Insight on Modern Milk Parlor Designs

Milking a caw can be done in more than one way. Gone are the days when you needed to massage cow teats by hand. Today, you can literally milk your cows even when you aren’t at the parlor. Robot milking is now the in thing and farmers are quickly embracing it.

What has remained constant is the need of a milking parlor. These parlors have been in existence for centuries. All that changes are the parlor designs. We have gone an extra mile to help you understand the different types of common milk parlor designs.

Which Are The Common Parlor Designs?

Herringbone

These are designs adopted by small dairy farms. With the cow standing at an inclined angle of 45 degrees, the operator is able to access the udder with ease. This design is quite popular as it allows ease of movement and the use of different types of milking equipment.

Parallel

The parallel design is not only common in parking lots but also in milking parlors. Here, the cows stand side by side while facing the wall. This leaves the operator with the rear end from which they can attach their equipment.

This design accommodates a huge number of animals but results in delays. For the milking process to begin all the animals must be in their respective stalls and no animal can be released until when all animals are milked.

Tandem

Ever had a ride on tandem bikes? Well, that’s the idea adopted in these parlor designs. The cows are aligned heat to tail and may only accommodate a few animals. With this design, the operator has numerous access points thus has an easy time fixing the milking equipment.

Unlike the parallel design, cows do not have to wait for others to be milked to be released.

Rotary

While the above mentioned parlors are fixed at one point, the rotary parlor offers the cows a ride. The parlor has a circular platform that hosts the milking stalls. The parlor rotates slowly allowing the operator to attach the milking equipment.

The size of the parlor determines the number of the rotations the cow will make before it can be fully milked.

Swing

This is a unique parlor design adopted where farmers want to minimize parlor modeling costs. The swing is a modification of the parallel, tandem or herringbone where the parlor accommodates two sets of animals. The milking unit is then swung from one side to the other to facilitate milking on both sides.

Conclusion

Milking parlor designs are quite many. The above mentioned designed are just the common modern design. There are however hundreds of other designs that you will find in different parts of the country.

All these designs may work for you. All you need to do is ensure that you are selecting the right design. This ought to be a design that is comfortable, economical, efficient and durable. We hope that the pointers outlined here will help you make the right decision.

Understanding Dairy Cow Milking Machines

Milking is an art that has been evolving over the decades. One of the most noticeable developments is the introduction of automated dairy milking machines. These are robotic voluntary milking systems that were first introduced in the dairy industry in the 20th century. They have not only enabled farmers to completely automate the milking process but have also opened a window of technological advancements in the dairy industry.

The History Behind Dairy Milking Machines

Unlike other inventions such as the centrifugal cream separator, Babcock test and the hygienic milking and processing, the best dairy cow milking machines weren’t easy coming. There’s so much to consider in a milking machine right from the milk quality to the safety and this meant more obstacles to overcome. The machines were faced with great opposition with many worried of the possibility of unnatural or intrinsic injuries to the animals with some arguing that the machines would result in lower standard dairy animals and poor quality milk.

The resistance and challenges faced by professionals who were determined to revolutionize the dairy industry didn’t stop them from pursuing what may have been termed to be a losing battle. The introduction of milking tubes broke the ice and rejuvenated the zeal and enthusiasm to settle for nothing but the best dairy milking machines. Well, these were not your ordinary tubes. Surprisingly, wood tubes and feather quills were in use. This was before tubes made of ivory, bone; gutta percha and pure silver were introduced.

In 1851, a vacuum milker whose gutta percha cup was fitted to a hand pump was patented. This marked another phase of innovations which introduced speed and efficiency. These machines had the capacity to draw milk from all the teats at once but had the tendency to damage the mammary tissue.

Well, the inventions continued with a foot operated Mehring machine being introduced in the late 1890s. This machine could milk two cows at the same time with the operator providing vaccum by working on the foot levers. Not long after that, the thistle milker which was powered by a steam driven pump was introduced. This was very efficient but presented sanction challenges and the search for the best milking machine continued.

The Automation Process

Even with the introduction of the dairy cow milking machines, a lot of labor was involved in the milking process until the 20th century when semi-automated and automatic milking machines were introduced. This was an advancement that built on the fabric set by the 19th century developers. It included the introduction of automated milk extraction, cluster removal, teat spraying and cleaning.

