Riethof farm: conversion, renovation and extension of the stable building

The existing stable building of the Riethof farm - which is owned by the municipality of Vaduz - was rebuilt 25 years ago. Since then, the rules and regulations for animal husbandry and currently also the storage of farmyard manure have changed. In order to comply with the current regulations and enable the farm to operate in line with the times, the stable building is to be converted, renovated and extended.

The amended "Ordinance on the Storage of Farmyard Manure in Agriculture" came into force on 1 April 2023. Among other things, this stipulates that the storage capacity of farmyard manure must be five months. Riethof currently only has storage capacity for three months. In order to meet the current requirements, a larger building volume is necessary. Together with a planning company specializing in barn buildings, concrete solutions were proposed and the following measures were defined for implementation:

• Hay store: The existing wooden building dates back to 1978 and is no longer up to date for today's operational processes. The new building should be connected to the existing barn in terms of height. The increase in height will allow a hay crane to be installed, which will make it easier to remove hay and allow additional feed to be stored and transferred. A PV system is also planned for the new roof.
• Grass and maize silo storage: The 25-year-old Harvestore silos will be replaced by high silo storage.
• Milking system: The existing milking system will be replaced by a milking robot, which will significantly reduce the space required and thus the building volume.
• Cattle barn: The new slurry tank will be used as the foundation for the new barn area. The combination of the new extension and the existing barn or outdoor exercise yard results in an optimal solution for feeding and lying areas as well as the cows' routes to the milking robot.

By implementing these measures, the Riethof farm is once again state of the art and complies with the applicable regulations. Completion is planned for the end of 2025.

Costs

The municipal council has approved a commitment credit of CHF 3,100,000.00 (incl. VAT) for the implementation of the conversion, renovation and extension of the stable building at Riethof farm.