UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) A freestall dairy bam is a housing
unit that provides for the resting, eating, exercising and drinking needs of a
producing dairy cow, dry cow. or heifer.
There are many questions that must be answered when designing, building,
or operating a freestall dairy bam.
What’s a good freestall?
A good freestall or cubicle provides comfort, promotes cleanliness, and pre
vents injuries to dairy cattle. It should provide enough room for the largest
cow in the herd to enter freely, lie down, rest comfortably, and rise easily. A
good freestall base will be dry, soft, and conforming. A properly designed and
managed freestall will pass the three knee tests.
• First, can you drop hard to one knee without major discomfort? Since a
cow free-falls the last 12 inches or so as she reclines, imagine how her knees
must feel if the base is too hard.
• Second, how long can you comfortably support y oar weight cn one kr.ee?
Do the base and bedding materials conform to support your entire knee cap,
spreading out the weight, or is the surface hard and nonconforming?
• Third, when you get up after these tests, is your knee clean and dry or wet
and stained? For ne»*' freestalls a length of eight feet and a width of four feet
National Milk Production Figures
California held onto its number one ranking as the
top milk producing state in 1995 even though milk
production increased only 0.3% from 1994.
Adverse weather conditions and high feed costs kept
production well below the 10.1 % growth
experienced in 1994. Wisconsin, which lost its title
to California in 1993, has remained in second place.
New York finished third, although each year
number four Pennsylvania moves in closer.
Total US milk production for 1995 rose 1.3%
(nearly 2.0 billion lbs). Milk production in the top
ten milk producing states, as a whole, grew 1.8%
(about 1.9 billion lbs). The table shows the top ten
states' milk production changes from 1993 - 1995.
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Here’s How To Plan Dairy Freestall Barns
icement Parts foi
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will provide adequate space for the cow to recline and rise comfortably. Shor
ter stalls require special provisions to give the cow room to lunge forward as
she rises or reclines.
What’s the best freestall bam layout, two row or three row?
A good freestall bam layout provides convenient cow movement and access
to the feed area, water, freestalls, milking center, and, if available, exercise lot
orpasture. Coordinate freestalls, feed space, and watering locations to provide
adequate room and reasonable travel distances for cows. Bam layout also
affects manure removal patterns, feed distribution, and ventilation.
The best layouts place either two rows or three rows of freestalls and a feed
line along two parallel travel alleys. If two rows of stalls are placed along a
feed line there will be two feet of feed space along the bunk for each freestall.
If three rows are used, only about 16 inches of feeding space will be available
for each stall. A good layout also provides at least two watering locations in
each group and two travel paths between feeding and resting areas.
For complete answers on freestalls, refer to Guidelines for Planning Dairy
Cattle Freestalls. Information is also available from the Dairy Practices Coun
cil and the Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service.
Top Ten Milk Producing States, 1993-1995
1995 Xbarcafrom
Rank State 199 G 1994 1995 19934* 199*45
California 22,927 25,242 25,327
Wisconsin 22,844 22,412 22,942
New York 11,415 11,400 11,643
Pennsylvania 10,181 10,230 10,600
Minnesota 9,693 9,342 9,442
Texas 5,910 6,225 6,113
Michigan 5.435 5,545 5,565
Washington 4,980 5,203 5,302
Ohio 4,620 4,515 4.600
Idaho 3,229 3,754 4,210
Total Top Ten 101,234 103,868 105,744
Total US 150,582 153.664 155,644
Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistical Service
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