The Different Types Of Milking Machines

There are many different types of milking machines in use today. While some are manual, most of them are automated. Different farms will go for different machines depending on the animals they keep and the specific needs. There are machines specially designed for cattle while others are designed to milk goats and sheep. Well, let’s shed some light on the different types of machines commonly used in modern dairy farms. These machines include;

  • Dairy milking machines with bucket system
  • Barrow type
  • Electric Milking machines
  • Dairy cow milking machine with pipe in milking parlor
  • Mobile milking machine

Milking Machine With Bucket System

The bucket system milking machines have been in use for decades and are still used to date. They are popular among farmers whose farms host 100 to 150 animals. This is a fairly low number of animals and the investment is considerably low.

These machines consist of;

  • The trap protection
  • The vacuum pipeline
  • Vacuum regulator
  • The bucket
  • The Vacuum pump

The average capacity is 25L and while some slide on rails others will be installed on the roof.

Barrow Type

This is the machine designed to sit on a frame with two or four wheels and has no vacuum pipe. As such, there is absolutely no need to install fixed equipment making them a great fit for semi-extensive and extensive farming.

A barrow dairy milking machine has the capacity of milking 80 animals. Its performance is way better compared with the bucket milking machine thus popular among farmers across the globe.

Electric Milking Machines

Dairy farming has evolved over the years. One of the areas that have experienced major changes is the milking section. What was popularly known as hand-milking has now been replaced by sophisticated automatic milkers.

These are milkers that do not require any manual input. They have a motor that delivers the much needed power enabling them to milk in the shortest time possible. They are cow friendly and do not result in environmental pollution.

Electric milking machines are readily available in the market. They come in different types, shapes and sizes. You shouldn’t have a problem selecting one that will be friendly to you, your pocket and the animals.

Dairy Milking Machine With Pipe In Milking Parlor

These are machines designed to milk several cows from a specific parlor. Normally, they will be classified depending on the position of the milker in relation to the animal or the method of entrance into the parlor.

Casse Type Parlor Milking Machines

These are machines that are popular in Greece. They are the machines that serve parlors with one pit and two ramps. Normally, the animal will be head locked against the axis of the pit in a vertical position. The number of stalls ranges from 6-66 with the ratio of milking units being 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 or 1:4. These machines may be classified further based on the types of parlors in use but we shall come to that in another post.

Mobile Dairy Cow Milking Machines

Fixed machines were very popular and they still are but they seemed not to meet some needs especially when it came to mobility. This triggered the introduction of mobile equipment which can attend to flocks located in different parts of the farm. Such systems are popular in nomadic and semi-nomadic flock systems.

The mobility of the equipment is pegged on a four wheeler platform that enables movement from one point to the other. Everything else remains as it is in other systems with the popular positions being 1×2, 2×12 and 2×24. Each milker can handle an average 80 animals per hour making them very efficient.

Portable Milking Machines

Dairy cows keep moving from one corner to the other. It can be a little inconvenient having to bring cows home to the parlor every time you need to milk them. Portable milking machines come in handy in milking cows in the pasture.

Portable milking machines come in different types, shapes and sizes. Today, these machines adopt the latest milking technology. They will not only milk fast but will also deliver high quality milk.

Most portable milking machines are designed to milk cows as well as goats. They have two types of claws that make it possible to change the teat cups to suit meet immediate need. These may be the ultimate milking machines for a small dairy farm.

Milk Machine Operation And Maintenance

Learning how to operate and maintain a milking machine is vital in boosting cow comfort and productivity. Introduce the milking machine to the cows in a way that will be friendly and comfortable to the cow.

Some cows aren’t used to hearing noises while being milked and the noisy vacuum pump can affect them negatively. Let the cows feel and even touch the machine just to familiarize with it.

Milking machines aren’t cheap. They require huge cash outlay. They thus need to be cared for not only to extend their life but also ensure efficiency.

One of the easiest ways of maintaining a milk machine is ensuring that is thoroughly clean. Milk equipment should be cleaned after every milking session. Washing routines should be adhered to in a bid to ensure that all milk residues are removed. This discourages bacteria growth thus improving milk quality.

Milk machines also need to be maintained regularly. Though these machines are quite straight-forward, they need regular and constant check-up. Faulty machines will not only lower milk quality but will also result in discomfort. In extreme cases, they may result in teat injuries.

We have analyzed some of the best milk maintenance practices. Learn more on how to operate and maintain your milk machine. You will have better placed to enjoy the benefits of owning a milk machine.

Conclusion

Milking machines have come a long way and the inventions keep bringing in more surprises. Just when you thought you have the best dairy cattle milking machine another is introduced and this makes it one of the industries to watch. There’s so much to expect and learn about these machines and you cannot run short of information about these machines. Just spare some time to read about the different types of machines before you can make the next step to buy a milking machine for your farm.

