Dexter tie-ups

[Mark Cowdrey]

I am planning to build tie-ups for my Dexters soon. Any recommendations on standing length & width per cow/yearliing steer? Other thoughts?
Thanks,
Mark

[Joshua Kingsley]

3 foot wide by 4 long worked well for me. I use tie chains or stanchions depending on the situation and the cattle. The horned cattle I had were on tie chains before I moved her and then were in stanchions while in the barn here as that is what my dad milks his herd in.

[Mark Cowdrey]

Joshua,
When using stanchions, about how high off the floor? Would a 4×6 on edge be about right for height & effective foe keeping hay in the manger? Or higher? Are tie chains preferable to stanchions (for example, for cow comfort) if you have the option?
Thanks,
Mark

[Rod]

Are these tie ups for milking on just to secure the cows in the barn in winter?

[Joshua Kingsley]

I think our curbs that the stanchions are hooked to are about 6 inches high, they work ok for holding feed back but mainly it is for keeping sawdust out of the manger.
For cow comfort I think that either will work but chains often give greater freedom. I also should mention that my animals have daily turn out, the only time I will leve them in is if the temps are below 0 with a wind or a nasty day, freezing rain ect.

[Mark Cowdrey]

Rod,
The tie-ups will be for milking & I plan to turn them out daily as Joshua described. My thought is to run the calf with the mom during the day and separate at night for morning milking. Any tips or suggestions appreciated.
Joshua,
Thanks.

Mark

[Rod]

@Mark Cowdrey 20598 wrote:

Rod,
The tie-ups will be for milking & I plan to turn them out daily as Joshua described. My thought is to run the calf with the mom during the day and separate at night for morning milking. Any tips or suggestions appreciated.
Joshua,
Thanks.

Mark

I used to have a book titled “My love affair with Dexters” by Berle Rutherford but am unable to find it now, however it is available from the ADCA web site. She did a lot of experimental work on Dexter stall sizes which she described in her book. This is a good little book about Dexter cattle and the authors experiences with them. She had a milking herd for years and was also an excellent breeder and developed the wildly acclaimed “Woodmagic” herd. If I come across it I will post the stall information for what it’s worth but since Dexters can vary so much in size the numbers may have to be adjusted to your cattle. Rutherford had a small size animal which she bred for.
We are dealing with the same question because we just purchased a small Dexter herd to supplement our Lowlines and am in the process of modifying the barns for their winter quarters.

[Rod]

Ok I found the Rutherford book and she did 20 stalls in a 60′ long barn (3′ spacing) but had no information on stall depth. She said at that time she had Dexters from 32 to 46″ high. Then I called a friend that I know has a setup for Dexters as free stalls and his are 36″ apart also and 63″ deep. Skip told me if he were doing it again he would add 3-4″ to the depth because if the cows get their rear ends on the curb they will not stay in them. He has a concrete curb and beds with sawdust and rarely has to clean the stalls out. I am going to do mine that way as I want free stalls. Hope this helps.

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