(a) Slopes and Finishes. (1) The floors, curbs, and gutters shall be constructed of concrete or other material acceptable to the Secretary. The floors and gutters, if of concrete or concrete base, shall be at least 4 inches thick. The floors, alleys, gutters, mangers, and curbs shall slope lengthwise at a minimum of 1 " inches in 10 feet. The cow standing platform and litter alley shall slope at least 1 inch toward the gutter. The cow standing platform in the elevated stall type barn shall slope toward the wall at a minimum grade of 1 " inches in 10 feet or this slope requirement may be eliminated with a flush system approved by the Secretary.(2) A 2-inch minimum radius cove is required at all floor and wall junctions and shall be an integral part of the floor.(3) The manger, if concrete, gutter and curbs when present, shall be finished smooth with a steel trowel. The cow standing platform, wash pen, litter alley, and feed alley shall be given a true even surface with a wood float. The cow standing platform, litter alley, holding corral, and concrete lane shall be treated to prevent slipping and may be finished either with a suitable instrument, drawn in the direction of both slopes or treatment of the surface with emery aggregate, carborundum grit, or equivalent material. A sand or rock cushion of at least 6 inches shall be placed under the floor on soils other than sandy loam. All concrete floor slabs shall be reinforced with a minimum of #6 x #6/10 x 10 steel mesh or other reinforcing material of equal or greater strength.(b) Walls. All walls shall be of masonry or reinforced concrete and be at least 3 feet 6 inches in height above the floor. All walls shall be finished smooth on the inside with the top ledge rounded on open walls. When a barn wall forms part of the holding corral or an entrance or exit lane, it shall be finished smooth on the outside. Where concrete block or masonry construction is used, all voids below the floor line shall be filled with concrete. In elevated stall type barns, the wall under the cow standing platform adjacent to the milker's area shall be finished smooth.
(c) Plate Line. The plate line in the floor level milking barn shall not be less than 7 feet 3 inches above the floor. In elevated stall type barns, the plate line shall be not less than 6 feet 6 inches above the cow standing platform.
(d) Superstructure. The exposed superstructure of the barn roof or ceiling shall be constructed of smooth material. Exposed superstructure shall be such that the roof sheathing is applied directly to the rafters.
(e) Electrical Wiring. All surface-mounted wiring shall be in rigid conduit or electrical metal tubing. All outlets and switches in wet locations shall be of a type which afford protection from water. Metal stanchions shall be electrically grounded.
(f) Stalls. The cow standing platform in floor level barns shall not be less than 3 feet wide for each cow and shall be at least 4 feet 10 inches and not over 6 feet from the stanchion line to the gutter, depending on the size of the cattle and the design of the manger. Where stanchions are not used, the cow standing platform shall be at least 7 feet in length. The cow stall in tandem type elevated stall barns shall be 8 feet in length. The tandem, parallel and herringbone stalls shall have a smooth, flat, nonabsorbent splash panel behind each cow.
(g) Light and Air Space. The milking barn shall have at least 400 cubic feet of air space for each stall. Window space shall be equivalent to at least 6 percent of the floor area. Light-transmitting material in the roof may be substituted for window space. Artificial light shall not be less than 20-foot candles at the floor level and so located as to minimize shadows in the milking area.
(h) Alleys. (1) The litter alley exclusive of gutter shall be not less than 4 feet 9 inches wide behind a single string of cows or goats. In two-string, head-out barns, the litter alley shall be at least 8 feet wide between gutters.(2) In floor level barns, the feed alley in single and two-string, head-out types, shall be at least 5 feet 9 inches wide between stanchion line and wall. In two-string, head-in barns, a minimum of 10 feet between lines of stanchions is required.(3) The milker's alley in the two-string tandem type elevated stall barn shall be at least 8 feet wide, but may be reduced to 5 feet at the narrowest point when automatic feeders are installed and used. The width of the milker's alley in the two-string herringbone type barn may be reduced to 5 feet at the narrowest point.(4) In the single-string elevated stall type barn, the milker's alley shall be at least 4 feet wide. The milker's alley and passageway if combined shall be at least 8 feet wide.(i) Gutters. All barns shall have gutters so designed and located to catch the defecation of cows while in the stall and washings of the barns.
