Dave, do you have zigzag or straight back (rump) rails?
We had the same problem when we built a herringbone in 1960 and
changed it to the first a straight back rail in New Zealand and had
no more problems. We had the cows standing at close to right angles
so the bail space was wide enough for them to walk in and out two at
a time (parallel) which saved time.
The following is from book I am writing.
As with anything there are rules which must not be broken and things
which can be improved. They are -
* A herringbone with a straight rump rail and cows standing
close to right angles to the pit speeds loading and emptying of cows,
reduces the distance they and you have to walk, doesn't cramp large
cows and holds small ones more firmly.
* If you are not quiet with your cows or have nervous cows and
are concerned about cows sliding back when drenching, either don't
drench (thousands don't, especially now with good on-line drinking
water mineral dispensers) or make the bottom rump rail a small zigzag
one. Plans are available from the many builders in many countries.
* Straight rails with cows standing at 30 to 45 degrees don't
work because the cows can slide backwards. They need to be between 70
and 80 degrees to the pit. After I changed from a zigzag to a
straight rail in 1960, cows and I became more relaxed and milking
speeded up. Incidentally, I was told that a straight rail would not
work. Later we put another under the main one to protect the milker,
make the cows feel more secure and reduce the chance of a cow falling
into the pit.
* A second front (breach) rail under the main one makes cows
lift their head. They then can't see the milker, so wild ones don't
kick at them. Both should be on the same adjustment which swings in
for recently calved cows and out for heavily in calf cows.
* With this system clusters are applied from the back between
the back legs. This has been done for decades in most herringbones
and all rotaries in New Zealand so, from selection, our cows have
udders which are further back than those milked from the front and
selected for this.
* To speed cows exiting, have a full width pendulum or
guillotine gate. These gates are available from manufacturers and can
be closed from any position in the pit between cows as they walk out.
Ordinary swinging gates are not satisfactory. They can't be closed
against a strong cow trying to go through.
* Have drafting gates operated from the pit.
>Vaughan,
>My challenge right now is that we still have larger Holsteins as well as
>the smaller NZ crosses. They don't blend well in our current
>herringbone. Perhaps with the right height brisket rail on a swing I
>could control movement.
>Dave Forgey
>
>
>Dave and Helen Forgey
>Forgey's River-View Farm, Inc.
>6032 W Georgetown Road
>Logansport, IN 46947
>574-652-2461
>forgraze@carrollnet.org
>www.carrollnet.org/~forgraze
>-----------------------------------------------------
>The Grass is Greener on Our Side of the Fence.
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: graze-l-admin@witt.ac.nz [mailto:graze-l-admin@witt.ac.nz] On
>Behalf Of Vaughan Jones
>Sent: Monday, June 14, 2004 10:01 PM
>To: graze-l@witt.ac.nz
>Subject: RE: [Graze-l] Grazing seasonal
>
>
>Can't you adjust the breach (front) rail in to stop cows moving?
>
>
>
>>The only real issue we have is that an old herringbone parlor with 54
>>inch centers gives these cows room to move too much at milking. It may
>>be time to build that new parlor.
>>Regards,
>>Dave Forgey
>>
>>
>>Care to further comment on concerns over the smaller sized cows coming
>>out of these genetics?
>>
>>Dave Gneiser
>>WisCOWsin
>>
>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
>--
>Best wishes,
>
>Vaughan Jones
>_______________________________________________
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>Graze-l@witt.ac.nz
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>
>
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--
Best wishes,
Vaughan Jones
