Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 226, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1913 — COMFORT AN ESSENTIAL IN THE DAIRY BARN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMFORT AN ESSENTIAL IN THE DAIRY BARN

By R. E. CALDWELL,

Department of Dairy Husbandry, Purdue University, School of Agriculture.

Purdue University Agricultural Exten slon.

Such a barn ae the above may be constructed at a cost of about SSO per cow, and it will be found to give excellent satisfaction.

Indiana, as a state, has very acceptable farm buildings, although, in many Instances, they are woefully lacking in general sanitary construction and convenience. Barns that are especially adapted for one line of animal husbandry are very rare, indeed, only in exceptional cases, is it advisable for farmers to construct buildings of a specialized type. Where dairying is the leading business of the farm, special arrangements must be made whether the cows are housed together with other classes of live stock or isolated in a separate building. Where cows are expected to yield a large return in an economical way, certain factors must be considered in the construction of their stable. The first, and prime requisite is that of comfort. Poorly constructed floors and the absence of light or proper ventilation will retard high production and be conducive to disease. Convenience in general arrangement will do much to reducn the cost of production as contented dairy farm labor is a very essential factor in successful dairying. Silos that are located at a disadvantage for feeding or feed bins that require a trip to the second floor, tend to make the dairy work a burden rather than an agreeable operation. The location or position, the milk Shouse occupies, with respect to the cows, will have much to do with the quality of the milk, as convenience in weighing and cooling the milk is necessary if it IS properly done. In general, dairy bams are of three classes: —the two-story dairy and storage barn, the single story bam and the.covered shed milking stable. The first one mentioned is generally considered the most desirable among men that are definitely established in the dairy business. Its compactness, with respect to feeding and the possibilities of convenient arrangement, causes many to select this type. The single story bam is ideal in many ways, especially from the standpoint of sanitary construction. Its cost, however, is much higher than that ot any other type when you consider the matter of providing the necessary feed stprage space. A covered shed and milking stable will meet the needs of the average dairyman to excellent advantage and, at the same time, be witbin his means. Its chief difference lies in the fact that only a small section need be reserved for milking purposes, leaving a large amount of space available for the cows to have free range and still be protected from the weather and have the feed conveniently located.

All milking stables, whether of ona type or another, should have the same essential dimensions for that section occupied by the cows. The average width of a dairy bam should range from 30 to 36 feet with a ceiling 8% or 9 feet in height All walls and ceilings should be tight and of a smooth material. Light and ventilation are two essentials of the dairy. The windows should occupy about half of the w»& space above the line of a four-foot wainscoting. The King system of ventilation may be installed at a very moderate cost and be found to be veryeffective. The floor and its detailed construe* tion will have more to do with a satisfactory barn than any other one factor. The materials to use in its construction may depend upon circumstance, however, for the average man, cement is the best material. To be true, it will be necessary to bed the cows heavily with straw but, in either event, the practice is advisable. The platform upon which the cows stand should vary in length from 4 fL 8 to 5 ft. 2, depending upon the size of the cows. The stall width is usually given at 3 ft. 6, 3 ft. 9, or even 4 fL for extra large cows. The platform should be about one inch lower at the gutter than it is at the manger to facilitate proper drainage. The gutter should have perpendicular sides and have a dimension of 16 in. in width and 7 or 8 in. in depth. The floor bohind the cows should be four or five feet wide in order that the walls may be kept clean and the milkers have ample room for milking the cows and cleaning the stables. The manger may be made of cement, although the use of this material is discouarged. The bottom of the manger should be on the level with the front feet of the cows or slightly above, never below. Its width at the top should be 33 in. ot 36 in. as a large amount of the teed will be wasted if a narrower type is used. There are various types of ties used in dairy barns, however, the swing stanchion is generally considered the best method. Stanchions that permit of only a small amount of freedom and have an adjustable construction prove very efficient In a word, the construction of a dairy barn is a very simple matter, but without a proper knowledge of details, serious error may be made. The Dairy Department of Purdue stands ready to assist those that arecontemplating the construction of a dairy bam in working out the detail* of their plans.

CROUND FLOOR PLAN of PRACTICAL DARY DARN