Report: Shelter and timberbelt design
Sustainable Land Management Programme
Introduction
The primary purpose of farm shelter is to protect livestock, pasture and crops from the wind. Strong wind causes physiological stress in plants and animals. Plants' transpiration increases, desiccating pasture or cropland and stunting its growth. A greater proportion of animals' metabolism is diverted into maintaining body temperature instead of weight gain. Good shelter will reduce stress. Scientific trials confirm what many farmers observe after establishing shelter:
- Dry matter production increases between 5 and 15%
- Less stress on livestock, better metabolic conversion of feed, and faster weight gain.