Topper Milking Parlor Designs

Milking speeds have a huge impact on milk production. The milking routines and automation will ultimately determine the time spent milking your dairy cow. You may have some information on some of the best milking parlor designs milking over 300 cows per hour but what goes into designing such parlors? This post is dedicated to shedding more light on milk parlor designs and the key features.

Key Features Of A Milking Parlor

The Milk Center

This is one of the most important sections of the milking parlor. The milking center should be designed around the size and type of milking parlor.

Planning The Milking Center

When planning the milking center, it is important that you have a good idea of the milking equipment. At some point, you may require to work closely with the equipment suppliers just to be sure that you are working with the right measurements. In addition to that, adhere to the regulations and guidelines on cleanliness and sanitation.

Components Of A Milking Center

Normally, the milking center will comprise of the milking parlor, holding area, mechanical room, milk tanks room, employee’s area, supply room and a storage room. Other components may be added depending on the specific farm needs.

The Holding Area

Milking is a process and needs to be well planned and coordinated. The holding area makes it possible to have an organized system. Here, the cows are held before entering the milking parlor allowing controlled movement into the milking center. A good holding area will keep the cows comfortable, ensure consistency, efficiency and orient the cows towards the parlor.

Features Of A Good Holding Area

Size

The size of the holding area is determined by the milking parlor capacity. In most cases, the holding area will be designed to hold a single group of cows (cows that fit in the parlor). Holding the entire group in the holding area allows preparation of the next batch as the last cows are being milked. In cases where cows do not have to wait for the slow ones to be milked, the holding area might be smaller.

Slope

In a bid to control the cows’ movement, it is important to slope the holding area. This slope should be between 2% and 5%. Cows are known to walk comfortably uphill on slopes greater than 5% but slower downhill on slopes greater than 5 %.

Floor Finish

Now that the holding area is sloped the floor has to be given keen consideration. For the floor to have good traction, most designers use textured surfaces. You may as well go for grooved floors.

Cow Alleys

These are also used as holding areas. Having the alleys eliminates the need of having a huge holding area. It however increases the chances of cows hiding in the stalls. This means that more cleaning will have to be done.

Crowd Gates

These are gates used to control cows inside the holding area. These gates come in different designs and rigid designs tend to be popular. With time, the cows get conditioned to move on hearing the sound of the gates. This eliminates the need to aggressively move the cattle.

Cow Movements

Right from the holding area to the parlor and out, the cattle’s movement needs to be smooth and comfortable. The cows need to see where they are going. In most cases, the parlor will be separated from the holding area by doors or curtains. These doors and curtains need to be large enough when open to give the cow good vision.

The parlor should be designed with the movement in mind. The cows need not turn when entering the parlor from the holding area.

Parlor Area

The parlor area is normally dictated by the heard size and the number of operators. The cows shouldn’t stay more than an hour in the milking process.

It’s thus necessary that one invests in a parlor that will make it possible to milk all the animals in the shortest time possible. Choose one of the designs mentioned earlier or refer to our post on milk parlor designs to get an idea of the best parlor for your farm.

Cows’ Platform

This is the section where the cow stands while being milked. The platforms need to be designed to accord the cow maximum comfort. This being the case, rubber floor serves as the best option. This is because the cow needs to stand for long and make sharp turns when leaving the platform.

When designing the platform, let it slope towards the wall. This will not only aid in the cow’s exit but also in cleaning and drainage of the parlor.

Exit Options

Once the cows have been milked, they can either leave the parlor in a single return lane or double return lanes. The former is easier for sorting cows but limits walk-in parlor options. The latter on the other hand allows the operator to walk in the pit on the level but doesn’t give room for sorting.

Rapid Exit Options

A standard exit ought to be 32-36 inches (81-91cm) wide if it has no turns. If turns are included, a clear opening measuring 48-60 inches (122-152 cm) should be included.

Rapid exits are used to speed up cattle movement. It is best used in parallel and herringbone designs. Its dimensions should be 8-14 ft (2.5-4.5m) depending on the parlor size.

The Milking Pit

This is the section where the operator stays with his equipment when milking the cow. This section needs to be designed to offer easy access to cow udders and enable swift movement.

Pit Depth

The pit depth is determined by the operators’ height as well as the parlor design. A good pit is one that allows the operator to work without stooping or bending. The working area should preferably lie between the shoulder and the elbow, an area of about 12 inches (30.5cm). This allows clear visibility of the udder. When the operator is standing, the elbows shouldn’t come into contact with the platform.

