Table H1.1: Space Requirements for Dairy Cattle

Area Requirements

FEED BUNK OR TROUGH

Hay rack (limited feeding) 24 - 30 inches per head

Silage bunk (free choice) 12 - 18 inches per head

Silage bunk (limited feeding) 24 - 30 inches per head

Self feeding bunker silo 4 - 6 inches per head

WATERERS (Automatic, heated)

Water quantity requirements 20 - 40 gal. per head per day

Number required One hole per 35 - 40 head

HOLDING AREA 15 - 20 square feet per head

LOOSE BARN 80 square feet per head

SHADE 65 square feet per head (minimum)

MATERNITY PENS One acre sodded area per 15 head with one 3-sided pole shed 24' x 30'

EARTHEN MOUNDS 75 square feet per cow.

Height 6 to 8 feet

Top Width 1 to 2 feet to combat mud

Table H.2: Feed Bunk Throat Height

Animal Size Height in Inches

Calves 16-18

Yearlings 20

Mature Cows 22-24

Components of a Modern Dairy System

1. Milking parlor

2. Milk room

3. Hay storage and feeding

4. Silage storage and feeding

5. Grain and supplement storage and feeding

6. Loafing area

7. Maternity and nursery (medical)

8. Drinking water (source and location)

9. Exercise 100 to 125 square feet per cow

10. Manure and waste handling

Check list for Dairy Center Design

A. FEED INPUT ACCESSIBILITY. Be assured that heavily loaded vehicles can get to and away from 1, 2, and 3. Assure that water lines and electric power can be installed to 4 and maintained.

1. Hay

2. Silage

3. Ground ‑ mixed grain

4. Water

B. WASTE OUTPUT ACCESSIBILITY. Be assured that vehicles can get to and away from or that flow from the following is satisfactory.

1. Animal excreta

2. Milk parlor wash down

3. Milk room wash down

4. Rest room

5. Slurry circulation range length (coordinate with pumping equipment)

6. Pump locations

C. MILK FOR MARKET ACCESSIBILITY. Roads and/or bridges for heavy vehicles and the turn around area adequate.

D. COW TRAFFIC PATTERNS. Since animals will be moved twice each day, see that traffic pattern allows for smooth movement about the following:

1. Hay feeding

2. Silage feeding

3. Grain feeding

4. Water

5. Milking

6. Loafing

7. Medical attention ‑ breeding

8. Cows entering and leaving the herd

E. REQUIRED DIMENSIONS ‑ AREA OR LENGTH PER COW.

1. Premilking holding area (H1)

2. Freestalls (H3)

3. Loose Barn and Shade Areas (H1)

4. Manure pit depth (coordinate with pumping equipment)

5. Pit length (slurry circulation) (coordinate with equipment)

6. Hay feeding length (H1)

7. Silage feeding length (H1)

8. Waterers (H1)

F. BUILDING ORIENTATION. (Ridge runs East-West)

1. Wind protection (closed side of building toward bad weather)

2. Sunlight (shade and heat)

3. Drainage

Free Stall Dairy Center Design

1. Open sided buildings with east-west orientation are preferred. Roofs should be 12 foot high, minimum.

2. A stall must be provided for each cow in the milking herd. A good rule is to provide 5‑percent extra stalls to allow for variations in herd size and to make sure each cow can find a stall.

3. Stall size will depend on the size of cows in the herd. Suggested sized are given in the table below. Stall length is measured from the stall side of the curb to the front of the stall.

Table H1.3: Suggested Free Stall Sizes

Minimum Dimensions

Animal Size Width Length

Cow Weight (pounds) 4'-2" x 7"-6"

1600 4'-0" x 7'-4"

1400 3'-9" x 7'-2"

1200 3'-9" x 7'-1"

1000 3'-6" x 7'-0"

Calves

0-6 Weeks 1'-6" x 3'-6"

6 weeks to 6 months 2' x 4"

6 months to 10 months 3' x 5'

4. The width of alley needed will depend on the length of the alley, movement of cows, and equipment used for cleaning. The most satisfactory alleys are 10‑ to 12‑feet wide. Some dairymen are using 8‑foot alleys, but their experience indicates that these are more difficult to clean and do not allow good cow movement. Eight foot alleys should not be used in planning a new barn, but may be tolerated in adapting to existing buildings. Where alleys are more than about 80‑feet long, provide cross‑alleys to relieve congestion.

