Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-05-07

Ansyl w. Putnam gives, in the New Eng
land Farmer, some new ideas upon tie-ups,
put forth by him at recent Farmers In
stitute in Salem, Mass, as follows:
"The first problem to which called their at
tention was the inclination of the platform upon
which cows stand and lie, claiming that the
platform should be one inch higher under the
hind feet than under the fore feet; that the down
ward inclination OF the platform should be toward
the stanchons, rather than from them. and for
several reasons First, because all animals, in
heels little higher than their toes, rather than
with their toes higher than their heels. Second,
the cows feet are not so liable to slip from under
them when pressing forward against the stanch-
ions Third, cows with full bags or heavy with
calf, lie much more comfortably with their hind
quarters little the highest; also, it is much
easier for COW TO get up when she is headed
down hill, on an incline, than when she is headed
up hill. 1t was the opinion Of the meeting that
this change of incline In the platform would have
tendency to lessen cases OF premature cavng
and Of womb difficulties after calving.
The next problem to which attention was
called was, how can we have the platform short
enough for the droppings to go into the gutter
and long enough for the cows to be comfortable?
This IL regulated by shoulder-blocks from four
to six inches thick on the stanchions, put on high
enough so that, when the COW comes on to her
knees to lie down, she comes under and free from
on than to stand on. Some cows, when crowded
back by the shoulder-blocks far enough to keep
the platform clean, get the habit Of standing down
in the gutter, get their feet dirty and by frequent
stepping back and forth, make the platform very
dirty. My model showed simple remedy for
this habit 1t consists of board six inches wide
and about three feet long, set on an incline in the
angle made by the back edge Of the platform and
the bottom OF the manure cutters; back Of this
inclined board, about three inches above the bot
tom of the gutter, and just far enough back OF
the incline that, the feet feel their way down
the incline for restng-pace, the dewclaws come
in contact with it, is placed round, hard wood
stick. The incline and the stick prevent the foot
from finding resting-place in the gutter, and
like the dove to the Ark, it is forced to return,
because it can find no resting-place Thus the
platform can be kept clean, and yet be long enough
for the cows to lie on in cleanliness and comfort.
The next problem to which attention was
called is, how to arrange the tie-up so that it
can be readily changed to accommodate a long or
short COW. This is a problem was a long time
in solving, and have not yet reached a solution
quite satisfactory, but the best plan have vet
seen is to have each pair Of stanchions in NOV
able frame, to be moved backward or forward, as
needed, to accommodate the different cows, the
bottom OF the frame being pinned to the floor, the
top secured with pins to a two inch plank set at
each side Of the frame. Some plan OF this kind
is better than adding to or taking from the length
Of the platform in the rear, thereby making the
outline OF the gutter very irregular.
Inc next and last problem to which attention
was called is, how best to construct the floor on
which the cows stand? This problem was solved
by having the upper floor Of the platform made
of one inch boards sawed into strips about two
inches wide. space about two feet wide, di-
rectly under the cow, to be laid with the strips
crosswise to the way the cows stand, the spaces
between the cows to be laid with the strips the
other way, running from the gutter to the stanch.
ions all the strips to be laid about half an inch
apart the spaces to be filled with sand. The OBJ
ject OF the strips cracks, and sand is to prevent
slipping There are two reasons for laying the
strips in two directions first the cows are liable
to slip in two directions, backwards when push.
ing against the stanchions, sideways when getting
up, and when spreading their hind feet to urinate
have seen cows, on smooth floors, very much
troubled to get their feet in position to urinatt
comfortably. The strips lengthwise between the
cows remedy this trouble Second, laid in thi.
way, it is very economical floor to repair and
keep in good order; there is but little to the
floor, except directly under the feet Of the cows
in the common way Of laying floors, when holes
| are worn under their feet az TO make the ilooi
| rough and uncomfortable TO stand and to lie on
| it cannot be repaired without reaying much O
the floor; but on the improved plan, replacing q
few strips under the feet makes the whole plat
form as good as new"