Cow stall: dimensions and drawings, how to do it yourself at home

The performance of a farm animal, its he alth and duration of use is directly affected by its comfort. Cattle (cattle) is no exception. It is important to properly equip the animals with a room for keeping - a barn. And also pay special attention to cow stalls - a personal space where cattle eat and rest.

Features of building a stall with your own hands

The optimal material for building a cattle shed on a small farm is boards. But stone or brick are suitable as an alternative. The first guarantees the strength of the barn. But it has a detrimental effect on the he alth of animals, which, in damp concrete conditions, get sick more often.

To make a wooden structure more durable, the foundation is poured. The cement base will ensure the durability of the barn. It will keep it dry and warm. The stone is useful for building adjacent walls.

Requirements

When compiling a preliminary drawing with calculations, the farmer takes as a basis the potential of his capabilities, the availability of ready-made structures available for conversion, the area, and the number of heads. It is also important when building a barn to take into account the dimensions of the animal: for fattening bulls, one size is provided, for more “fragile” cows - others, and for calves - third.

But there are things to keep in mind when setting up a barn with a stall:

• a plot for construction is selected on a hill;
• in the building you need to make a drain;
• Think over the conditions for securing the cow for milking and feeding;
• belt or rope should not cause discomfort when moving up and down;
• Tethered cows need free entry/exit to the stall, as well as movement around the barn.

Schemes and drawings

When calculating the parameters of an individual place for a farm animal, not only the overall dimensions of the individual are taken into account, but also the space necessary for the comfortable movement of a cow or a bull. The dimensions of the stall for tethered cattle are calculated according to the table. The figures given in it are averaged and vary depending on the size of the individual: a bull will need more space, as well as cows who like to lie down more.

Table. Indicative figures for calculating the size of the stall:

Lengths from calf above knee to back Head volume 0.5Extra space for maneuvers 0.5

1.6-1.8

Pen length

According to this parameter, animal husbandry distinguishes several types of barns. The main ones are:

1. Long (more than 2 m). The main disadvantages are an increase in labor costs and an irrational attitude to the territory. Minus may affect milk yields.
2. Medium (1.7-2m). Optimal range for tethered keeping of cattle. Production indicators do not suffer, the economy feels relatively free.
3. Shortened (1.1-1.4 m). Too short for the animal. Under such conditions, the hindquarters partition injures the cow's udder, causing mastitis.

Width

The unconditional unit for the adult cattle population is 1 m. It is permissible to decrease the value to 0.8 m when keeping young animals up to 20 months old. In general, the calculation is carried out taking into account the characteristics of the content group.

Table. Stall parameters by type of cattle (tethered method):

0.9-1.01.7For sires1.52.0

View		Length, m
Dry and milking	1,0-1 ,2	1,7-2
Deep pregnancy	1 ,2-2	2,0
News	1, 2	2,0
Meat (fattening cows and bulls)

Several methods are applied to calves. The conservative one provides for keeping them in a cage in an insulated room with wooden flooring - up to 1.5 months. Then the individuals are transferred to a room with an area of at least 4 m2²

Gender

The norm for one adult head is 1.7-2.3 m^{2Do it at an angle, which allows the feces to drain. But it should not be large, otherwise the risk of animal injury increases. The optimal figure is 2-3 °. The floor can be solid and partially slatted. In the latter case, a reservoir is placed under the structure.}

If the flooring is wooden, it will last a maximum of 2-3 years. It is often done to keep warm and reduce the cost of additional bedding. To extend the service life, they resort to organizing a concrete floor. In addition to such advantages as moisture resistance, protection against rodents, its main disadvantage is the cold.

Shed bedding

It is a layer of evenly distributed hay. The latter is replaced weekly with a new one. In larger barns, polyurethane flooring or rubber mats are an alternative. They keep you clean and warm.

Where to place the barn

Before building, determine the location of the building.The structure for cows is located at least 15 m from a well or well. Sometimes a barn with stalls is combined with a blank wall of the dwelling. Here, savings on building materials come to the fore. But most often outbuildings are built at a distance from the home. When selecting a site, they also provide for a paddock.

Building process

Building a small barn with stalls for bulls or cows is easy. The main thing is to make calculations and arm yourself with the appropriate consumables. The video will help you to realize your plan on your own:

But the design of a large barn with stalls for cows, as well as its construction, should be entrusted to an experienced person. The latter will be able to take into account all the necessary details.

Foundation

Its quality affects the life of the building. If you plan to build a brick shed, it is better to pour a monolithic foundation under it. For a wooden barn, a columnar one is also suitable. When pouring any kind, they organize a drain, perform waterproofing.

Floor, walls, roof

The base must be suitable for cattle hooves and waterproof. Sometimes the floor in the stalls is made of boards. But more often concrete is poured. To drain feces, gutters 1 cm high and 2 cm wide are laid, providing for a slope in advance.

The walls protect the livestock from the winds, creating the necessary microclimate in the stalls. When building a large cowshed, they are laid out from adobe bricks. From below, the building for cows is framed with straw-clay masonry.

If you choose burnt bricks for laying walls, the thickness is made in 1.5 pieces. For a small structure (keeping a few cows at home), heat-retaining wood is preferred.

At the end, a roof is laid over the stalls - tiled or slate. In areas with warm winters and long daylight hours, they are covered with polycarbonate. An attic is provided under the arch. The latter, in addition to the functions of the air layer, will be an excellent storage for hay and equipment.

"Interior" of the bull barn

When planning a structure, it is important to be guided not only by the given parameters of the sides. There are also such components:

1. Ventilation. Made natural, avoiding drafts.
2. Heating system. Construction uses insulating material.
3. Lighting. In addition to the daily, artificial is provided for good performance.
4. Drinkers. They supply water by hand or lay water pipes during construction.
5. New remover. At home, the easiest way to clean it is weekly, with a bed of hay.

To ensure high production performance, a cow, a bull needs to create comfortable conditions. The arrangement of stalls will help to achieve the optimal microclimate.

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