Any farmer will tell you: fitting out a livestock building is never a simple step. Because in addition to doing everything possible to guarantee the well-being of the animals, you must think about the sustainability of the operation in advance in order to be profitable. We therefore invite you to review together all the key points to consider in this development project: building design, equipment selection, environmental constraints... There will no longer be any secrets for you on the subject!

The building configurations depend primarily on your needs

The first thing to keep in mind is that although livestock buildings tend to look similar in appearance, there is no real “typical structure.” This is quite logical given that needs vary from one farmer to another. And between a traditional dairy farm, a sheep farm, and a goat farm, there is a whole world of difference! You will therefore need to ask yourself a few questions before you begin:

• What is the herd size to accommodate? Will it evolve in the years to come?
• What will be the preferred breeding practices ? Intensive fattening does not require the same equipment as free-stall housing.
• What are your production objectives If you hope to reach the break-even point, you will necessarily have to have quantified objectives.

FYI, a livestock building is meant to last for several decades. It's in your best interest to ask yourself the right questions from the start to ensure the project is sustainable.

The choice of equipment must be considered carefully

New farmers tend to want to save money by doing the bare minimum. For example, they might take over an old, already-equipped livestock building. This is understandable when it comes to water troughs and feeders, which simply need cleaning. But what makes you think the sanitation and housing equipment are up to standard? Likewise, the ventilation systems may need replacing.

Purchasing quality equipment may represent a higher initial investment, but it reduces maintenance costs over time. You'll also be working in better conditions, and that's not just good for your animals! To better understand the available solutions, you can consult a livestock building specialist able to support operators in choosing the most suitable equipment.

There are strict environmental constraints

Every construction project is subject to strict regulatory requirements, and this is even more true when it comes to animal husbandry. And aside from the environmental considerations you should be aware of if you read our blog, there are a few particularly important points to consider:

• On administrative standards with obtaining a building permit which depends on the size and location of the building.
• On sanitary standards starting with air quality, brightness, hygiene... European directives are uncompromising on this point, so be vigilant.
• La effluent management (slurry and manure) which concerns all animals. For environmental reasons obvious, you will have to manage to store the effluents without polluting the surroundings.
• Le animal wellbeing which is not synonymous with “absence of mistreatment”. This also concerns the available space, access to water, sleeping conditions… Here again, the presence of quality equipment is far from superfluous!

Ventilation and insulation of the building are also important

We briefly touched on the issue of ventilation earlier, and we felt it was important to revisit it in more detail. Indeed, ventilation directly impacts the health and productivity of animals, whether cattle or sheep. Because if you fail to remove moisture and gases (methane, ammonia, etc.) from inside the building, the risk of epidemics increases accordingly.

Often overlooked by breeders of yesteryear, building insulation should also not be overlooked. Especially in summer due to heat waves expected to increase in the coming years: overheating can cause a fire, so be aware of this! You will therefore need to find the right balance between animal comfort and construction constraints.

The location and organization of space

Generally, and rather regrettably, breeders choose a default location for their livestock building. That is, within the farm for purely practical reasons. This can of course work with a bit of luck, but you would be wrong not to consider a few criteria:

• The orientation of the livestock buildingThe simplest thing here is to favor an exposure allowing good natural light.
• Proximity to pasturesUnless you are only doing intensive fattening, it might be more practical for you to bring your animals into the vicinity of the barn.

Otherwise, you'll need to think ahead about how to organize the space within the building. For obvious hygiene reasons, it's recommended to separate clean areas (milking parlor, feed storage, etc.) from dirty areas. Think about transition spaces between each area: if you can avoid unnecessary back-and-forths, it's always more comfortable on a daily basis!

There is financial assistance that you could benefit from

Finally, since fitting out a livestock building represents a significant investment (and that's an understatement!), you may be eligible for financial assistance. These include subsidies from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which are quite substantial. It's worth noting that according to a study published in 2024, 80% of CAP subsidies concerned livestock farming. So, you'd be wrong not to take advantage of them!

Alternatively, there are regional and departmental grants that are more focused on improving animal welfare. Don't hesitate to contact professional agricultural organizations to learn about all the funding available for your project. You have nothing to lose!