Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
17
Housing Requirements
S.G. Solaiman , PhD, PAS
KEY TERMS
Housing principles—factors such as climatic data, fl oor design, and space allowance that must be considered for proper
animal housing.
Animal requirements—factors such as animal comfort, animal welfare, and health that must be considered for animal
housing.
Homeotherms—warm-blooded animals that maintain their body temperature within a predetermined range of
temperatures.
Thermoneutral zone—a range of ambient temperature at which energy expenditure is minimal for regulating body
temperature.
Lower critical temperature—a lower range of ambient temperature when animal productivity is negatively impacted.
Upper critical temperature—a higher range in ambient temperature that negatively impacts animal production.
Space allowance—the space required by a goat to perform its natural behavior of resting, eating, bipedal stance, and
socializing.
Confi nement housing—represents a maximum housing system where animals are enclosed with food and water pro-
vided for them.
Extensive housing—represents a minimum housing system where goats are outdoors and eat at their free will.
Specialized housing—represents a special requirement for housing dairy goats, including the barn, milking parlor, and
milk room.
OBJECTIVES
By completing this chapter, the reader will acquire knowledge on:
Production systems and their housing requirements
Extensive systems housing requirements
Intensive systems housing requirements
Principles for housing requirements
Animal requirements for housing
Physical requirements for housing
Housing structures for goats
Equipment required for housing
Specialized buildings for dairy goats
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