5. The concrete alleys should slope in the direction of manure movement. Allow 1/4-inch per foot slope lengthwise; no slope across alley. (A level surface is easier to scrape than one sloping to the sides or to the center.) The concrete should be 4 inches thick, coarse broom finish, for cow traffic - 6 inches with wire for scraping or feeding.

6. The curb should be 6‑ to 8‑inches high. A treated board may be used for a curb instead of concrete. Curbs less than 6‑ to 8‑inches high allow manure to spill into the bedding.

Figure H1.1. Typical free stall with neck rail and brisket board (Clean sand or sawdust, etc., is common bedding material).

7. Stall partitions are generally about 4‑feet high and of steel pipes or wood planks. Planks may be 1‑inch by 6‑inches or 1‑inch by 8‑inches rough oak, or 2‑ by 6‑inches dressed pine, with bottom plank 12‑ to 16‑inches above the floor and the stall. Solid partitions between stalls are not necessary, cost more, and block air movement.

8. Suggested post sizes are:

(a) Steel Pipe ‑ 2 1/2 inches set in concrete.

(b) Treated wood ‑ 4 inches round or 4‑ by 4‑inches set 2‑feet deep in earth.

Alley posts should be set on stall side of curb or slant into stall to avoid interference with cleaning equipment of injury to cows. It is best for stall dividers to center on post rather than attach to side of post, thus reducing entrance obstructions.

TABLE H1.4: Approximate Feed Requirement for Dairy Cows on Dry Matter Basis

Cow

Milk/day

Predicted

Dry Matter

Intake/day

Roughage^1,2

DM lb/day

Concentrate^1,3

DM lb/day

Holstein

44.5

17.8

26.7

1300 lb

44.5

26.7

17.8

39.5

15.8

23.7

39.5

23.7

15.8

34.1

13.6

20.5

34.1

20.5

13.6

Jersey

39.2

15.7

23.5

900 lb

39.2

23.5

15.7

34.8

13.9

20.9

34.8

20.9

13.9

28.8

11.5

17.3

28.8

17.3

11.5

¹⁾ Roughage to concentrate ratio normally vary between 40:60 and 60:40. Roughage proportion can be higher depending upon forage quality and milk production.

²⁾ Roughage would consist of silage and hay.

³⁾ Concentrate would be grains, protein supplements, by-products and minerals.

TABLE H1.5: Approximate Feed Requirement for Dairy Cows on As Fed Buses.

Feed

Dry Matter

Dry Matter Intake

lb/day

As Fed Intake

lb/day

Concentrate

26.7

29.7

23.7

26.3

20.5

22.8

17.8

19.8

Silage

83.3

66.7

50.0

33.3

62.5

50.0

37.5

25.0

Hay

29.4

23.5

17.6

11.8

To get as feed value divide Dry Matter Intake by Dry Matter %.

To get feed required for feeding period multiply As Fed Intake/day by number of days to feed.

Table H1.6: Herringbone Milking Parlor Performance (Cows per hour)

Parlor Size Standard-exit Rapid-exit

Double 10 (1) 75 82

Double 12 (2) 95 110

Double 16 (2) 116 132

Double 20 (2) 138 154

Double 24 (2) 150 174

HEAT STRESS CONTROL IN SUMMER

Shade

Research at the University of Florida showed 15-22 percent more milk from the milking herd which had shade compared to unshaded animals. A minimum of 65 square feet per cow is recommended. Shade over dirt floor should either be moved or cleaned out regularly to control mud. The long axis of shade cloth should extend north-south to provide maximum shade movement during the day to hold control mud. The long axis of buildings should extend east-west to minimize shade movement and keep animals under the roof.

Loose Housing

Loose housing can provide shade as well as feed areas. Loose barns should be at least 12 feet high, have ridge vents and cleaned regularly to control mud. They work better where sand is available at reasonable cost. The recommended floor area per cow in loose housing is 80 square feet per cow to minimize walking on utters.

Freestalls

Freestalls can also provide shade as well as feed areas. Those buildings should be at least 12 feet high for air movement and have ridge vents. Feed alleys should be a minimum of 12 feet wide with cow alleys 10 feet wide. Stall size, curb height, brisket boards and neck rail locations are all important to keep stalls clean.

Body Cooling

Research in Florida shows wetting the backs of lactating cows for 1-1/2 minutes every 15 minutes and blowing air at a rate of 450 cfm/cow gave an increase in milk yield. The increase was an average of 11 percent when this body cooling was provided in the feed alley adjacent to freestalls. The animals ate more feed, had lower body temperature, lower respiration rates and improved conception.

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