(1) Gutters in the floor level type barn may be either the trench or step-off type. The gutter shall be at least 14 inches wide and 2 inches deep at the cow standing platform. The gutter floor shall slope down away from the cow standing platform " inch across its width. The gutter shall have a uniform depth for its entire length.(2) The gutters in the elevated stall type barn shall be grate-covered in the stall. The stall gutter shall be located to catch the defecation of the cow in the stall. It shall be at least 500 square inches in area and at least 20 inches wide and 4 inches deep. The herringbone type barns may have the stall gutter width reduced to 14 inches provided the 500 square inch area per animal is maintained. The parallel type barn shall have a 6-inch-wide gutter mounted to the splash panel. Gutter shall automatically flush when cows exit.(3) Pipe used for barn gutter drainage shall not be less than 4 inches in diameter and meet local plumbing codes.(j) Curbs. (1) In elevated type barns, the cow standing platform shall be curbed on the side next to the milker's alley and the curb shall be at least 4 inches in height and designed to retain the elevated stall floor washings. Metal curbs shall be free of voids and sealed to stall floor or wall.(2) In floor level barns, a curb under the stanchion line at least 6 inches wide and 12 inches high from the stall floor is required, except where metal mangers are used; the top of this curb shall be rounded.(k) Stanchions. Stanchions shall be of metal or other waterproof, easily cleanable material approved by the Director. The lower horizontal line of the stanchion shall be at least 2 inches above the curb and at least 14 inches above the floor when no curb is provided.
(l) Mangers. In floor level type barns, the manger shall have a minimum width of 27 inches with a back wall at least 12 inches above the floor; corners rounded, the low point of the manger at least 8 inches out from the stanchion line and 3 inches above the floor; with a true lengthwise slope of a minimum of 11/2 inches in 10 feet. Mangers and feed boxes in all type barns shall be constructed of impervious materials, finished smooth and provided with drainage outlets at low points.
(m) Ventilators. Adequate ventilation shall be provided in the milking barn and holding corral/wash area if roofed.(1) Continuous open (18 inch) ridge vents that rise at least 6 inches above the roof are acceptable. Any ridge vent continuing over the feed room shall be screened fly tight.(2) Stack type vents are acceptable. Where this type of vent is used, provision shall be made for a 12-inch diameter opening on single-string barns, or a 14-inch diameter opening for multi-string barns, with not more than 10 feet between vent and wall and vent and vent.(3) When a flat ceiling is installed, it shall have at least two vents, 2 feet by 2 feet or equivalent, shafted to a roof peak vent which has not less than a 12-inch opening. The ceiling vents may be located directly in line over the cow standing platform or over the milker's pit. The vents shall be located not more than 10 feet between vent and wall and vent and vent.(n) Barn Doors. The lower half of barn doors shall be covered on both sides with smooth corrosion-resistant metal.(o) The dimensions of sub items (b), (f), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), of T3-659 may be altered for milking barns for goats.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, § 659
1. New section filed 9-10-71; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 71, No. 37). Approved by State Building Standards Commission 8-18-71.
2. Amendment of subsections (a)(1), (a)(3), (f), (i)(2) and (j)(1), and new NOTE filed 11-9-95; operative 12-9-95 (Register 95, No. 45). Note: Authority cited: Sections 407 and 33481, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections 33481, 33482, 33483, 33484 and 33486, Food and Agricultural Code.
1. New section filed 9-10-71; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 71, No. 37). Approved by State Building Standards Commission 8-18-71.
2. Amendment of subsections (a)(1), (a)(3), (f), (i)(2) and (j)(1), and new Note filed 11-9-95; operative 12-9-95 (Register 95, No. 45).