Freestall Housing Or Not?

Many dairy operators are being forced toconsider new housing systems to complywith environmental regulations and to further fine tune management for continued prof-itability. Operators who have been successful with open-air ìdry lotî dairies are faced with a decision of confining animals under roof in freestall barns. This is a ‘gray ’ decision; there are no ‘black and white ’ answers. But comparing the following infor-mation against your farm and your management style should make your decision easier. Basic areas to consider when making this decision include: • Opportunities and challenges in managing freestall systems • Returns (dollars back to management) • Freestall design and maintenance Freestalls are not new technology to many part