Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Investment costs for eight different type housing systems for dairy cows has been calculated in order to compare the building costs as a function of herd size, shelter type and automatization. A commercial calculation programme for building was used and complemented with prices of equipments specific for dairy cow building.

Herd sizes were 120, 250 and 400 cows. The milking equipments were automatic milking system (AMS), parallel parlour with 32 stalls (2x16) and rotary parlour with 24 stalls. Shelter was either insulated equipped with automatic cable driven scrapers on solid alleys, automatic feed wagon on rails, or uninsulated with manual manure handling and a tractor driven mobile mixer wagon on a drive-through feeding table.

Building cost per cow or per kg milk was calculated using an average life time and 6 % interest rate and annual milk yield is 9 500 kg/cow and year.

Structure effect 3-4 % higher for an insulated structure than in an uninsulated for 400 and 120 herd respectively. This is much lower compared to what is normally argued. Herd size effect is very evident. 120 cows in an AMS is 11 % more expensive than in a 240 cow herd. On the other side AMS in a 240 cow herd is 29 % more expensive compared to a conventional parlour. Neglecting the minimal structural differences on costs the cost per kg milk was 0,65 and 0,54 SEK in an AMS barn with 120 respectively 240 cows. In a 250 cow herd with parallel parlour and 400 herd rotary parlour the cost per kg milk was 0,39 and 0,37 SEK respectively.