164 VETERINARY HYGIENE 



lockers. The saddle-brackets should be about 3 feet from each 

 other and the collar-hooks placed midway between them. Suitable 

 dimensions for lockers are 2 feet high by 1 foot 6 inches in width. 

 A dry cupboard is necessary for the storing of rugs, bandages, &c., 

 which should be carefully dried and aired before being put away. 

 A cupboard, which like the clothing-store should be locked, is useful 

 for storing medicine and first-aid dressings. 



Food Store and Food Preparation Room. In small stables a 

 special food preparation room is not absolutely necessary, the hay 

 and the straw can be chaffed in the loft over the harness room, into 

 which the chaff and grain can be run by chutes. For a large stud a 

 special food store and preparation room is very desirable. For 

 general convenience it should be placed on the same level as the stable 

 and communicating above with a hay loft. The preparation room 

 must be light, dry, airy and rat-proof. The equipment necessary 

 for the preparation and mixing of the food for a large stud of horses 

 includes a chaff-cutting machine, which may be fitted with win- 

 nowers and sifters, but the so-called deleterious effect of the dust 

 in hay and straw has been greatly overestimated. It is, however, 

 necessary to see that nails, cut wire, &c., are removed from the 

 chaff. A combined oat-bruiser and bean-kibbler should be installed 

 in every large establishment. 



Artificial Light. Some form of artificial lighting is necessary 

 in every stable. Electric light should, of course, be used if it is 

 available, and the cost of installation is not too great. Of gas, 

 incandescent should always be used in preference to ordinary gas 

 as it gives a better light and its combustion products are considerably 

 less. Whatever light is used, whether oil lamps or either of the 

 foregoing, the fittings must be hung sufficiently high to be out of 

 reach of the horses. 



COW - SHEDS. 



TYPES OF BYRES AND GENERAL ARRANGEMENT. The planning 

 of a cow-shed must be carefully considered, as attention to detail of 

 structure and fitting has a great effect on the health of the animals, 

 the quality of the milk, the comfort of the attendants, economy in 

 labour, cost of initial construction and of subsequent upkeep. 



It must be clearly understood that it is unnecessary to incur 

 great expenditure in order to build a hygienic byre, and that it 

 is usually possible to reconstruct an insanitary building without great 

 or unreasonable expense. Fancy fittings and costly and complicated 

 ventilating systems are not only unnecessary, but undesirable. 



