CONDITION OF CO W SHEDS 5 1 9 



act in some measure as a crystallisation of the theorj^- of the 

 regulations under the Dairies Orders, 1885- 1899. We may also 



external aperture is four or five times smaller than the internal orifice. These 

 are placed at about 7 feet above the floor, and the air which enters by such cone- 

 shaped openings becomes readily diffused. Another simple method is to place 

 2-inch tile pipes in the wall near the eaves with 2 inches of rise from the outside 

 inwards. Outlets for the egress of foul air should be provided in the roof — or, 

 if there is a loft or ceiling a chimney is desirable. Louvre ventilators may be 

 employed, or the ridge may be elevated and provided with outlets at proper 

 internals. Roughly speaking, 30 to 40 square inches of inlet area per animal is 

 advisable, while the outlets should be at least equal to the inlets or, preferably, a 

 little more. The external door should be divided crosswise, so that the top half 

 may be left open when desired. 



Increased cubic space is of little value without proper ventilation. 



Flooring. — The floor of a cowshed should not in any part be below the surface 

 of the ground. It should be properly laid and graded so as to take away all 

 liquids falling upon it. Concrete cov^ered with cement properly furrowed is 

 perhaps the best flooring, because no filth can accumulate in the joints as in 

 ordinary- paving. If flags or setts are used they should be laid on a bed of con- 

 crete and jointed with cement. 



Drainage. — The floor of the standing should have a fall of 2 or 3 inches from 

 the manger to the manure channel, whilst the floor of the channel itself should have 

 a fall outwards of at least half-an-inch in cross section, and a fall longitudinally 

 of half-an-inch per single stall, so as to drain away the liquids ; the floor itself 

 should have a similar fall. The channel should discharge on to a trapf>ed gully 

 outside the cowshed leading to a liquid manure tank. No covered drain should 

 exist inside the cowshed. 



Midden. — A proper middenstead should be provided in accordance with the 

 bye-laws as to prevention of nuisances. Its walls should be made of hard im- 

 per\ious material, and the roof should be supported by means of piers, thereby 

 providing for adequate ventilation and the exclusion of rain. The floormg 

 should also be impers-ious. 



Yard. — The yard and approaches to the cowshed should be prof)erly formed, 

 graded and paved to take away the surface water, which should not discharge 

 into the midden. 



Manger. — A half-round salt-glazed trough, rising 12 or 15 inches above the 

 floor, is much superior to a wooden tub. A hay-rack inunediately over this 

 trough obviates the placing of fodder on the floor. Neither the foddering pass- 

 age nor any part of the cowshed should be used for the storage of foods. A 

 proper food store should be provided. 



Water. — Where the water supply is not derived from a public source, great 

 attention should be given to its protection. 



General. — No poultry- or pigs should be kept in any part of the cowshed, and 

 it is desirable also that horses and calves should be excluded. 



A thermometer in the cowshed is useful. 



//. Existing Cowsheds. 



There are no doubt some buildings used as cowsheds which were not origin- 

 ally constructed for that purpose and which cannot, except by reconstruction, be 



