Making the most of livestock buildings

Making the most of farm livestock buildings will be the focus for an innovative advisory workshop on 27 June with specialist speaker Jamie Robertson of Livestock Management Systems. The event is being hosted at Youlden Farm, North Bovey as part of the Dartmoor Hill Farm Project training programme.

Making the most of existing and new farm buildings is increasingly important to maximize productivity and to promote good welfare standards for livestock. Careful planning and research can not only save money but ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of the business.

Many factors can influence the performance of a building. This can range from its orientation and aspect through to how animals are batched, housed and fed. The workshop will help to explore these themes and consider the positive and negative impacts of good and bad practice on the farm business.

Jamie Robertson, a national expert in this field, said:

‘Many farms can improve the functionality of existing buildings with simple modifications to improve ventilation, air movement and holding capacity. Often simple solutions can deliver significant benefits and these should be integral to the planning and design of new buildings.’

Other workshop contributors will cover topics including animal health, mortgage advice and planning applications. The day will be broken down into a mix of presentations and group discussion, reviewing the livestock buildings at Youlden Farm.  

Sandra Dodd of the Hill Farm Project said:

‘This will be a really informative workshop and should help participants to take a longer term view of their livestock housing needs. Last winter put pressure on capacity so now is an excellent time to review and plan ahead.’

The workshop is free and will run from 11 am to 3.30 pm. For further details and to reserve a place please call 01822 890913 or email hfp@dartmoor.gov.uk