The main aim for the architect was to build a new dairy of the highest welfare standards which would present dairy farming at its best.
Important design considerations were addressed in Shand Building Design‘s Middleton of Rora which enabled it to win the GAGA 2018 Engineering Award. Shand Building Design‘s new building focusses on key issues that were affecting the welfare of livestock and working processes.
This included a major redesign of the roof structure, moving away from the typical steep pitch to a stepped 15 degree pitch, greatly improving airflow. Some of the key issues that needed to be addressed were: the creation of more working space to improve labour intensive tasks; increase amount of light and ventilation; improve livestock welfare and logistics of slurry handling and handling of animals requiring treatment.
The project took ten months to complete at a total cost of £1.3 million. The new building incorporates:
- Implementation of new feed passes for both sides of the new building to improve access for vehicles
- Stepped roof design, increasing light and ventilation
- Raised position of the office to provide an ariel view of the livestock area
- Improvement of livestock pens – replaced concrete floor with sand
- Addition of robotic milking stations.
The project has already proved to be a success as milk yield has increased by 50%.
Architect: Shand Building Design Ltd
Image: Shand Building Design Ltd