Replacement Housing

Use solid partitions between calves to prevent nose to nose contact.

Wire fences on fronts and backs of pens allow better air circulation during warm weather, but arrange pens to keep calves from contacting each other.

In winter, use solid pen backs to provide draft protection. Hovers may be needed in winter. Choose or construct pens that are easily dismantled for manure removal.

Heifer housing (6-24 months)

There are several options for housing heifers after transition housing.

Regardless of housing type, group animals according to a management plan considering nutritional, health and reproductive needs of each group. At a minimum, a logical break in grouping is a breeding age group and a bred heifer group.

The primary functions of heifer housing are to:

> Minimize animal handling for treatment.

> Allow for animal breeding.

> Allow for animal observation.

Even though heifers can tolerate more stress as they grow older, they still must be protected from wet conditions, drafts, and poor environment.

In open front housing, provide group pens of sufficient depth to protect heifers from winter winds. Solid pen partitions help reduce drafts.

Freestall Housing

Young heifers are grouped in freestall housing with stalls sized according to age or size of heifer, Table 4. Freestall housing requires considerably less bedding than bedded pack housing. Frequent manure removal is required (once or twice a week), unless floors are slotted. Frozen manure can be a problem in cold barns, but is manageable.

There are several different layouts that can be used in freestall housing. Each alternative is suited to particular feeding and manure handling situations. Each alternative has adequate feedbunk space, Table 6.

Freestalls can be inside with outside lots for exercise and feeding. The trend is having freestalls and feeding included under the building roof or confined area. Outside exercise lots may still be provided for use during periods of good weather.

Two-row freestall barn

Two-row freestall barns are typically used for up to 100 heifers, Fig

10. Freestall length for each group in Table 4 is sized to provide maximum comfort for the size of animal in the group. Heifers are grouped in pens around the perimeter of the building.

Manure is either scraped automatically, the alley is slotted or flushed, because it is not possible to move animals during tractor scraping. When animals have access to outside runs, tractor scraping can be accomplished. Build an 8' alley when a feed cart is used. For drive-through feeding, a 16'-18' alley is required.

Two-row graduated freestall barn

A two-row graduated freestall barn changes the length of the freestall in the pen by placing the curb at an angle to the side of the building.

Stalls at one end of the building are shorter than at the other end of the building. The alley floor is sloped toward the freestall where a grated gutter is used to remove manure. The floor slope provides a self-cleaning floor. Stalls are bedded with chopped bedding to allow movement of the manure and bedding through the grate. Gravity gutter, flush gutter or barn cleaner can be used to remove manure. Building temperatures must remain above freezing most of the time to prevent frozen manure in gutters. This type of building requires a controlled natural ventilation system.