144 



DAIRY FARMING 



rising and, by stopping the loss of heat, also makes the con- 

 crete warmer for the cow to lie on. One of the best floor 

 arrangements is one in which the floor, manger, and passage- 

 ways are of concrete with a wooden platform on top of the 



concrete under the cows. 

 In this case two inches 

 of concrete under the 

 plank is sufficient if 

 placed on solid ground. 

 130. The Gutter. The 

 gutter is often made too 

 shallow. It should be 

 preferably about 8 or 9 

 inches deep and about 



FIG. 40. Modern stalls and ties. Steel 

 construction gives a neat appearance, is 

 sanitary, strong, and durable. 



16 inches wide and should 

 be tight to prevent urine 

 from getting under the floor. A common plan is to have the 

 passageway behind the animals 2 to 4 inches lower than 

 the platform. 



131. The Stalls. When the cow is tied in a stanchion, 

 the stall should be 42 to 44 inches wide for the large breeds, 

 while 36 to 42 inches is sufficient for the smaller breeds. 

 Partitions are used in many barns, but some dairymen pre- 

 fer to dispense with them for the sake of facilitating the move- 

 ment of the cows in getting in and out of the stalls, and for 

 convenience in doing chores. 



132. Mangers. Concrete is the best material for mangers 

 from the standpoint of sanitation and durability. The most 

 common type of concrete manger is the continuous, which 

 is built in the form of a trough before the cows. By having 

 the feed alley raised, feed can be swept into the manger with- 

 out lifting. (See Fig. 36.) The main advantage of this 



