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Stalis and Tie
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LHESIS
THESIS.
STALLS AND TIES

POR
NAIRY cows.

by

 

R. A. Whitnev, "Ol.

—
to

Michigan Agricultural Colle ve.
THESIS

 
Stalls and Ties for Deirv Cows.

Tr => &. gnu > .2--a-

 

The question as to which steil and tie is best adapted to

the needs of the deiry farmer is one that %as confronted everv
ridik,

meet
person interested directly in the production of first cl

butter, or cnsese,. This, to the casual observer, would seer an

easy question to decide. But to the thouyzhtful person, searching

for the stall and tie that will give tne greatest de;ree of comfcrt

fo his covs, and, at the sane time, keep them clean and be conveni-

ent for the herdsmén to use, there aprears an almost endless

wiber Of stalls each of which has some one or more advaitases

Over &21 Others, and none of them reachin;; perfection. The process

of conjerison and elininetion soon reduces the number to a dozen

Or more but at this point, it becomes alrncst imossitle to decide

which of the remaining few is best adapted to meet the above

reauirements. The question as to which is best is one that must
be solved by the person who is to uws2 tra stalls and ties and can

not be answered to the satisrantion of al] excant by havin, “he

different stvles side by side and using them for some time under

varying conditions. The cebject then, of tnis thesis is not to

detearnine the best tie, but to give the opinions of leadin;; Michizen

and from tnese opinions and tre observetions

Deiryvmnen on this suoject
at tne College and elsevwnere, to

9
5

td
A

Of 42 writer on the sta.
same of tre standerd stells and

a4

Classify the Leadin,; features of

give at the sane time, the objections to them hy peorle qualified

to jude,

Foliwing is a list of the questions sent out to prominent

104034
ma

 

 
oe ee nD

farmers and the answers received in reply thereto:
1. What stall and tie predominates in your stables?

2. In what respects is it better than others which you have

tried?
5. What defects, if anv, has it?

4. What strong points have other ties that vou heve used or
Of which vou have knowledre?

- What defects?

6. If you were to equip a new barn with stiils and ties what

Style would you put in?
7. Why this one in preference to others?

S&S. What, in vour estimation, snould be the determining factor

in selecting a stall and tie for a dairy cow?

IT. Answers received from Coion ©, Lillie ofr Cocpersville,Mich.

Ll. " We tie all our cows in double stalls, one on eltner side

Of the steil, All are tied arcund tre neck and the chain or rope

slips up and down on an iron bar, avout one foot long, attached

tO side of stall. I water in V shaped trough on top of manger."

oe "“ I have naver tried anv other kind."

3 " Some cows will not keep ciean,"

4 " The Bidwell and Model stalls will keep the cows clean."

"The cows are too much shut up, one can scarcely see

UI

e
tnem from in front. Tney necessitate buckets for watering, which
in some respects, are objectionable."

+%
oie

6. " I doubt if I should change. Might possibly use

iron bar that works on plan of Model stall,"

7. \™“ Cormels anins.1l to stand back when in normal position
fs

and draws her ahead when she lies down."

6. "“ First, the cow must be comfortanle; second, have as

much liberty as possible; tnird, keep as clean as possivle,"
II, Answers received from H, FP. Probert of Jackson, Mich.

( Note: Mr. Probert's answer is inserted merely to show

to what extremes a man may so in carins for his cows.)

1." All of my stélis, gutters, etc. are of special desi;n and

unlike any others, the stalls all vary in length and width from

end to end, There is an upper and lower manger. Part of the uprer

one is divided off for salt and over the lower one is the covered

drinking basin (Automatic). Back of the cows is a double cutter,

alj. of tron laid in cement. The upper holds the solids and through

tois drains the liquids to tne lower ~<utter leading to the sewer

and storaze 1500 feet away. The liquid is sprinkled on the land

when needed.
The cOWS have a leatner belt on neck witn ring, for fastening

With chain and snap, the chain rising and falling on center rod

Of stall. The stalls are aij. of cast and wrought iron, floors of

cenent, barns stean heated to prevent water from freezin:: (only)

and utters are furnished with water from a five inch pipe. No

feed is kept near stock, all. are fed three times each dav, grain

twice, and barns are well ventilated.*

4. "T have used many different stalls and ties. None are

all. right. Bach has some leadin; feature, Few men would go into

Inv barns and not wish they could duplicate the stalis, etc., vet
there are some men who would offer sugrestions*.
8. " A cow stall should be designed to give the cow all

possible freedom and comfort and the attendant likewise, and do not
ve

tt

vy

 
overlook ireans for cleanin,.*

From F. P. Peck, Coopersville, Mich.