Parlor designs determine the pit depth. Herringbone designs have pit depths of 38 inches (97cm) while pits in parallel designs are 40 inches (102 cm) deep.

A pit that accommodates different operators should be encouraged. This can be a pit with an adjustable floor. Such floors go a long way in increasing efficiency and reducing fatigue.

Pit Width

The pit ought to be narrow enough to allow easy operation from one side to the other while still accommodating the milking equipment. In most cases, the width will be dictated by the parlor design. Double-sided parlors width should be 6-8 feet (2-2.5m).

Pit Length

The pit length has no specific dimensions. It can be as long as need provided that it doesn’t affect operations. In the design, the pit needs to be extended by 2 or 2.5 meters beyond the last milkman. This extension enables assistance in moving balky cows into the parlor.

Parlor Access

Easy access to the parlor is essential not only to the cows but also to the milkier. Some farmers have mounted ramps to help them access the holding area. This is however discouraged as it tends to frighten the cows. They also tend to ‘train’ the milker on getting them instead of waiting for them in the parlor. Instead of the ramp, why not have some stairs, steps or ladder. This will discourage milkers from going to the holding area.

Basement Parlor

Milking equipment can be bulky and you need to know how best they can fit in the parlor. Basement parlors are known to be a brilliant idea of managing the milking equipment. Here, the receiving group can work comfortably in a quiet environment.

Conclusion

Milk parlors play a key role in boosting dairy comfort in dairy farming. This is the section where the farmer has the opportunity of reaping all the profits or letting the hard work go to the drain. It thus needs to be given all the attention it deserves. Design a good milking parlor and you will have no regrets.

Cow Comfort: Best Dairy Bedding Options

Cow comfort is directly proportional to cow health and profitability. It is thus paramount that you ensure that your cows are not only comfortable but also feel comfortable. Studies have shown that comfortable cows produce more milk and are more profitable.

Regardless of the conditions surrounding your dairy farm, cow comfort is not negotiable. You need to do all it takes to ensure that the cow is comfortable. Flooring and bedding are key areas that you need to pay close attention to. You may also need to upgrade the resting and feeding areas to ensure. In this post, we shall focus more on cow beddings but we will be writing more in our upcoming posts.

Beddings have a great impact on a cow’s production. There are different types of beddings that can be used. They range from water beds to piles of used papers. Some of the popular beddings include;

Sand Bedding

Isn’t it sweet lying on sand? Well, cows too love lying on sand. Sand bedding feels like a beach. It is not only soft on the body but is also easy on the joints. It’s however worth noting that not all sand is the same. Natural sand, obtained from mines and sand pits, is the preferred quality. Manufactured sand, which is made from crushing of aggregates, may also be used.

Sand is normally clean and contains low organic matter. Natural sand tends to have finer particles than manufactured sand. When evaluating the sand to use for cow bedding, you need to check out all these quantifiable attributes.

What’s So Good About Using Sand As Bedding?

A cow loves uniform, comfortable, non-abrasive and cool bedding. Sand is known to offer most of these aspects. Sand has low pathogen loading. It may therefore be a perfect option for farms battling mastitis.

Sand naturally drains with ease. It will hardly retain moisture or leaked milk. This makes it very friendly. It’s also labor efficient. It will rarely need replacement especially when placed in a place where cows can’t carry it out with their feet.

Sand is readily available. In most countries, it can be fetched from river beds. You can get it for free. Well, even if you have to buy it you won’t spend a fortune. Once you have placed a 6-8” bed, your cows will be comfortable for the rest of the year.

Desired Sand Bedding Characteristics

For the perfect bedding sand, ensure that your sand has;

  • No stones or debris
  • Dry material
  • Low organic matter
  • Appropriate texture

Benefits Of Using Sand Beddings

· Longer Cow Resting Hours

Sand is very comfortable. This makes the cows love it and spend many hours sleeping. Cows have longer bouts. Just as you would sit longer in a comfortable chair than a hard one, cows too experience this “laZboy” effect.

Sand normalizes a cow’s resting behavior. Lame cows tend to lie down more hours and will avoid standing up numerous times. Studies conducted in Finland showed that in 21 weeks, lame cows lying down on sand seemed to recover while those of straw didn’t show signs of recovery.

· Cows Have An Easy Time Getting Up And Down On Sand

Lying down and standing up is a crucial step. Some cows will stand the whole day just because they aren’t ready to go through the process of lying down. The hind legs interact with the ground as the cow rises. The cow thus needs cushion, support and traction.

Young and non-lame cows will easily tolerated hard surfaces but lame and older cows have a difficult time. Sand makes it easy for all types of cows to wake up and lie down.

