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Dairy Housing and Equipment

Dairy Housing and Equipment. Chapter 45. Objectives. Explain housing needs of dairy cattle Discuss the economics of dairy cattle housing and equipment Describe milking equipment Describe milk handling systems Describe manure handling systems. Planning the Dairy Facility.

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Dairy Housing and Equipment

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  1. Dairy Housing and Equipment Chapter 45

  2. Objectives • Explain housing needs of dairy cattle • Discuss the economics of dairy cattle housing and equipment • Describe milking equipment • Describe milk handling systems • Describe manure handling systems

  3. Planning the Dairy Facility • Modern dairy farm requires a high investment in buildings and equipment • Important considerations when planning are • Efficiency • Economy • Convenience

  4. Planning the Dairy Facility (cont.) • Location of the Facility • Well-drained area • Easy access for vehicles • Good water supply • Room for expansion • Locate downwind from farmhouse • Avoid location that will cause odor problems for neighbors

  5. Planning the Dairy Facility (cont.) • Electrical Service • Dairy farms require continuous supply of electricity • Ensure power is adequate to meet needs of operation • Standby generators are essential

  6. Housing for the Milking Herd • Two most common types of housing • Stall Barns (Stanchion) • Used in dairies with up to 80 cows • Free Stall Barns • Used in dairies with more than 80 cows

  7. Housing for the Milking Herd (cont.) • Stall Barns (Stanchions) • Each cow is confined to an individual stall • Stanchions have metal yokes that are fastened at the top and bottom • Tie stalls give greater comfort to the cow • Allow more individual attention to each cow • Easier to observe and treat each cow

  8. Housing for the Milking Herd (cont.) • Stall Barns (Stanchions) (cont.) • Better display of breeding stock • Stalls must be long enough for cows to lie down with their udders on the platform • Most udder injuries occur in small stalls • Have cows face out

  9. Housing for the Milking Herd (cont.) • Stall Barns (Stanchions) (cont.)

  10. Housing for the Milking Herd (cont.) • Remodeling • Older barns may require remodeling to improve stall sizes, reduce labor costs • Some older barns not worth remodeling • Decision to remodel, or build new is individual decision that must be evaluated • Ensure proper size, ventilation

  11. Housing for the Milking Herd (cont.) • Free Stall Barns • A loose housing system in which stalls are provided for the cows • The cows are not fastened in the stalls • They may enter, leave stalls as they please • Current practice allows 10 percent more cows in the area than there are stalls

  12. Housing for the Milking Herd (cont.) • Free Stall Barns (cont.) • Floors of stalls may be earth or concrete • Manure must be removed from stalls daily • Free stall barns usually have two, three, or four alleys • Manure handling requires more daily labor

  13. Housing for the Milking Herd (cont.) • Free Stall Barns (cont.)

  14. Milking in Stall Barns • Three types of milking equipment used • Pail milkers • Suspension milkers • Pipeline milkers

  15. Milking in Stall Barns (cont.) • Pail Milkers • Set on floor beside cow • Milker claw is attached to udder • Emptied by hand after each milking • Suspension Milkers • Hung from a strap, placed over back of cow • Operated by vacuum pump

  16. Milking in Stall Barns (cont.) • Pipeline Milkers • More expensive than pail or suspension • More vacuum required for operation • Less labor required • Milk can be kept cleaner when a pipeline milker is used

  17. Milking Parlors • A milking parlor consists of a separate area in which the cows are milked • More common in free stall barns • Milking parlors can reduce labor and stooping needed to milk cows • They require a high investment, though total costs lower than stall barns

  18. Milking Parlors (cont.) • Four types of milking parlors • Herringbone • Side-opening • Rotary or carousel • Polygon

  19. Milking Parlors (cont.) • Herringbone • Most common • Cows stand at angle to operator pit • Side-opening • Cows stand parallel to operator pit • Most common sizes are two, three, or four milking stalls on each side of operator pit

  20. Milking Parlors (cont.) • Rotary or Carousel • Cows enter a slow rotating platform • Cows stand parallel to operator pit, or in a herringbone pattern • Polygon • Herringbone arrangement on four sides of operator pit • Higher capacity

  21. Mechanization in the Milking Parlor • A number of ways to increase mechanization include • Crowding gates • Power gates • Feed gates • Prep stalls • Automatic detaching units

  22. Holding Area • Area where cows are held before milking • Long, narrow area is best • Cows should not be left in holding area for more than 2 hours • Ensure proper ventilation • Clean after each milking

  23. Milk House • Contains the equipment for filtering, cooling, and storing milk • Size depends on size of the herd, type of equipment used • Locate on side of barn away from cow pens or holding areas • Ensure proper temperature, ventilation

  24. Bulk Tanks • Stainless steel tanks, where the milk is cooled and stored • Consider future herd expansion when making a bulk tank purchase • Must be capable of quickly cooling milk to meet local Grade A production requirements

  25. Stray Voltage • Stray electrical current can cause problems in dairy facilities • May originate on or off farm • Work with local power utilities to identify source of stray current, correct problem • Properly bond all metal parts of facility

  26. Milking Equipment • The four parts of a milking system are • Milking unit • Pulsation system • Vacuum supply system • Milk flow system

  27. Housing for Dairy Herd Replacements • Calves up to 2 months of age • Young calves can be housed in calf hutches • Calf hutches are less expensive and produce same growing ability • Place the calf in the hutch as soon as it is dry after it is born

  28. Housing for Dairy Herd Replacements (cont.) • Heifers from 2 Months to Calving • Can be kept in cold housing • Kept in pens or free stall • In warm weather, can be kept on pasture

  29. Manure Handling • Manure may be handled in either a solid or liquid form • Liquid manure usually contains less than 15 percent solid material • Solid manure contains more than 20 percent solid material • Manure must be hauled every day

  30. Feed Handling • Feeding facilities used for dairy cattle are similar to those used for beef cattle • Equipment required • Silos • Feed bunks • Waterers • Other

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