Le " I have two kinds of stalls in use in rg stables, One

kind is the double stall for two cows, one tied at side witn a

rope around tne neck fastened to a ring which can slip up and down

on an iron rod. The stalls vary in length from 4 ft. 4" to 4 ft,10"

and are six feet wide. The other kind is tne Bidwell stall, When

a cow is too larre or two small for the double stall, I put her

in a Bidwell whicn can be made to fit any sized animal."

2. "“ It is handy and comfortable for the cows,"

Se "It is hard to keep sOme cows clean in them, Bidwell

is not lixed by tre milkers,*

4. "TZ have never used anv other kind except the old fashioned

rivid stanchion, which,

De
I discarded years ago as being a relic of barbarism."

6. * The sane two kinds,.®
7. "I believe the Bidwell to pe the vest and safest stall

in use. I would use it for young stock and for animals that

would not fit the double stalls.*

8. "Should cive a cow plenty of room, keep her clean and

comfortable, and prevent her from wasting, her feed."

From J. M. Park, Co:persvi:.te, Mich.
Le " The stall.s we now have in use are the GG. %, Scott

patern only we stand two cows together and tie with the American Cow

Tie Chain.*
2e " I don't know as they are any better than a number of

Others,"
#5

3. " I don’t know of any defects."

4. " I know of none that are anv better. "Ww knowledge of

ties is itimited being, confined to head-rope and rigid stanchion.

One is too confining and the other gives too much liberty."
5. “ The defects are too numerous to mention."

" This is a hard question to answer as there are a

I would combine durability,

Ge
number of very ,-00d stalls and ties.

ease and confort for tne animal, handiness in cleaning and feeding

and a supply of drinking water."

7. \™“ Because I think ther are essential points,"

3. ( See answer to 6.)

From Janes H. Uuther of Lamont, Mich.

Le " ITuse in m stable wnat is called the Scott stail, invented

by Ge. BE. Scott of Ohio, and tie the cows with cormon chain catile

tie with toggle and ring."

2e " The cows are perfectly comfortable and keep reasonably

clean, The stalls are very siiple and easily; made and are very

convenient to put feed in, The cows can not waste any feed or steal

each others. The stalls can be very readily arranved to fit any

animnel larse or small,"

Oe " They reguire a little more room than some other stalls."

4. "TI heve never use@ anv other patent stall."

5. Oat -) 8 eo ew eee 8 le 8

6. " I should most certainly: use the same stall from my

present knowledge."
7. " Por the reason given in number two."

8. " Comfort of the cow hy all means."
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~~ =

 

 

 
From BE. H. peck, Coopersviile, Mich.

Ll. " One of mv own construction."

ae " It is vetter than any other stell I ever used because it
keeps the cows clean and is comfurtable?

5. " I know of no defects. I believe it to be the best cow
stall I ever saw. I tried sone of the patent stalls but did not
like tnem,*

4. "TI use the Gorman tie chain."

oe " The large ring shorld be made smaller.Sometimes a snall
cow will put her foot through it."

Se ™ T would put in the style I now rave,"

7. ©“ It is comfortable and keeps tre cows clean.®

Froa F, M. Luther, Lamont, Mich.
lt. © We have the old fasnioned stanchion, not from choice,
but because we nave tram and don't Like to s»vend money on the old
barn in chanziny.®
ee " Yhe stanchion hes few virtues."
3

- "It is too rigid and confines the cows tco much."

» " The chain tie wrere a short chain is passed around the

i

cows neck and a rinj; is allowed to slide up and down On an iron
rod, keepiny the cow in place but civiny; her freedom to lick herself,
and a manger with bars slanting, toward tne cow so that when she
stunds up she must move back and forward wnen lying down, will keep
the cows clean.”
Se. " It allows tne cow to stand in the gutter if sne chooses,
Whicn few do,*

6. " IT am not certain but think one similar to the one
#7

described in ansavering No. 4."
7. “Ft gives comfort and freedom and keeps her ciean."

