5 mistakes to avoid when building your own Portable Milking Cow Stanchion
Building a milking cow stanchion can seem straightforward until you encounter the nuances that make or break its functionality and safety. Through our own trials and errors, we've identified five critical mistakes to steer clear of.
Making It Too Wide
Starting with a width of 4 feet seemed reasonable to us, but we quickly realized the drawback. This width made it difficult to safely reach the cow, especially for children, turning the stanchion into a cumbersome and potentially unsafe space. The ample room allowed cows to move too freely, even attempting to turn around. Solution- Opt for a narrower design that ensures safe and comfortable access for all users while keeping the cow securely in place.
Making it too light
Our initial goal was a portable stanchion, but finding the sweet spot between mobility and stability was challenging. We learned the hard way that cows could easily push against stanchions that weren't sturdy enough, posing a safety risk. Initially using 4x4 skids, we realized 6x6s were a better choice for balance and durability. Tip: Consider the trade-off between portability and safety, and don't shy away from adding more weight if it means a more secure stanchion.
Having Bracing/Framing Boards Touching the Ground
Early designs had framing boards on the ground, leading to frequent snags on rocks and stumps during movement. Quick Fix: Elevate your stanchion by constructing it on a skid frame made of 6x6s. This setup prevents snagging and makes the stanchion easier to transport. Additionally, make sure back horizontal framing boards are removable to avoid tripping hazards when cows back out.
Installing Permanent Side and End Panels
Initially, we fixed side panels to create a solid chute, which complicated milking and posed safety risks. Solution: Install removable side panels. This adjustment allows for easy access for cleaning and milking, and ensures safety by preventing being trapped between the cow and the structure. Incorporate a latch system to secure panels during transport. Here you can see how we have removed the side panels so it is easier to access the cow.
Setting a fixed headgate size
Our one-size-fits-all approach quickly proved inefficient, as it was too tight for larger cows and too loose for smaller ones. Innovative Adjustment: Implement an adjustable headgate. By securing one board permanently and making the other adjustable, we could cater to different cow sizes, ensuring comfort and preventing escape. Here you can see our smaller Devon cow has a perfect sized headgate for her smaller frame.
In Conclusion
Building a milking cow stanchion requires careful consideration of size, weight, mobility, and flexibility. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a safe, efficient, and user-friendly stanchion that meets the needs of both your cows and those tending to them. Remember, the goal is to facilitate a positive experience for everyone involved, ensuring your homesteading efforts are both rewarding and sustainable.
Uppening: Using Nature With You, Not Against You: A Key to Regenerative Farming
What even is uppening??? Keep reading…..
Regenerative farming is a practice that aligns closely with the rhythms and systems of nature, aiming to not only sustain but enhance the quality of the environment. One crucial aspect of this approach is the focus on building and improving topsoil.
This area has no top soil. Red clay means that the ground is bare, the ground is dirt- Not living. That is why nothing is growing in this area. We like to make soil on our farm. You have to feed the ground to get soil.
Topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, rich in organic matter and microorganisms, and it's vital for healthy crop growth. In regenerative farming, the goal is to constantly enrich this layer. This is done by adding organic matter, a process colloquially known as "uppening it". Organic matter can come from various sources, including compost, manure, and plant residues, contributing to the soil's health and fertility. We feed round bales to our cows in these areas to get a double whammy of soil nutrition added.
Cows will joyfully work the land and make it better with every bite.
A practical tip for regenerative farmers is to observe the land closely. Areas where bare dirt is visible are critical spots. These are the areas that desperately need attention and are ideal for dropping winter round bales. Winter round bales, typically consisting of hay or straw, decompose over time, adding organic matter back into the soil. This not only covers the bare dirt but also starts the process of building topsoil in those areas. Your cows will also gladly drop $.56 of nitrogen in manure each day in these areas.
By focusing on building topsoil, or "Uppening” , regenerative farming practices ensure that the land is not just being used for current crop production but is also being prepared for future use. This method enhances the soil's water retention, supports biodiversity, and contributes to the overall health of the ecosystem.
Use your animals to work your land for you. Bare red clay means there is no top soil. They will gladly deposit nitrogen rich manure too on this area, feeding microbes and helping to build up the top soil.
In essence, regenerative farming is about working with nature, rather than against it. It's a sustainable approach that benefits both the present and future, ensuring that the land remains fertile and productive for years to come.