782 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



4. Cement. 



5. Cork Brick. 



6. Creosote Blocks. 



7. Planks dipped in creosote. 



The dirt floor with cement or wood gutter is cheap and com- 

 fortable; however, it takes up moisture and is not very easily 

 cleaned. It is superior to the wood floor in nearly every respect, 

 especially if made with clay that will pack firmly. Brick floors are 

 not very desirable and as they are rather expensive are used but 

 little at the present time. Cement is the material which comes 

 nearest the requirements for the dairy barn. It is impervious to 

 moisture, sanitary and easily cleaned, the cost is not great and if 

 properly constructed it is very durable. However, it should not 

 be too smooth or the cows are likely to slip and be injured. 

 Furthermore, the cement floor is hard and unyielding and unless 

 a generous supply of bedding is used during the cold weather, 

 udder troubles may occur from contact with the cold cement. These 

 objections may be readily overcome by putting cork brick or creosote 

 blocks on top of the cement in the cow stalls. Either will be found 

 to be very efficient and valuable, but it is impossible to make 

 definite statements concerning their relative durability as they have 

 not been in use long enough. 



Planks dipped in creosote are quite an improvement over the un- 

 dipped planks but not equal to the cement with the cork brick or 

 creosote block in the cow stalls. It is a good idea to have the 

 cement wall extend up to the bottom of the windows, care being 

 taken not to leave a corner or crack for the accumulation of dirt 

 at the junction of the floor and wall. 



ARRANGEMENT OF LOTS AND PASTURES. 



On the dairy farm are old bulls, bull calves, cows in calf, open 

 cows, heifers in calf and those not, and heifer calves. Pastures 

 and grass lots should be provided for each of these classes of animals. 

 No worse mistake can be made than to permit cows heavy with calf 

 and cows that are liable to come in heat to run together. Those 

 in calf are liable to be caused to abort and much loss is thus oc- 

 casioned. Cows in heat should be at once removed to a separate 

 small pasture until this period is over, for even after considering 

 abortion, such animals may cause cows milking heavily to fret and 

 fall away greatly in their milk ilow. Young heifers and heifer 

 calves do best when kept separate and to themselves, for dairy 

 animals come in heat very young and if running with older animals 

 they are likely to be broken down and ruined at such times. Be- 

 cause of this hot-blooded characteristic, heifer and bull calves 

 should be kept separate after they are three months of age. Many 

 instances are on record where dairy bred heifers have become acci- 

 dentally impregnated and practically ruined when only three months 

 of age. Lots and small pastures are very convenient and it is 

 doubtful whether it is possible to have too many of them on the 

 dairy farm. 



What might be termed a night pasture is provided by many dairy- 

 men to accommodate the milking herd during the night, close to the 