· Fewer Cattle Injuries

Cows suffer hock and knee injuries while lying down, sleeping and standing up. The use of sand reduces these injuries. This increases a cow’s productivity and also elongates its lifespan.

· Low Incidences Of Clinical Mastitis

Environmental mastitis caused by E.coli and streptococci can hinder a cow’s production. It also affects cow health adversely. The use of sand beddings goes a long way in controlling mastitis in dairy cows.

The fact that sand contains little organic matter creates few opportunities of bacteria growth. Farmers have reported lower somatic cells count after switching to sand bedding.

Challenges Associated With Sand Bedding

  • Gets into milk tanks, filters and plug drains
  • Abrasive to milking equipment
  • Settles in cow rumen, teats and udder
  • Invades waterers and feeding area

When using sand bedding, it’s important that you ensure that you have the right size and consistency. The grains should preferably be 1mm-3mm in size. Ensure that the sand has no stones or debris. Always keep it dry and ensure that it has no organic matter.

Dairy Cow Water Beddings

Dairy cow beds were first used in the 1990s. These were regular beds made of straws and sand. The two chambered mattress became very popular in 2000s. The popularity was pegged on the comfort and the support cows got from the second mattress when getting up.

In addition to great comfort, water bedding increase cows’ sleeping time. This is quite important in dairy cow profit maximization. Scientific studies have shown that milk production has a direct relationship with cows’ resting time. The more time a cow sleep, the more the milk produced.

Cows may seem to have drifted away in sleep but that’s not all they do in sleep. This is usually the perfect time to chew cud and store energy. It is at this stage that the cow increases blood flow to the udder. Normally, the blood flow can be increased by up to 30%.

Every cow loves lying down for some rest. However, it’s not every cow that will lie down. The prospect of lowering their 1500 pound bodies discourages many from taking the coveted sleep. They’d rather sleep upstanding than go through the ordeal.

The advent of water bedding made lying down easy and comfortable for dairy cows. The mattresses provided more appeal to the cows motivating them to sleep some more. Well, this impact was also evident in the milk production. After all, happy cows are more productive.

Cow Water Bed Benefits

  • Water beds are warm. This warmth speeds up relaxation. It also soothes muscles and relieves tension.
  • Waterbeds increase the ease of a cow falling asleep.
  • Water bedding are quite comfortable. They allow in calf cows to sleep comfortably for long hours.
  • These beds permit long cow sleeping hours with minimal movement and re-awakenings.
  • Form-fitting. Waterbeds conform to the cow’s shape. This provides excellent comfort thus reduced tossing and turning. It also eases pressure on knees and joints.

Waterbed Shortcomings

  • Waterbeds require great care and maintenance. Regular conditioning of the vinyl cover and replacement of bladders can be a little daunting.
  • Water beddings are quite heavy. Though there is even distribution, the will require lots of input to move them around.

Cow Sleeping Mats And Bedding Mattresses

Cows ought to sleep for 14-18 hours. Researches have shown that cow sleep for up to 15 hours in outdoor pastures. Research has also shown that cows sleep for 8 to 10 hours. The only explanation behind the few sleeping hours is cow comfort. The natural environment is comfortable and welcoming but the same can’t be said about cow barns that as unforgiving.

The installation of cow mats and mattresses makes barns comfortable. This improves the quality of cow sleep and also increases their resting time. Different types of cow mattresses are currently in use. They range from rubber to foam mattresses. Most of them are used for cow bedding while others are used for barn flooring.

Cow Mattress Bedding

Concrete has been used across the country for cows sleeping areas. Many people opt for concrete as it is easy to install, maintain and repair. It’s however very uncomfortable for cows and will cause major injuries. One of the best ways to upgrade concrete cow houses is having cow sleeping mats and cow bedding mattresses.

Cow mattresses add the much needed cushion and comfort. They reduce the chances of a cow sustaining injuries while turning or standing. The fact that they can be installed on different types of surfaces makes them very dynamic.

Cow mat beddings can either be rubber filled, foam filled or flat solid rubber. All these will have different characteristics. Only go for the option that gives you maximum benefits. Solid bedding mats and foam filled mats are a little harder than rubber filled mats. They are thus more rigid. However they last longer than the rubber mats and mattresses.

Flooring Mats And Mattresses

A cow needs to be comfortable all the time not just when she is sleeping. You therefore need to ensure that every section of the barn and parlor is comfortable. The floor can be a little unforgiving especially if it’s made of concrete.

