cause of stall refusal since they hinder the cow getting up or
laying down.
Free Stall Bases:
Concrete stall bases require the least maintenance and
dirt stall bases are most often selected by cows when given a
choice. This should come as no surprise. While various
other items have been tried, other popular bases in new ins
tallations in addition to concrete and dirt are planks laid on
porous fill (sand or small gravel), tires embedded in earth
fill or mattresses. A free stall mattress consists of a plastic
tarp type material covering a soft fill of sawdust, shavings,
straw or rubber dust. All of these methods provide for a rea
sonably comfortable bed and reduced maintenance (Gam
roth & Moore, 1987) (Hodgson, 1986) (McFarland, 1991).
Free Stall Bedding:
No free stall base is satisfactory without the use of bed
ding. Bedding provides a more friendly surface to lay on
and serves to absorb manure and urine that is deposited in
the stall. Soiled bedding, especially organic bedding, that is
allowed to build up in the stall will usually result in in
creased mastitis problems due to the build up of microorga
nisms. Bedding type and management should keep in mind
the “clean, dry and comfortable’’ admonition.
Alley Surfaces:
Concrete alleys are another health hazard in free stall
barns. Continuous polishing by scraper blades and deterio
ration from freezing and thawing and the ever present coat
ing of liquid manure usually result in a very smooth and
Robert E. Graves
Professor of Agricultural Engineering, Penn State
It seems like everything from a package of new under
wear to a computer has a slip of paper inside with “in
spected by...” and initials or a number on it.
This is supposed to assure us that the item is well made
and ready for use. Sometimes this “inspection certificate” is
not worth the paper it’s printed on. Even items that are well
made require follow-up inspections and maintenance.
What about your cows, what do they think about where
they live and work? Is the “inspection certificate” for their
barn worth the paper it’s written on?
It’s your responsibility to assure that your dairy facilities
are cow, worker, neighbor, and environment friendly. This
begins with the planning and design of the facility.
Select a location that provides for good ventilation and
easy access, allows for environmental protection, and leaves
room for expansion. Quality materials assembled by work
ers who know and care about what they are doing are also
important.
Day-to-day wear and tear decreases cow comfort in any
dairy facility. We often take for granted little changes here
and there. Missing stall parts, waterers that don’t work
right, or slippery floors become a normal part of the barn.
The list is endless.
Assign yourself a specific time this week to inspect your
cow facilities and make a list of what needs fixing, replac
ing, or upgrading. Often the most important things don’t re
quire a large expenditure of time or money to fix.
Items to check in freestall barns:
Inspect Your Housing System
treacherous surface. Field experience indicates that groov
ing of a new concrete and regrooving of older worn concrete
is the only effective method of improving animal traction.
This reduces injuries from slips and falls and usually im
proves heat detection. Before animals are exposed to new
concrete surfaces, sharp edges should be removed from the
concrete by dragging with concrete blocks or a scraper blade
with down pressure. Scrapers cut from large earthmover
tires help squeegee wet manure from the alley and reduce
concrete wear.
A common recommendation for grooving concrete is to
place grooves in a diamond pattern 3/8-1/2” deep and wide
in a 6-8” diamond pattern (NDPC-1,1980). Recent work in
England indicates that parallel grooves 2-3 inches apart
may be just as effective as the diamond pattern. Regardless
of pattern, grooves should not be placed perpendicular to
the normal travel of the scraping tractor. When regrooving
existing concrete, the pattern and direction of the grooves is
usually dictated by the size and type of machine.
Grouping/Feeding:
Another potential problem area in free stall housing is the
lack of sufficient groups. This leads to problems from a
feeding standpoint such as overweight dry cows. A separate
hospital group to contain all cows requiring special atten
tion such as withholding of milk should also be established
on more farms.
For information on articles reference in this column, con
tact the authors.
✓ Cows appear comfortable. Do cows look and act like
they are enjoying themselves? Are cows spread out around
the barn eating, drinking, and lying down? Would you like
to walk, rest, eat, and drink where your cows live and work?
✓ Fresh air. Is the barn fresh and airy, or is it filled with
wet smelly air? Do cows crowd around “fresh air sources”
such as open doors or windows? What is it like at different
times of the year?
✓ Freestall use. Do cows go directly to freestalls and lie
down after eating or drinking? Or, do cows tend to stand
around with their heads down doing nothing?
✓ Rising and reclining. Can cows rise and recline natu
rally and quickly in freestalls without excessive rocking or
preparation movements? Is the freestall resting surface
clean, dry, and comfortable?
✓ Opportunity to drink. Are there at least two sources of
clean, fresh water so cows can take a long, cool drink when
ever they desire? Is the water dispenser at a convenient
height with adequate space around it for cows to drink with
out being pushed and shoved by other cows? Is the water
supply adequate year round?
✓ Feed area. Do cows have a smooth, easily-cleaned
eating surface? Can cows eat in a natural head-down graz
ing position without excessive interference from bars,
cables, or lockups? Is feed regularly distributed and pushed
up?
✓ Cow movement. Do cows walk around with confidence
and comfort, or do they hesitate or slip and fall readily?
How extensive is lameness and injury to feet and legs?
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