Cattle Yards for Dairy Farms

Planning a new cattle yard for your dairy farm is a significant investment. A well-designed yard improves safety, saves time, reduces labour pressure, and delivers long-term return on investment. From artificial breeding (AB) to calf handling, loading, and animal health work, getting the design right from the start is critical.

Below are the key considerations when planning cattle yards for dairy farms in New Zealand.

Cattle yard design: Plan for the jobs you do

Every dairy operation is different, so your cattle yard should be designed around the tasks you carry out most often. When planning your yard, consider whether you need to include:

• An AB artificial breeding insemination race
• A cattle crush for weighing, drafting, vet and hoof work
• Calf handling facilities for drenching, weighing, and vaccinations
• A loading ramp for transport to and from grazing or support blocks

Designing these features into the yard from the outset ensures smooth stock flow, safer handling, and future flexibility.

Cattle yard calf handling facilities

Good calf handling facilities save time and make routine jobs far easier. When planning new cattle yards for dairy farms, it’s important to consider how calves will be handled alongside larger cattle. Te Pari cattle yards can be customised to include either a dedicated calf race or race width reducing panels, giving dairy farmers flexible options to suit calves at different stages of growth.

Dedicated Calf Race options

A dedicated calf race is specifically designed for handling younger stock. It features a narrower race width to prevent calves from turning around, along with lower rail heights so animals are easier to reach during procedures like oral drenching, vaccinating, or tagging.

Canterbury dairy farmers Marcus and Cally incorporated a calf race into the design of their new Te Pari cattle yards and have found it makes calf work far more efficient.

“We love our calf race. It works really well while they’re still a bit smaller, allows us to drench them orally quite easily, and they run through nice and easily,” says Cally.

Watch Marcus and Cally’s calf race and Te Pari Cattle Yards in action in this video:

Race Width Reducing Panels for growing stock

For dairy farmers wanting a more flexible solution, Te Pari’s Race Reducing Panels can be fitted to any Te Pari cattle yard design. These panels make it quick and easy to adjust the width of the race as calves grow.

The race width can be reduced from 750mm down to as narrow as 450mm, helping prevent calves from turning in the race and improving animal flow and safety. This option is ideal for dairy farms handling mixed mobs or transitioning calves into larger cattle yards.

Watch how Te Pari’s Race Reducing Panels work here:

Cattle crushes for dairy farms

A well-designed cattle crush makes it safer and easier to do vet work and hoof inspection on your dairy farm. Many crushes come with drafting gates in front to make rafting cows into mobs much safer and easier too. There is a wide range of crushes available but here are the two most popular options for dairy farms:

Loading ramps for dairy farms & support blocks

Loading cattle should be quick, calm, and safe. Te Pari’s stepped cattle loading ramps are designed to reduce hesitation, improve cattle flow, and make loading and unloading easier. They are ideal for dairy farms sending cows off to winter grazing or moving stock between support blocks.

Unlike sloped ramps, the stepped design significantly lowers the risk of slipping, especially in wet or muddy conditions. The steps encourage a more natural walking motion, helping cattle move forward confidently and with less stress.

Click here to read more about the benefits of stepped loading ramps

Cattle loading ramp options

Te Pari offers several loading ramp options to suit different dairy farm layouts and support block sites:

Single-Height Stepped Loading Ramp

Features fully sheeted sides for animal safety, a catwalk with handrail for operator safety, and an optional flat top landing to make unloading easier and safer.

Dual-Height Loading Ramp

Designed for installation on a raised concrete base or bank, allowing efficient loading to both the upper and lower decks of a cattle truck. This option is ideal for farms regularly transporting larger numbers of dairy cattle.

Cattle Loading Bank

A simple, ground-level option where site conditions allow, helping cattle walk calmly into the truck with an access gate for safe operator entry.

Learn more about Te Pari’s Loading Ramp Options

Popular yard designs for dairy farms

#1:  SY106 Yard Plan

The SY106 Yard Plan is a popular choice for dairy support operations. Designed to handle mobs of up to 106 head, it features:

• 3 curved holding pens
• Diamond forcing pen
• Long curved race with catwalk
• 3-way drafting module in front of the crush

This is an economical, efficient design that delivers excellent cattle flow.

#2:  SY115 Yard Plan

The SY115 Yard Plan is ideal for farms wanting safe, efficient handling in a compact footprint. Designed for handling mobs up to 115 head, it includes:

• Diamond forcing pen
• Long curved race with a cattle-free working area
• 3-way drafting module in front of the crush

This design makes drafting and routine cattle work straightforward and safe.

#3  SY167 Yard Plan 

The SY167 Yard Plan is designed to handle mobs of up to 167 head of cattle and features:

• Curved pens for excellent stock flow
• Forcing pen with C-Force rotating gate
• Long curved race with cattle-free working area
• 3-way drafting module in front of the crush

This design is well suited to dairy farms that prioritise flow, safety, and ease of handling. The example in the photos below also has a separate calf race with weigh platform.

Choosing the right cattle yard for your dairy farm

A well-planned cattle yard improves animal welfare, protects staff, and saves valuable time every season. By designing your yard around the jobs you do most - from AB and calf handling to loading and animal health, you can build a system that works now and into the future.

Te Pari offers free advice, yard design consultations, and quotes to help you find the right solution for your dairy farm.

Get in touch with the Te Pari team today to start planning your new cattle yards.