Help: 90 degree milking parlour dimensions

[Thompyd]

Hi there. First post and maybe there are others on this. Looking to see what measurements different people have when block building feed troughs in a 90 degree milking parlour. In particular the distance between the feed trough wall and the pit? Looking at putting in a simple tombstone design on top of the wall and just need to get the measurements right on where this should go. Currently looking at a 6ft standing area and a 2ft trough but have spoke with others who have almost a 2ft 6 trough and 5ft 6 standing. Help much appreciated as the walls need built this week!

 

[lazy farmer]

Depends how big your cows are

 

[stablegirl]

Trough 2ft 4 standing 5ft 6, we have big pedigree holstein types, if i was doing it again, i may add 2 inch to the standing.

 

[Thompyd]

thanks for replys, cows are medium holsteins whilst breeding for a smaller cow. i like the idea of a standing less than 6ft to keep cows tighter but maybe depends on rump rail position.

 

[awkward]

Why not go adjustable rail with feeders

 

[Will Blackburn]

Use the sizes to order some matting to alleviate white line disease caused by too much turning while you're at it.

 

[Thompyd]

Going to bring wall out 24 inches, the rail/tombstones out 28 inches but adjustable and leave a 67/68 inch standing. The mats would be nice but a bit of a luxury at this stage ( i hate milking in 2ft 6 centres milking parlour, sore on the back)

 

[jimmer]

Don't make standing too narrow
You can add a rail or similar to push them back , but it's a cuss of a job making wider

 

[MrA.G.]

Going to bring wall out 24 inches, the rail/tombstones out 28 inches but adjustable and leave a 67/68 inch standing. The mats would be nice but a bit of a luxury at this stage ( i hate milking in 2ft 6 centres milking parlour, sore on the back)

Sorry to bring up an old thread but did you go ahead with what you had planned? How do you get on with cows at 90 degrees with tombstones only? Do you see a need for sequential bailing? Any pictures?

 

[Thompyd]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but did you go ahead with what you had planned? How do you get on with cows at 90 degrees with tombstones only? Do you see a need for sequential bailing? Any pictures?

I'll try and get some pictures. Went ahead with the 90 degree tombstone design and works ok. Cows load up well and position well but once finished their nuts some willvtry and push into the next stall in front which can lead to a domino effect. Doesn't affect milking apart from the pushing and shoving which more just annoying. Others have tombstone design and don't have this problem...I think my error was that in copying their design and did not copy it exactly and made the head/neck slot into a v shape instead of straight which leaves room for another cow to get her head in. The parlour is a 24 48 and although I might get the odd row (and I do mean odd row) with an extra cow or a cow less it would in no way justify paying the extra for sequential baling for this size of parlour (sequential baling also has it's problems when 2 cows squeeze into 1 space )

 

[Moorlands]

16/32 with sequential bailing here and love it.

 

[Thompyd]

The Tombstone design cost me £2000. The bailing system would have cost me in excess of £30k. I'm glad to have the extra £28k.

 

[MrA.G.]

View attachment 868916View attachment 868915
16/32 with sequential bailing here and love it.

Thanks. Who's bailing system have you got? The only one I am familiar with is the Dairymaster one which lifts vertically up. Yours looks like it rotates up.

 

[MrA.G.]

The Tombstone design cost me £2000. The bailing system would have cost me in excess of £30k. I'm glad to have the extra £28k.

I would like to think I could make a full bailing system for a lot less than 30K. What system did you price?