One of the ingenious ways of making the floor a little comfortable is installing floor mats. These can be rubber or foam mats. These mats are softer on the cows underfoot. They reduce claw and feet injuries. You will also observe fewer incidences of lameness.

The turning effect in cows is mostly felt by the hooves. Concrete has a huge wear and tear effect on claws especially when the cow turns. You therefore need to pay close attention to areas where the cows turn. Ensure that the alleys, holding areas and corners are well padded with mattresses.

Research has shown that they use of cow mats and mattresses in alleys have a positive impact on cows’ locomotion scores. Cows tend to make more and longer strides on comfortable mattress surfaces. The cows feel comfortable while walking on mats and the assurance of foot placement gives them the confidence to make bold steps.

Benefits Of Cow Mat Beddings

  • Non-slip cow mattresses make it easy for cows to sleep and wake up. Mats offer the much needed grip enabling the cow to rise up with ease.
  • Mats are quite easy to clean. Hygiene is paramount in dairy farming and the ease of cleaning rubber and foam mattresses makes your work easier.
  • Foam and rubber bedding mattresses are easy on cow joints and tissues. They reduce the number of injuries thus lowering lameness in dairy cows.
  • Mats are not only clean but also improve the overall cow hygiene. Cows are cleaner and good-looking. This is a huge advantage especially to a farm battling environmental mastitis. You will have an easy time controlling the bacteria.

Compost Bedding

Compost is usually used in open-style cow barns. Normally, wood shavings or sawdust are used. To ensure that the cows are comfortable, 12-18 inches of compost should be used. The sawdust or shavings should be added per week.

With open style bans, the composite can rise up to 4 feet. It can then be replaced once or twice a year. It however needs proper ventilation to ensure that the beddings are well aerated. Feed and water also need to be maintained in separate alleys.

Benefits Of Composite Beddings

  • Studies have shown that compost bedding improves claw health. A Vienna based group of researchers led by Johann Burgstaller compared the frequency of lameness and claw disorder in free-stall cubicle barns and compost bedded barns.
  • The team investigated the severity and frequency of claw lesions in the different barns. Compost bedded barns were seen to exhibit half the number of claw disorders. This proves that compost bedding improves claw health.
  • Compost bedding improves social interaction. Barns that are well aerated and maintained are animal friendly. Animals will be more social in such barns and will tend to play more and spend time grooming each other.

Paper Bedding

Used papers shouldn’t go to waste. One of the best ways of recycling papers is using them as dairy cow beddings. Different types of paper beddings can be made from recycled papers. These include paper pulp and shredded waste paper.

Normally, farmers use newspapers for paper beddings. The newspapers are chopped to offer the much needed cushion. Farmers can chop the newspapers at home or get the ready-made paper beddings.

Benefits Of Using Paper Bedding

  • The beddings are affordable
  • They’re easily available
  • Dust-free, sterile and weed free
  • Decompose rapidly
  • They are highly absorbent
  • Paper beddings are durable

Paper based beddings are specially designed to offer dairy cows. Specially made beddings have excellent characteristic that are cow friendly. The latent alkalinity is an added advantage as it serves as a disinfectant. This contributes in the control of pathogen in cow barns.

Paper pulp needs to be handled with care. As it hardens, it may form uneven surfaces. These surfaces are quite uncomfortable and may make the cows avoid lying down. Shredded paper may also attract moisture. This moisture is a microorganism’s breeding ground. If not well managed, this may be a source of pathogen especially mastitis bacteria.

Conclusion

Cow beddings have a huge impact on a cow’s feeding, sleeping and resting habits. Cows spend most of their time seeping. They thus need to be comfortable. Well, the more the rest the more the benefits and profitability. You therefore need to hack ways of ensuring that the cow is always comfortable.

Researchers are working round the clock to improve cows comfort. The above bedding options are just but a few comfortable sleeping options. These should help you increase your cows ‘productivity and dairy profitability. You will have made significant strides towards achieving the desired cow comfort. You will definitely see major changes in the overall cow health, response and productivity.

 

Tips To Designing Your Dairy Cow House

A cow’s comfort is paramount. It goes a long way in enhancing production. One of the major factors that influence cow’s comfort is the cow house design. Popularly known as a barn or pen, the cow house ought to be very comfortable for all cows. Some of the principles that dictate the barn design include;

  • Cow comfort
  • Durability
  • Labor efficiency and concentration
  • Cost efficiency
  • Safety
  • Feed, manure, people, materials and information flow
  • Simplicity, flexibility and expandability

In regards to animal health, the cow shed is designed to accommodate all types of dairy cows. This is done to ensure that the animals get enough free-walking area all year round regardless of their size or age. Such a shade should be able to accommodate all the activities that take place in the shed. Some of the features that will make this possible include;

Free Stall System

This is the cubical system adopted in most dairy cow house designs. This is just but one of the many designs such as loose housing and tie stall designs. The free stall system is very popular among large and small scale farmers as it accommodates all types of animals. It gives a higher level of cow comfort which has been found to increase production.

