STABLES FOR COWS 305 



their forefeet slip and they drop on their knees, resulting after 

 a time in enlarged joints. This trouble is avoided in a large 

 measure by making a depression of an inch where the fore- 

 feet stand. 



Probably the best plan is to construct the entire floor of 

 the barn, including stalls, passageways and mangers, of 

 cement, then to cover the platform where the cows stand, as 

 suggested, with wood. 



Arrangement of Cattle in Barn. The best and most com- 

 mon plan is to stand the cattle in a double row. This makes 

 it possible to light the entire stable readily and to feed and 

 remove the manure conveniently. There is much discussion 

 as to the comparative advantages of placing the cows with 

 their heads together or with heads outward. There are some 

 advantages in favor of each. When facing the center, both 

 rows may be fed by making one trip down the passageway 

 with the feed truck, distributing the feed on both sides. The 

 removal of the manure is most convenient when the animals 

 are headed out, since by driving through with the manure 

 spreader and loading directly from the trenches, considerable 

 labor is saved, or if a track carrier is used, it may be loaded 

 readily from both gutters. The cows present a better appear- 

 ance to visitors when headed out. The walls of the barn do 

 not become splashed with manure with this arrangement. 

 In regard to ventilation, there is some advantage in having the 

 heads outward, since the fresh air usually enters along the 

 outside wall. The greatest difficulty that is usually expe- 

 rienced in heading the animals outward is constructing the 

 barn without the use of center posts that are in the way and 

 obstruct the passageway behind the animals. When the 

 cows are headed toward the center, the posts for support are 

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