DAIRY CATTLE 



369 



There must be plenty of windows to admit fresh air and 

 sunlight. A dark barn affords an ideal place for the growth of 

 bacteria. Sunlight is the greatest enemy of bacteria. A barn 

 may be ventilated by dropping the windows in from the top. 



The stalls should be adjusted to the size of the cows 

 (Fig. 184). For Holsteins, or other large cows, the stalls should 

 be at least 3} feet wide and 5 feet long, measured from the 

 stanchion to the manure gutter. For cows of the size of the 

 Jersey, the stall should be 3 feet wide and 4^ feet long. It is 

 advisable to make the platform wider at one end than at the 



FIG. 184. Cross-section diagram of a dairy barn 



other so that the largest cows may be accommodated at the 

 wider end and the smaller cows at the narrow end. When 

 the platform is accurately adjusted to the size of the cow, it is 

 much easier to keep the cows clean. The -manger should be 

 at least 2\ feet wide and the manure gutter at least 16 inches 

 wide and from 6 to 10 inches deep. 



The floor of a barn may be made from almost any building 

 material, but a cement floor will give more general satisfaction 

 than any other, because the cement floor is durable and easier 

 to keep clean. In colder climates a wooden platform can be 

 built over the cement floor during the cold weather and thus 

 protect the cows from the cold. 



