Dairy Housing Design Seminars

PDF of Brochure (427 kb)

Who Should Attend?

These courses are specifically intended for producers with plans to build or renovate their free stall or tie stall barn in the next few years. The focus is on fundamentals of design. The course will provide practical information needed to build an economical, labour efficient facility that is comfortable for cows.

Calf Housing

Kemptville (Royal Canadian Legion) - February 28, 2012

Stratford (Arden Park Hotel) - March 8, 2012

 

Calf Behaviour

Why this topic, feeding challenges - workers and calves, moving closer to nature's way, conventional and enhanced systems, free-access acidified milk feeding; warm box/room, milk line, milk trolley feeding system, automated milk mixer and free-access feeding systems, automated/computer feeder systems, calf behaviour for feeding/housing.

Housing Considerations

Isolation, protection from the elements, environment, ventilation, adequate space, observation, drainage, bedding, feeding, cleaning and sanitation.

Economics

Cost of raising dairy replacements, growth rate and mature production, labour.

Housing Options

Hutches, modified hutches, greenhouse calf shelters, cold calf barns, warm calf barns, manure handling.

Discussion Topics

Colostrum and esophageal feeders, single pen vs. groups, buckets vs. nipples, weaning techniques, intersuckling, case studies, other.

Free Stall Housing

Kemptville Royal Canadian Legion - February 29 & March 1, 2012

Woodstock OMAFRA - March 21 & 22, 2012

Day 1 Free Stall - 2012

9:30 am

Why Expand, Why Free Stalls - A perspective on the future of the industry

Farmstead and Process Planning - Planning process, site selection; Minimum Distance Separation, Nutrient Management Act, Building Code, Municipal

Cow Behaviour andComfort - Cow behaviour; Stall size, partition style, bases, mattresses and sand options

Lunch

Layout Options and Housing Alternatives - Layout options; Housing alternatives

Treatment, Maternity, Handling Facilities and Bio Security - What design, how big, where to put it, sorting, self-locks; Biosecurity

Building Environment and Ventilation - Warm versus cold housing, ceiling materials, curtains and panels, chimneys and ridge openings; lighting

Optional Farm Visits

Day 2 Free Stall - 2012

9:30 am

Robotic Milking Options - Operation, layout, economics

Manure Collection, Handling and Storage - Designing for scrapers, flush and slats, earthen and concrete tanks, handling sand-laden manure

Lunch

Handling Feed and Water - Bunker silo design, commodity storage, feed manger design, water tanks and systems

Cow Traffic - Barn layout and cow, people and equipment movement issues; Biosecurity

Choosing a Milking Parlour - Parlour choices, robots, rotaries, parallels, herringbones, swing, flat and none at all... cost benefit and other implications

Milking Centre Design - Parlour dimensions and features, utility, milk house and office space considerations

Case Study - Cow flow; Manure flow; Feed flow; Expansion

Tie Stall Housing

Milverton Recreation Complex - March 6, 2012

9:30 am

Why Expand, Merits of Tie Stalls - A perspective on the future of the industry; Tie stall or free stall

Farmstead Planning and Regulations - Planning process, site selection; Minimum Distance Separation, Nutrient Management Act, Building Code, Municipal

Cow Behaviour and Comfort - Cow behaviour; Stall size, partition style, mattresses

Layout Options and Housing Alternatives - Head to head or tail to tail, maternity pens; Two-row tie stall with heifer pens

Lunch

Building Environment and Ventilation - Natural versus fans, ceiling materials, curtains, panels, chimneys and other components, tunnel ventilation, barn lighting

Feed Storage and Delivery - Towers versus bunkers, feed delivery

Feeding and Watering Systems - Water systems, manger design

Manure Collection, Handling and Storage - Solid versus liquid, storage sizing and design

Milking Systems - Labour saving options

Optional Farm Visit

Facilitators

Harold House, Engineer, Dairy and Beef Housing and Equipment, OMAFRA. Harold has spent 31 years working with dairy farmers on improving and creating new designs for dairy barns. Harold's expertise also includes ventilation, manure handling and other barn design issues.

Dr. Neil Anderson, Veterinarian, Disease Prevention, Ruminants, OMAFRA. Neil has an international reputation as an expert in cow comfort. His video observation of cows illustrates the importance of designing stalls and barns to accommodate normal behaviour. Neil will also focus on barn features associated with lameness, mastitis and biosecurity.

Brian Lang, Dairy Cattle Production Systems Specialist, OMAFRA. Brian has 33 years extension experience with a focus on dairy production, labour efficiency and cost of production.

Jack Rodenburg, DairyLogix. Jack has 37 years of experience in dairy production and facilities with focus on dairy expansion planning, robotic milking, manure handling and designing facilities for labour efficiency.

Registration:

To register by phone call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300.

Or send the registration information to:

Fax: 519-826-3442

Mail: OMAFRA, AICC, 1 Stone Rd. W., 4th Fl., Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2

Email: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca

Lunch cannot be guaranteed for registrations made less than 7 days in advance.

Name: ____________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________

Phone: ____________________________ Fax: ___________________

Email: ________________________________________________________

I wish to register for:

[ ] February 28, 2012, Kemptville Calf Housing

[ ] February 29 & March 1, 2012, Kemptville Free Stall

[ ] March 6, 2012, Milverton Tie Stall

[ ] March 8, 2012, Stratford Calf Housing

[ ] March 21 & 22, 2012, Woodstock Free Stall

Cost:

• Free Stall course: $190 + 13% HST = $214. 70
• Tie Stall course: $95 + 13% HST = $107.35
• Calf Housing: $95 + 13% HST = $107.35
• Make cheques payable to: Minister of Finance.
• If submitting by fax or electronically, please indicate:

Credit card #______________________________________________

Expiry ___________________________ Amount $________________

Cardholder's Name _________________________________________

Cardholder's Signature ______________________________________

Directions:

For hotels, please make your own arrangements.

Stratford: Arden Park Hotel, 552 Ontario St., Stratford. Corner of Ontario St (Hwy 7/8) and Romeo St.

Milverton: East Perth Recreation Complex, 40 Temperance St., Milverton, ON - Corner of Temperance St. and Wilfred St.

Kemptville: Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 212, 100 Reuben Cres., Kemptville, ON (West of Prescott St and South of Clothier St.W.)

Woodstock: OMAFRA Resource Centre, 401 Lakeview Dr., Woodstock, ON East of Hwy 59 at north side of city

The course manual:

Manuals for the Free Stall and Tie Stall courses may be purchased without course registration. To order a manual without participating in the course, call OMAFRA Woodstock 519-537-6621.

Freedom of Information:

Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.M.16. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will use the information for registration, database purposes and for reference for future conference mailings. Questions about the collection of personal information should be directed to the Manager, Dairy Cattle, Swine and Poultry, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 1 Stone Road, Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2 (519) 826-3107.