8. " Comfort, convenience, cleanliness."

The replies here quoted will cive an idea of what stalls are
used bi Michigan dairymen and why they are used, It remains for
me to sun up tneir reports and give what anpears to me as the
leadin;; features and principal @efects of some of the more important
Stalls ard ties.

In tne first place, What are tne essential features of a
500d dairy stail and tie? It is generally conceeded that, above
all things, the cow must be kept comfortable from an economic as
wall as from a hunanitarian standpoint. Increase a cow's confort
and vou increase her ability to produce milk and butter fat end
conseqient profit to her owners. But tnere is anotner point equaily
essential, viz., the cow must be kept clean, The production cf a
strictly first class milx, butter, or cheese, reyuires that
&absolute cleanliness be oOvserved. Failure in this will render
vne production of a first class article impossiple and in no place
is the inilk more subject to contamination than in the stall during
tne process of milking. Here it is, then, that cleanliness must
first be obsarved, as future naatness wil] avail us naught, if the
milk is polluted before iaaving the stuple, Tne first object of
every dairyman doula be to produce a first class product and to
accomplish this result he mist use stalls which will keep his cows
claan,

Third; our stalls should he so arranged as to be convenient

to both fv-eders and milkers, and shoulda prevent the waste of grain
#8

or forage by its being: tramled under foot or otnerwise,.
Partner then this a stall to ne practical must have a low
first cost, be dureble, and occupy no more space thin is absolutely

necessary.

HEAD OR NECK FASTENING S.

Head and neck fastenin::s are much more numerous and diversified
and much more used tnan are the soewcalied stalls or pens. Of tnese
fasteninss, perheps tne one which struck me as heing the most
novel and aroused m curiosity as much as any, was the Newton
Improved Cow Tie. This consists of a bow which fits in between
the two ends of tre mun.cer and swing up and down, the cow being
fastened to it by a chain around the neck. When the cow stands
up tne bow is raise to a norizontal position and the cow pushed
back to the edge of the platform. When she lies down the bow takes
an obliyue position and the cow is drawn forward. So far as I nave
been able to note, this tie works well, Its princlpal defect
seens to be that it reyguires different Lleni;ths of piatfrorm for
different cows and there is danger of tne cows stepping on each
Other,

Tie Model Stall is built with a sloping reck for coarse fodder
in front, the bottom being sone distance from tre floor. Underneath
tris is a box for crain and silage. The cow is tied with & rope or
nalter and @ two by four nailed just in front of ier hind feet,

When standing, tie manzer forces her back on the drop and wi:en she
lies down the 2 X 4 encoura:‘es her to move forward out of any filth
that mas have been tracked up on the platform. This stall is

comfortable for tne cow and will usually keep her clean. Sloping
#9

partitions separate the cows with tnis style of stall.
There are a number of others more or less Like the above.
but, as they are not much used except my the originatora,I shall.

not discuss tne here,

STANCHIONS.

OF tne head and reck fasteninis, the stanchion, in some form
Or Otner, is by far more coinion than an Of the others and, I
think, is seining rapidly in popular favor. At least, when an
improved stanchion is placed in a man's barn, it is next to
dimossible to get him to exchan:e it for any other form of stall
or tie,

As first constructed the stanchion was a rigid affair with
apparently no object other tnan to prevent the escane of tre animal.
intrusted to its care. In this form the stanchion is to be
condemmed "as 4& relic of barbarism" as one of our correspondents
expressed it. Its principal defect is that it confines the cow
too much. I have seen cows that having lain down in a rigid
stanchion were unable to set up until tne head was released. In
spite of this fact, I know of a few herds, the individual members
of which average upwards of 300# of butter per year while confined
in tne rigid stanchion when not in the pasture, This I attribute
vo excetient care in other directions and their owners have no
praise for the rigid stanchion and always express a determination
to put in the swing stanchion as soon as possible,

Discarding the rigid stanchion, we have next to consider the

swing stanchion of which there are a nunrer of forms On the market.
 

