deep-mattress. Sand handling system must tolerate occasional freezing.
Water
Frost-proof automatic waterers; insulated supply lines.
Waste handling
9-month covered slurry lagoon; scrape in winter / flush in summer.
Also consider
- •Lighting plan: 16 h ≥ 150 lux in cow lying areas to maintain winter yield
- •Snow-load rated roof structure
Housing systems
- •Tie-stall shed or simple loose housing (3 m × 1.5 m per cow)
- •Naturally ventilated with overhead shade
- •Compacted-earth or rough concrete floor with bedding
- •Roofed calf pen attached for newborns
Feeding arrangements
- •Single feeding trough along one wall
- •Cut-and-carry forage + simple concentrate bucket
- •Manual feed mixing; no need for TMR equipment
Water systems
- •Communal water trough (50 – 100 L) refilled daily
- •Or a single automatic float-valve waterer if piped supply exists
Waste management
- •Daily manual manure removal to a small composting pit
- •Compost reused on family crops or kitchen garden
- •Urine drain to a soak pit (lined for hygiene)
Farm management
- •Hand milking or single-cow bucket milker
- •Paper or app-based individual cow records
- •One operator handles all daily chores
- •Veterinary visit on-call rather than scheduled
Want this tailored to your land?
Try our AI preliminary design — instant — or request a full consultation.