With the free stall system, dairy cows tend to be very clean. This is very important to a dairy farmer as hygiene plays a major role in determining animal health. Some of the major health challenges farmers face such as mastitis in dairy cows can be managed or avoided with improved hygiene.

The free stall system allows dairy farmers to keep more animals. This makes it more economical compared to other systems such as loose housing. Though the construction cost of the stalls will be high, the extra cost will be justified if it will give you enough space to keep an extra cow.

Milking Parlor

A milking parlor is the section of the cow house where milk is collected from the cow. In some cases, the parlor will be a completely separate room from the cow house while in other cases, especially zero grazing, it will be part of the cow house. Milking parlors are equipped with milking machinery and is designed to accommodate one or more animals at a go depending on the demand.

As you may have found out in our post on milking parlor designs, there are different parlor designs. Different farms will adopt or install different parlor designs depending on the number of animals kept. From an ergonomic point of view, the parlor ought to have sufficient light and ventilation. This is not only important to the cows but also to the milk man.

Cow Handling And Treatment Area

A good cow house design should include a treatment and handling area. This is the section of the house where dairy cows are singled out for specialized care. Normally, it will be located next to the milking parlor and will be used for hoof trimming, veterinary treatments and artificial insemination.

The treatment and handling area should have a treatment box. This box is used to confined individual dairy cows for treatment. Large dairy farms with 60 or more cows ought to have a separate attention area. This section is used to hold animals temporarily with close supervision. With such a room included in your dairy cow house design, it becomes quite easy for you to isolate cows suspected to have contagious diseases.

The handling and treatment section will particularly be very important is mastitis starts to creep in. animals with lameness or any other condition that demands specialized care should be kept here.

Milk Machine And Storage Room

The purpose of keeping dairy cows is getting milk. You therefore need to give great attention to milk collection and storage. The milk machine and storage room is dedicated to serve as the collection and reception area. It is designed in such a way that the milk will be stored in a cool and hygienic environment.

The storage room serves as the dispatching center. It is at this station that the milk will be stored and only released to meet a certain demand. Milking equipment is also kept here. It is at the same station that the equipment will be cleaned.

In some dairy cow house designs, there will be a machine and equipment room. This is part of the section but is meant for the placement of compressors and vacuum equipment. A good design should separate the cooling equipment from heat radiating equipment. In such a design, the milk tanks are kept in a milk room away from other equipment in a bid to avoid inconsistent heat flow and contamination from oils and lubricants.

Office And Sanitation

Dairy farming is a business just like any other. It is thus paramount that you have an office. This is where all managerial and administration functions should be undertaken. Some of the important functions of the office include farm record keeping, veterinary records, animal health and AI record keeping.

In addition to the office, there should be a sanitation room. This can be the same room but serving different functions. The sanitation station hosts a cold storage facility. Veterinary medicine and AI utilities such as bull semen are kept here.

It is recommended that the sanitation room is located in the office’s vicinity. It can play host to the cleaning house or have a washing area for the cleaning and sanitization of the milking equipment. The washing area may be separate but shouldn’t be far from the milking parlor and milk collection center.

Conclusion

Designing a cow house will definitely be one of the major investments that you make when starting a dairy farming business. It therefore needs to be thought through to ensure that you are coming up with a design that will give you value for money. The design can be changed later as the farm grows to accommodate arising needs.

The design you choose to begin with should be flexible enough to accommodate the changes without necessarily making major adjustments. We hope that these tips will help you come up with the best dairy cow house design that will be comfortable, affordable, flexible and durable.

Insight On Dairy Herd Health Management And Disease Control

Modern dairy cow farming has evolved over the years. As the farming techniques change, dairy farms are now inclined towards production efficiency. One of the secrets behind dairy cattle profitability has been the ability to maintain top of the range dairy herd health management.

The goal of dairy herd health management is ensuring optimal care and cattle well-being. This not only boosts dairy productivity but also reduces dairy losses. A herd management program is normally structured in consultation with the herd veterinarian. It is designed in such a way that it will be keyed with dairy herd visits, reproductive examinations, and review of performance records.

