Llama

Animals need ample space to flourish but many farm owners may not know exactly how much space their animals need. Common animals in farms are chickens, horses, dogs, cats, goats, and pigs. A farm usually has an assortment of these animals and sometimes, they can become overcrowded. How much space do farm animals actually need?

What to Consider in the Space Requirement for Animals

Farm animals need adequate space for their overall wellbeing. It will keep them happy, healthy, and mentally stimulated, which contributes to their performance as livestock or working pets.

Horses, goats, donkeys, and other livestock animals need space to graze and exercise. They usually poop and pee in this area, and their brain activity is stimulated if they are able to roam in large spaces. Although farm owners may provide many of the animals’ needs, many often overlook the space needed for the animals’ mental stimulation.

Also, the quality of pasture is greatly considered in determining how much space a particular type of animal needs. Land with good pasture can accommodate a lot more animals than land which is barren or does not have enough grass for grazing. Bear in mind farm animals that are given hay as their food will not need that much land for grazing compared to those that depend on sustaining themselves in pastures with no other source of nourishment. Animals without enough space often suffer health illnesses as in the case of battery hens.

Animal Welfare Recommendations

Animal welfare organizations look for the five freedoms of movement, namely: freedom to stretch all limbs, freedom to turn around, freedom to groom, freedom to access adequate ventilation and light, and freedom to access adequate food and water. Just how many animals can be kept in an area is termed as “carrying capacity” of the land. Some states have laws or guidelines on just how many animals can be kept per acre of land. This also has to do with the concerns on manure runoff, which is when farm animal manure contaminates water sources.

A Simple Guide on How Many Animals You can Keep in your Farm

These are rough estimates of the number of animals you can keep per acre of land. If you keep goats, pigs, or sheep, remember that one acre can hold 3 animals. Also, one acre of land can hold 5 miniature goats or two llamas. If you intend to keep donkeys or mules, three quarters of an acre would be needed. A horse would need one whole acre and one cow would need at least two acres. Chickens would need 4 square feet each, while ducks would need a little bit more.

Photo: http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff81/imagespenner/Farm%20animals/Chey.jpg 

To view this article in spanish, click here: http://www.petsintouch.com/pnnespanol/12776/numero-adecuado-de-animales-basado-en-el-tamano-de-hacienda