2/6/2019
1
• Cow Comfort Opportunity to Promote
Great Nutrition - Milk
Freestall Cow Comfort: Are We Getting
the Job Done?
Mark Hardesty, DVM, MS
Cows Lying Comfortably
For How Many Hours?
I Involvement Opportunity
Before Build
Cows Lying Comfortably
2/6/2019
2
Freestall Dimensions
Stalls Should Fit Cows !
• Body Stall Resting Total Neck Rail
• Wgt Width Length Length Height
• 800 36 52 6’ 1” 37
• 1000 40 57 6’ 9” 40
• 1200 44 61 7’ 6” 43
• 1400 47 66 8’ 2” 45
• 1500 Hol 48 68 8” 6” 46
• 1600 51 70 8’ 10” 48
• 1800 54 75 9’ 6” 51
Comfort While Rising
Cows Lunge Pretty Far
Open Freestalls
Current Stall Divider Design
2/6/2019
3
Added Outside Lunge
“Dog Housing”
Neck Rail Placement
Tire Brisket Barrier
2/6/2019
4
New Technologies
• Separated Manure Solids Have Challenges
and Potential. Deep beds are difficult to keep
dry.
• Mattresses continue to improve cushion, grip,
and less abrasive surfaces
• Waterbeds may be gaining in popularity, some
have been very happy others not so much.
Mattresses & Waterbeds
Must Have Bedding
52” Wide 70 Long
Sand Bedding $2/cwt
Advantage
Sand Is Very Forgiving Bedding Sand Lane & Dewatering Floor Designs
2/6/2019
5
Flumes for Sand 3%
Clean Water
Compacted Sand is
Co Contaminated Sand
Stalls Dug Out
Comfort While Eating
2/6/2019
6
Top Tilted
Neck Rail Comfort
Glazed Tile in Feed Table
Bunk Comfort Doesn’t Matter When Empty
Medial Claw Rotation Walking, Standing, Mounting
Non-Skid, Non Abrasive Surface
2/6/2019
7
Rubber Flooring: Holding Pens and Travel
Lanes Not at Feed Bunks Hoof Overgrowth Foot Baths
2/6/2019
8
Milking Parlor Comfort
Hospital Pens Needed - Every Dairy Every Day
2/6/2019
9
Let’s Talk About Housing Density
Prefresh, Postfresh, Breeding, Pregnant
Crossovers
Waiting Cows Handling in Pens
2/6/2019
10
Facilities Determine Productivity
How does the dairy flow?
2/6/2019
11
