This study investigates a farm in Dalarna which includes 16 ha of farmland and 1, 7 ha of
pasture. The purpose is to find out if it is possible to start an animal production in
Dalarna. The study is set only to compare spring lamb production with
nurse cow production.
There are two buildings on the farm that can be used for this purpose. One is an old
cowshed, and the other is an unused silo for silage with a roof on top. Both of the
buildings are compared to every alternative in the calculations. The study shows that you
have to construct as cheep as possible, and it is also very important that you use a
building that doesn't need a big investment. When it comes to the different productions, it tells us that a good spring lamb season pays better than organic nurse cow production.
NURSE COWS
The floor in the cowshed is to be destroyed, so that new boxes for the cows to lie in can
be made. Flat floors for the calves also need to be cased. The low roof makes it
impossible to keep the cows in a deep straw bed. The cows get fed outside on a hard
concrete surface.
In the silo, light and water needs to be installed, and an area for calves to hide in needs to be made. The cows get fed in the same way as mentioned above.
It is not profitable to reconstruct the cowshed, but to reconstruct the silo does make a
profit.
SPRING LAMBS
The spring lambs doesn't need the same amount of construction investments as the nurse
cows. The floor in the cowshed is to be destroyed so that a new flat floor, for a deep
straw bed, can be cased. The sheep will be fed outside, in the same way as the cows.
The silo will be reconstructed in a similar way as in the cow alternative.
Despite of the higher profit in the lamb production, the alternative to reconstruct the
cowshed is unprofitable. Although, putting them in the silo makes quite a profit.
MY OWN CONCLUSIONS
Even though the gross...
