Dairy unit design/plans

jdta

I am about to change from sucklers to dairying. Im wondering is there any sites on the web with plans or drawings for cubicle houses and milking parlours??? Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks

mahoney_j

The advice id give rather than looking at plans go to about 8 or 10 milking parlours of various sizes and specs and see what u like and dont like.You can see much more in the flesh than on a set of drawings.Concenterate on things like collection yard,Pit width,Cow flow.Also decide om a spot in the yard that will be easily accesiable for artic milk trucks,feed trucks and access to and from cubicle shed.Lots on here including myself that have put up new parlours over the last few years

mf240

Leave room for expasion, its amazing how things evolve over a few years.

If have time go relief milking for a few months you will pick up a wealth of knowledge.

Cows love space make building as spacious and comfortable as possible.

scarten

emerald expo 2011 teagasc google that and you'll get a few ideas. visit as many new parlors as you can, keep it simple and cheap all the companies will try to sell you extras which you don't need. cow flow is hugely important, if you can have the cows walking straight out the front of the parlor to the cow path it's a big help. Look up new zealand designs they know how to build highly efficient and simple designs. if your building a new cubicle shed look at roofless cubicles it'll save you the price of the shed there are only a few examples in ireland but they do work

iverjohnston

went on a farm visit to a place up at Lough Neagh years ago. He had put in a Beomatic Fast exit parlour. Cows enter each side as normal, and then when milked, the entire railing in front of them lifts up, and away they go. It was amazing, and amazingly expensive. With the rails up, he could spin up one side and down the other with the scraper tractor. No meal feeding possible, however. In the real world, I like Dairymasters 90 degree parlour.

delaval

Make sure you have as many cows as possible before you bury a moxy of money in concrete.

Cows, roadways, fencing, water, soil fert, slurry compliance and a simple parlor with good drafting is what I would consider more important than a new shed.

Deffo look at as many setups as you can. Look at everything from pads to topless cubicles to deluxe 5* sheds.

Delighted to hear of another dairy farmer entering the business, above all good luck and be careful how you invest your money