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.
Subtropical. Hot summers, mild winters (mean 18–25 °C). Seasonal heat-abatement and convertible side walls.
Sample farm layout
Schematic top-down view. Final designs are tailored to your land and climate.
What changes in subtropical climate
Housing
Insulated roof, curtain side walls that open in summer and close in winter.
Ventilation
Cross-vent up to ~400 cows; tunnel above. Soakers + fans active 4–6 months/year.
Bedding
Sand or deep-mattress cubicles work; manage dust in dry season.
Water
Standard automatic waterers with sun shielding.
Waste handling
Lagoon sized for 6–9 months; solid separator for bedding reuse.
Also consider
- •Hot-weather body-condition scoring during peak summer
- •Insulated water lines to avoid summer warming + winter freeze
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.