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.

 

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.