Product Description | News Release | Table of Contents

This is the proceedings from the Dairy Housing and Equipment Systems: Managing and Planning for Profitability Conference held February 1-3, 2000 in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The proceedings presents and documents guidelines for managing existing housing systems and planning new systems to improve profitability, reduce labor requirements, and improve cow comfort. Included are 36 papers divided into eight categories: cow comfort, decisions, and management; planning new facilities; system management; environmental control for cow comfort; freestall design and management; facilities management and health; designing and managing the feed area; and "special" cow needs and management. The educational program is designed for a diverse group of agricultural and industry professionals, including dairy farm owners and managers, producer advisors and consultants, builders and facility designers, extension and university educators and researchers, veterinarians, lenders, state and federal regulatory staff, equipment suppliers, agricultural engineers, dairy scientists, and agricultural economists. (2000)

The day-to-day management of dairy housing and equipment systems and the layout of facilities and equipment affect cow comfort and health, operating costs, and labor requirements. Carefully managing the buildings, equipment, and staff within the system and adopting appropriate technology can improve production and profitability. A new publication from the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES) presents and documents guidelines for managing existing housing systems and planning new systems to improve profitability, reduce labor requirements, and improve cow comfort. This collection of 36 papers ($30.00 plus S & H/sales tax, 456 pages, February 2000) is the proceedings from the conference Dairy Housing and Equipment Systems: Managing and Planning for Profitability,held February 1-3, 2000 in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Cow Comfort, Decisions, and Management

Dairy Facility Decisions: How They Are Made
William G. Bickert

Facilities and the Bottom Line
Jason Karszes

Capital Investments That Make Money on Dairy Farms
David M. Galton, Jason Karszes

Cow Comfort, Fear, and Productivity
Edmond A. Pajor, Jeffrey Rushen, Anne-Marie de Passille

Producer Satisfaction with Expansion Decisions -- 1999 Wisconsin Dairy Modernization Survey, "Preliminary Results"
Roger W. Palmer

Planning New Facilities

Site Evaluation and Selection
William H. Collins

Farmstead Layout: Putting the Pieces Together
John T. Tyson

Freestall Barn Layouts
Robert E. Graves

Responsibilities in Constructing New Facilities
Brian J. Holmes

Growing a Staff for a Growing Dairy
David C. Grusenmeyer

System Management

Evaluating and Improving Existing Dairy Systems
Roger W. Palmer

Biosecurity: It's More than Animals
David R. Wolfgang

Lighting in Freestall Barns
John P. Chastain

Photoperiod Management of Dairy Cows
Geoffrey E. Dahl

Putting Money Where It Matters
Glenn A. Shirk

Environmental Control for Cow Comfort

Designing and Managing Natural Ventilation Systems
John P. Chastain

Ventilation Systems Controls
Nevin W. Wagner

Heat Stress Relief and Supplemental Cooling
Richard R. Stowell

Tunnel Ventilation for Freestall Barns
Curt A. Gooch, Michael B. Timmons

Freestall Design and Management

Freestall Design
William G. Bickert

The Impact of Freestall Base and Bedding on Cow Comfort
Jack Rodenburg, Harold K. House

Sand for Bedding
Richard R. Stowell, Scott Inglis

Sand-Laden Dairy Manure Conveyance Using Screw Conveyors
Andrew W. Wedel

Freestall Troubleshooting and Management
Dan F. McFarland

Facilities Management and Health

Bedding's Contribution to Mastitis in Dairy Cows
K. L. Smith, J. S. Hogan

Environmental Risk Factors Contributing to Lameness in Dairy Cattle
Charles Guard

Considerations in Flooring
Curt A. Gooch

Designing and Managing the Feed Area

Feed Area and Water Space Design
Dan F. McFarland

Feedbunk Management
Gabriella Varga, Ryan Ordway, Virginia Ishler

The Impact of Head Gates and Overcrowding on Production and Behavior Patterns of Lactating Dairy Cows
Terry L. Batchelder

"Special" Cow Needs and Management

Defining and Managing Special Cows
Bill Stone

Facility Design for the Transition Cow
David W. Kammel, Kevin A. Janni

Plastic and Fabric Covered Arch-Frame Buildings
Harold K. House, Harry E. Huffman, John W. Johnson

Transition Cow Facilities: Case Studies
David W. Kammel, Tim Rehbein, Scott L. Gunderson, Randy A. Thompson

Restraint and Treatment Facilities and Equipment
William G. Bickert

Sort Gates: "Computerized, Electronic Parlor Exit/Cut Gates"
Steve Eicker, Steven Stewart

Speaker Biographies

Terry L. Batchelder
William G. Bickert
John P. Chastain
William H. Collins
Geoffrey E. Dahl

Steve Eicker
David M. Galton
Curt A. Gooch
Robert E. Graves
David C. Grusenmeyer

Charles Guard
Brian J. Holmes
Harold K. House
David W. Kammel
Jason Karszes

Dan F. McFarland
Edmond A. Pajor
Roger W. Palmer
Tim Rehbein
Jack Rodenburg

Glenn A. Shirk
K. L. Smith
Bill Stone
Richard R. Stowell
John T. Tyson

Gabriella Varga
Nevin W. Wagner
Andrew W. Wedel
David R. Wolfgang

Conference Sponsors

Aerotech, Inc.
Agway Agricultural Products
Albers Dairy Equipment
Arntjen North America, Inc.
Bou-Matic

Cover-All Building Systems
DairyBusiness Communications
Empire Agri-Systems, Inc.
Fingerlakes Construction Co., Inc.
First Union National Bank

Greenhouse Supply, Inc.
McLanahan Corporation
Monsanto Dairy Business
Norbco, Inc.
North Brook, Inc., Makers of DuraBed

Promat Ltd., Makers of Pasture MatŪ
Purina Mills, Inc.
Timber Tech Engineering, Inc.
Westfalia-Surge, Inc.
Paul B. Zimmerman, Inc.

Suggested Readings

Suggested Readings
Ordering Information

Conference Notes Pages

About NRAES

About NRAES
NRAES Member Universities