[shygirl]

how wide should a cow stall be please? ie tied at the head.
thanks

[SallyintNorth]

Do you need to be able to get in alongside? 

Cow cubicles are 1100 - 1150mm centres (ie., from the centre of one to the centre of the next, so includes one rail) - but you wouldn't be able to get in alongside

Are you making single stalls, or bays of two stalls - no wall between pairs?

And are we talking Jerseys or do you want them big enough for.... what?

I can measure the stalls in our old cow byre for you; the stalls would have been for wintering stirks but are spot on for my Jerseys - we kept 4 stalls, which gives me a 2-Jersey 'milking parlour' - see below.  (No that's not me, that's a pal learning to milk.)

[Rosemary]

I can measure ours too - it's like Sally's.

[shygirl]

we have shetlands, 6 in total plus a bull (who will have his own stall/shed)
i have 3 14ftx14ft stables so would like to convert them into stalls so i have the option of bringing them in during the winter if i need to. up til now they have been out 24/7.
they will be single stalls so we can use them for ponies too (who would kick if food was around)
im hoping to squeeze 3 stalls into each stable which would give a 4ft gap but could just do 2 stalls at 6.5ft wide each if that was more suitable.
i do need to get past alongside to fill the feeders etc and am hoping to milk one of them.

they will probably be solid wood partitions so i can move them if i change my mind (thats happens quite alot...lol)

sharing a loose box doesnt work as they make a huge mess straight away and there are too many horns in an enclosed space.
thanks

[SallyintNorth]

Our 'stirky' stalls measure 6' wide, 7' long.  That's for a pair, and gives you room to go in between them to feed them, tie up / loose them etc.  If you did decide to split your 14' into 3, so about 4'6" per stall, I would think you would have room to come alongside.  But I would fit a post or something, or maybe two, to stop the cow being able to swing her body and crush you against the side.  They can be very wide when their bellies are full! lol

Or, you could split the 14' into 2, and have a pair of stalls in each 7' wide.  I'd still fit a post in the centre; that's what ours had when they were used as double occupancy.  It stopped a beast on its own (no partner) swinging its body right across and pooping on the rear end of the empty half.  If you fit it at the level of the front legs, there's room for you to safely go beside the beast at the level of the post

And if you were wanting to milk one of the Shetlands, you could leave her 'partner' stall vacant, and milk alongside her as I do my Jerseys.

I'm not sure how to deal with kicking ponies... I'll leave that aspect to your inventiveness!

[shygirl]

thanks Sally.
cattle wouldnt kick each other in the stalls? i never considered 2 sharing so that is probably the best, flexible and also cheapest option.
i was going to make the partitions 8ft long as that gives them 4ft access once they are through the door as the door is in the corner. and possibly have a gate/hurdle on one to control when the calves suckle - without having to tie them up.
i cant picture what you mean about the post by the front leg....is that in the middle of a 2 cow stall?
im not an expert on cattle so its very handy to know if this theory is sensible.
 

[SallyintNorth]

cattle wouldnt kick each other in the stalls?

Ours never have.  Cattle are herd animals and are happier with another bovine for company

They'll be tied up, you said?  So no, I can't see what would make them *want* to kick each other, plus actually I don't think, with the post in place, they actually *could*.

i cant picture what you mean about the post by the front leg....is that in the middle of a 2 cow stall?

Yes, midpoint between the two cows, level with their shoulder, so you can pass either side if you need to get to the front.  And as they are tied up they won't be able to crush you against it.  They will, however, be able to crush your finger against it with a big swing of their head, if you aren't careful.  (Ask me how I know. )  Hmmm... now I am thinking about horns and that post....  Rosemary, what do you think?

[shygirl]

ref the horns, they dont seem to be much wider than their ears as they tend to point forward rather than out..