Run-off: Collecting run off from dirty yards where cows are walking is important. Some farmers like this farmer divert the water to a clean drain when it's clean or not in use. This farmer uses a drain at the lowest point of the sloping yard and has a manhole with a divert channel (see below).

A dirty water manhole where the divert channel is covered and protected.

Wash troughs: Again a common mistake is the parlour or the herd outgrow the wash troughs. So, even with taps running full while the machine is washing, often the volume of water circulating is not enough. Ensure the capacity is enough for the number of units in the parlour. You need to do your sums on 15 litres per unit. So if you are installing 20 but the parlour might go to 24 or 28 units in future leave the wash troughs big enough that they have the capacity to hold the extra water needed.

Underpass: This underpass is going under the road and up into an existing yard that is covered. The dairy for this farm is built on the frame of the underpass.

A view from the other side of the underpass as it rises up from under the road.

Slurry pipe: This slurry pipe hose fitting is fixed in concrete and the hose goes down into the underground tank.

Slurry is pumped into the overground tank via a hose.

Footbath: This walk-through footbath for cows is big enough to let two cows walk side by side. It's easy to access and clean out. It's at the same level as the cows walk in. The farmer uses clear water in the first bath to wash hooves and collect any dung and then he uses footbath solution and water in the second bath.

Feed bins: Feed bins can be tower bins or they can be bins that you tip into with the loader if buying and transporting grain yourself to the farm. This bin can be opened on the side and tipped into with a loader. The farmer in this instance said he didn't buy the bin big enough now that herd size had grown. Meal is augered into the parlour feeders from this bin. Some suckler farmers have a cone where they drive in with the loader and bucket, fill it up and then bucket out the meal to stock.