BASIC UNIT COST SIMULATION FROM FREE-STALL DESIGN TO DAIRY CATTLE CONFINEMENT USING DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

ABSTRACT The ascendancy of milk production in Brazil is due to mainly to the adoption of confinement systems, however, construction quality of these systems impact on milk production. This study aimed to simulate the Basic Unit Cost (BUC m-2), referring to a free-stall design with capacity for 80 animals and different construction techniques, with a database for various budget analysis and investment plans. A budgetary spreadsheet was modeled, allowing simulating the BUC m-2 for different combinations of roof pillars (metallic, wood or reinforced concrete), covering structure (metallic or wood...