Hi, does anyone know where I might find directions for building a stanchion out of wood for my new milk cow? She is a little nervous and my DH would feel better if I was using one till we get to know each other better. Thank you!

-- Stephanie Masters (ajsd@gateway.net), March 03, 2000

Answers

Stephanie, I'm begining to sound like a broken record. Build it Better Yourself by the Editors of Organic Gardening and Farming, editor William H. Hylton ISBN 0-87857-133-7.

But basically, think picket fence. Widely spaced picket fence. Spaced the width of a cow's neck and a little more for comfort. Of the two main vertical boards that will be the actual "holder", one is fixed and extends up above the top cross bar. The other rotates on a dowel at the bottom, and also extends above the top cross bar. Drill a hole in this one, and run through a thong of leather. Tie it into a loop. When the cow's head is between the two boards, close the swiveling one, and loop the thong over the fixed board. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), March 03, 2000.

Thanks Gerbil, A light bulb went on over my DH's head when I shared your info. He got started on it today :).

-- Stephanie Masters (aajsd@gateway.net), March 04, 2000.

Any old local farms around? They usually have them sitting around. If you were close I have about 100 sitting here that I cant bear to through out .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), March 06, 2000.

I partitioned off the back of the lean-to we built for the cow, for a feed room. Beside the door, I made so the cow could stick her head through into a feed box with an overhead hay rack. The back of the feedbox is slanted up and away, with the hay rack being 2x2's spaced the width of her muzzle slanted from the front top down to the middle of the back of the feedbox. Wish I could draw a picture of it.

The slanted back makes so that feed doesnt stray too far out front. As a cow eats, she dribbles way out front. The feed she drops falls down and rolls right back where she got it. The hay that falls, naturally falls down to where she can get it without stepping forward.

I can store feed and hay back there next to the feed box. I made it so that I could reach through with the scoop of feed to put it into the feedbox, and get a slice of hay to put into the hay rack, without going through many waste motions. (lol) I load it all from back there, and reach through to clip her chain, and then come out with the milk stool, ready to milk.

She wears a chain around her neck, and a small dog chain clipped into it holds her at milking time. I attached the dog chain to the feedbox frame very closely to where she would naturally be positioned, so she cant move much. It works very well.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), May 08, 2001.