174 ILLINOIS STATE "OAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



well-nigh impossible to control tuberculosis in a cattle herd 

 if the animals are stabled in a poorly ventilated barn. The 

 now very popular accredited herd work, aiming to eradi- 

 cate tuberculosis, recognizes adequate building ventilation 

 as being very important to the success of this work. 



Too many stockmen have failed to give the subject of 

 ventilation thoughtful consideratipn, with the result that 

 their buildings have become centers of disease and the 

 death losses are high in the herd. Fresh air is free and ab- 

 solutely essential to the health and maximum efficiency of 

 every living thing. Why deny it to animals that must be 

 healthy to be profitable? 



Careful tests show that the average 900-pound cow 

 gives off daily 1.9 gallons of water as invisible vapor from 

 the skin and lungs. A 20-cow stable would, therefore, have 

 38 gallons of water deposited in the air daily, approximate- 

 ly 1% barrels. This would go a long ways to explain the 

 wet floors and bedding in poorly ventilated stables. — Ex- 

 tension Service Bulletin No. 106, Iowa State College of Ag- 

 riculture and Mechanic Arts. 



Dairy Barn Construction. 



In a cow stable there are certain features, such as light, 

 floor space, ventilation, air space, stalls, mangers, and gut- 

 ters, which are generally recognized as essential. 



Sunlight is considered essential to the health of the 

 dairy cow, and it also tends to destroy disease germs which 

 may be found in dark and dirty stables. It is necessary, 

 therefore, that ample window space be provided. Four 

 square feet of glass per cow is desirable, and a much larger 

 amount is preferable, except in extremely cold climates. 



Cow Stalls — The size and arrangement of cow stalls 

 have become nearly standardized in general practice, ex- 

 cept in respect to a few details. Manufacturers of cow- 

 stable equipment have adjustable devices which permit 

 moving the stanchion supports either forward or backward 

 to accommodate various sizes of cows. The reason for vary- 

 ing the length of the platform or using these aligning de- 

 vices is to keep the cows lined at the gutter when standing, 



