Yes, there are different types of dairy barns.

Tie Stall Barns – These are a more traditional style of barn that has individual stalls for each animal. The animal is usually kept in the stall by a “lead” made out of chain or rope. The animal has access to feed and water directly in front of them. The animals are usually let out of the stall, and the barn, during cleaning and feeding time. Many times these cows are put outside during nicer weather to graze in a pasture, although this is not always the case. The animals are often milked via a pipeline milking system where the farmer or milker goes from cow to cow in their stalls and attaches milking equipment to each udder. The milk is then let down from the udder into the equipment and it is pumped back into the milk house and the bulk tank. Less often, cows are milked in a milking parlor elsewhere in the barn.

Stanchion Barns - Stanchion Barns usually feature an individual stall for each cow but instead of being “tied” into the stall, the animal’s head fits through a stanchion or locking device that prevents the cow from backing out of the stall once the stanchion is locked in place. Food and water are kept available at all times in front of the animal. The animals are usually let outside, often to a pasture for grazing, while the stalls are cleaned and feed is replenished. Usually a pipeline milking system is used where each cow is milked in their stall and the milk is pumped back to the milk house via a pipeline. Less often, cows are milked in a milking parlor elsewhere in the barn.

Free Stall Barns – Free stall Barns are designed to let the cows roam free within the confines of their area of the barn, a large pen within the barn. An individual stall is available for the cows to lie down in. The animals feed is available in front of their stall. The stall is usually an open stall with just heavy pipes that separate each cow’s individual area. Many animals usually occupy the same pen. There is usally a large vessel containing fresh water that any of the cows have access to. In free stall barns the cows usually do not go outside. The climate is meticulously controlled to keep the cow as cool and comfortable as possible. Large fans usually provide enormous ventilation during the warmer months. Alleys where the cows walk around are usually cleaned either with a small tractor with a blade mounted to the front, or an automatic alley scraper continuously cleans the alley of any waste 24 hours a day. The more modern free stall barns have open walls with curtains. The curtains open and close, sometimes automatically, depending upon the outside temperature. The animals in a free stall barn always travel to a milking parlor, where the cows enter in groups to be milked at the same time. Groups may range from six to twelve to larger numbers at a time. The milker stands in a pit lower than the cows, where he or she attaches the cups to the cows’ udders after they’ve been cleaned and sanitized. Once the udder drains out of milk, the cup automatically comes off and is pulled back up to wait for attachment to the next cow.