Dairy Housing and Equipment

Housing

What is a stall barn? Each cow has its own stall Held in by a neck chain or a metal yokes

Stall barn Advantages Allows more individual attention to each cow Easier to observe and treat each cow Better display of breeding stock

Stall barn Disadvantages More labor and time needed to fasten and release cows Harder to use with a milking parlor Harder to keep the area clean More bedding needed More labor needed for feeding Stooping required when milking in stall barns Moisture problem is greater, especially in older barns

Stall barns

What are Free Stalls not restrained and are free to enter, lie down and leave the barn whenever they choose.

Free stall advantages It requires less bedding Cows stay cleaner compared to loose housing Fewer injuries to teats and udders It requires less space than for other loose housing systems It is easier to use with a milking parlor It is easier to use automatic feeding equipment Cow disposition is better Less disturbance from boss cows and cows in heat

Free stall disadvantages Manure is usually fluid and therefore harder to handle Some cows will not use the stalls and must be trained to enter them Some systems require more daily labor for manure handling

Free stalls

Milking

Milking parlors Place where the cows go to get milked and used for other purposes. many different types but talking about: Herringbone Side opening Rotary or carousel

Milking parlor advantages They reduce the labor and stooping needed to milk the cows. A lower vacuum is needed than in pipeline milkers in stall barns Less stainless steel pipe is needed as compared to pipeline milkers in stall barns They can handle herd expansion easily Total cost of the system may be less because free stall housing is usually cheaper to build than stall barns They require less milk handling than pail or suspension milkers

Milking parlor disadvantages High investment cost necessary to build the milking parlor. However, total cost of the system may be less than stall barns When grain is fed in the milking parlor, high producing cows many not have enough time to eat their ration of grain while being milked. Less individual attention can be given to each cow in the heard.

Herringbone/ parallel Example: Larson Acres Cows enter AND leave in groups Most common

Side Opening Single return lane Cows released individually 4 to 8 stalls per side Not easily able to change

Rotary or Carousel parlor Ex. Fair Oaks Better for larger herds Face in parlor Special care doesn’t happen