Dairy Event 2010: Low cost housing is self-cleaning

A low cost supplementary housing system which also provides plentiful slurry storage is being launched in the UK.

Herd Home Shelters come with a plastic roof, no walls and a concrete base and have slatted floors, which are designed to be self-cleaned. They are sited above concrete basements of varying capacity to store effluent.

The construction also comprises reinforced concrete, timber and galvanized steel trusses and features pre-stressed high concrete slats that self-clean with stock movement, explained Herd Homes’ Zoe Pow. “Designed for straw bedding, a carpet of compressed straw naturally builds over the slats and self cleans.

“The polythene roof is designed to collect warm air created by each cow which is circulated down in to the centre of the construction. A vent system also enables controlled airflow during the summer, with a shade cloth also aiding temperature reduction,” she explained.

Already 250 Herd Homes have been constructed in New Zealand with prices, including slurry storage costing about £1000 a cow or £254/sq m.

• For more information call 07584 955 555 or email zoe@herdhomes.co.nz