Scheduled Dairy Farm Visits

Dairy farm visits are not only necessary but are very vital to the growth and sustainability of the farm. In a farm with less than a hundred animals, a single visit per week is enough. These visits will increase as the number of cows increase.

Farm visits can be categorized into four broad categories; technical visits, emergency and individual animal care, quality control visits and training and analytical visits. All these visits are necessary and should be undertaken on the right time.

Traditional, Scheduled And Technical Visits

These are visits that are planned ahead of time. Normally, they will be reproductive examination visits. The sustainability of the herd is pegged on reproductive success. These visits are aimed at identifying productive and unproductive cattle.

Non-pregnant animals are returned to the farm’s breeding program. It is important to generate data to aid in determination of success or failure of the dairy breeding program.

On small dairy farms, the veterinary will only make routine visits for treatment. These visits include IV injections, vaccinations or dehorning. These are tasks that may not be performed by farm staff and require the attention of the veterinary or technician.

Emergency And Individual Cow Health Care Visits

Much as the better part of the herd may be well and healthy, there are some animals that will require close supervision. These are animals that are prone to diseases. Such animals require individual attention.

Frequent visits to the farm allow the vet to assess the herd’s overall health. These visits are quite vital in the identification of infections and diseases.  The earlier the disease is detected, the easier it will be to treat and manage it.

Ideally, a dairy health management program should include a system to detect cattle whose performance is below expectations. High risk dairy cows should receive special attention. This should include monitoring the cow’s temperature, rumen activity, sleeping and eating habits.

Analytic And Training Visits

These are visits that will only be effective if there’s a good system. This is a system that should capture all the activities and their results. The collected information enables analysis and decision making for ongoing revision.

The dairy herd health management system should include these visits to allow the farmer and the veterinary discuss dairy management issues. Set specific training sessions if the dairy farm relies on hired professionals.

Training visits are very beneficial to the dairy farm. They give the farm personnel an opportunity to learn the standard treatment procedures for the common diseases. They also come in handy in the scheduling of treatment plans.

Quality Control Visits

These are visits aimed at ensuring performance consistency. They are focused more on management processes such as milking management, young stock management and nutrition management. Housing and environment quality control visits may also be factored.

Milk management is considered to the standard element of dairy farm quality control programs. This makes it necessary to perform important tasks such as teat scoring and milking routines. These should be done at-least four times (quarterly) per year.

One of the crucial training that should be done is that on mastitis treatment. The dairy farm personnel need to be trained on how to screen for mastitis. The screening should be done on heifers, dry cows and fresh cows. The veterinary should also teach them how to perform a California Mastitis test. Cow udder quarters that show signs of mastitis should be submitted for culture.

The quality of a dairy herd is determined at the early development stage. New born calves and young replacement heifers need specialized care. These are the future of the dairy herd. They are placed away from lactating cows and the veterinary should ensure that the farm personnel are well versed with the feeding rations and procedures.

Generally, the quality control visits should be able to address all areas pertaining dairy cow health. These visits should be able to establish if quality standards are met in udder cleanliness, housing conditions, hock and hoof lesions and herd walkabouts.

Record Keeping

A successful herd health management program requires proper record keeping. The records should be well maintained and should capture all aspects of the cows’ health. One of the sure ways one ensuring success is having cow collars, ear tags and branding. Transponders or neck and ankle straps may also be used to identify cows electronically.

Data collection should be done at all stages of the cow’s growth. The farm should ensure that proper records in calving, breeding, milking, treatment; culling and other crucial stages are maintained.

Data analysis is vital in cow health management cycles. Properly maintained records can be accessed electronically with computerized systems such as Dairy Herd Improvement system. Monitoring programs such as hand-written cards and on-farm computer program may also be used.

Cow Health And Production Problem Investigation

Health problems are a norm in dairy farms. They will attack regardless of the efforts put to manage dairy animals’ health. Dairy herd health management incorporates surveillance programs. These are programs aimed at detecting diseases and health problems beforehand.

Dairy cow health investigation goes a long way in curbing considerable costs associated with treating cow diseases. The health systems help in investigation of outbreaks, effects of drugs and disease prevalence.

Conclusion

Every dairy farmer needs to have a clear understanding of their herd health and the challenges faced. Ongoing scientific advancements have been very instrumental in enabling farmers understand their animals’ health.

It’s now easy for farmers to identify diseases, understand different vaccines and their usage and the solution to various health challenges. Though there are numerous dairy health challenges today, you are now better equipped to handle them. We have gone an extra mile to discuss some of the common cow diseases and health challenges. We hope that our research will help you run a healthy dairy farm and boost your production and productivity.