#10,

These, as usually put up, are, it secns to me, all open to the

seme Objection, vize-- some cews Will p¢et dirty in them and to

keep the Larger number of a mixed herd or of grades clein, requires
that the platform be constructed to fit each individual cow, Then,
too, there is no partibion between the cows end there is danger or
One cow steppin;; on the teats or udder of her neighbor. In th

new barn at the Coliege Professcr Mumford has overcome tr.ese
Objections very largely by having the platform teper cradueily from
one end to the other so thet, while at one end it is exactly right
for the largest cow in the herd, at the other end it is suitable
for yearlings. Then it is arranged so trat apiece of pipe can

be screved into the floor between the cows and thus prevent then
from trespassing on each others territory or stepping on each cther.,
Some cows will back down off the platform end in returniney bring

lon

a

me sone oF the droppings, to lie down in and trus become dirty,
Notwithstanding, this fect the cows of the College herd which are
confined in swing; stanchions, keep fully as cletn &s trose wi.ich
are kept out of the cutter by a chain passing in treir reur.
The swirg stanchion is cne of the most cecnvenient ties we
have, gives the cow the freedom of her head, and is really very
conforteble for her. The Warriner Chain Henjing and the Taylor Stecl
Stanchions are higher and vive greater freedom to tne animal than
do the others. The Tavlor has the adventage in that it has no
jcints to wear loose, The Wilder Adjustahle, on the other hand,
holds over those already mentioned by being so constructed that
it wiil not swing wien open. Evervthing cconsidered, there is not

much choice in the dirferent styles of swing stenchions.
Fl,

be

STALUS OR PENS.

Of the cow fustenings which canfine the animal in a pen
without tying, te Bidwell is probably the best known and most
popular. This stall has swing doors on the side to admit the
milxer, an adjustable manger so as to accommodate the varying
lengths of different animals, and a chain passing from one rear
post to the other to keep the cow in place, The inventor claims
for this stall that it keeps the cow clean, is comfortable, and
can be easily adjusted to fit any size cow, While I see no reason
to dispute these claims, it. is also true that cows will keep as
clean in the swing stanchion as in the Bidwell stall, and, so
far as I can judge, are fully as comfortable. By some who use
both styles it is claimed that the cows prefer the stanchion to the
Bidwell. Add to this the fact that the Bidwell is universally
condemned by the milkers and that its cost is more than double
that of the swing stanchion, and there remains but slight reason
for equipping a barn with the Bidwell stall.

Another stall for which creat claims are made is the Drown
Improved. This is much like the Bidwell but has a swinging mancer
in front and the side doors swing up and back out of the way when
open. The swinging manyer is calculated to give the cow more room
when getting up but this is hardly necessary. The doors arw an
advantage over those which swing horizontally in that they are
not in the way when arranging the bedding or cleaning the stall,
and allow the use of a fire escape-~a simple device by menns of
Which all. the cows can be freed at the same time. I also think
that there is less objection to this stall on the part of the
#12,

milkers. It, too, has a high cost and I see no reason for preferring
it to the swing stanchion.

Both of the above stalls are patented so the user must pay a
rovalty in addition to the cost of the stall. This in the case
of the Bidwell is 50¢ and for the Drown $1.00.

AndOther stall which demands attention, principally because
quite a number are in use at the College, is the Boland stall.
This differs from the Bidwell in that the manger is not moveable
and the side doors are Of iron piping. An iron bar extends across
the front of the stall to which the cow may be tied with a chain
if desired. This also serves the purpose of keeping the cow in
place. At the College neither the bar fastening or the chain
in rear is used but a chain is extended across the stall in front
just below the animal's throat and to its center she is fastened
with a chain around the neck. Its only advantage over the pens
alread: mentioned is that it gives a better view of the animals.
With the rear chain fastening it is in other respects their equal.
With either of the neck fastenings, I think it much inferior to
them because it does not keep them as clean, and makes it more
troublesome to release the cows,

In conclusion let me say that I telieve some form of the swing
stanchion, erected ona taperiny platform, with the bottom farther
forward than the top, to be the most practical fastening for the
averaye dairyman. Those who are farming for pleasure only, may
use whatever takes their fancy, while those who raise blooded stock
and wish to show them off to best advantage, regardless of cost,
will probably find some of the iron stalls best suited to their

purpose,
' Ab ‘