Planning and Design Considerations for Transition and Special Needs Cow Housing

Facilities designed for transition and special needs cows should facilitate the management plan and protocols developed by the dairy herd manager and team. As herds become larger and management demands for improved cow care increase, a variety of small "transition and special cow groups" emerge. Properly designed facilities should consider cow comfort, worker safety, the labor for managing and caring for these special cow groups as well as environmental protection. This paper will discuss the design process, design principles, and define the number and size of special cow groups based on field experience and observations of the authors, and other literature.