One Cow Stable Design

Hello, I have no experience in cow breeding. I´d ask some help about a stable design. What is the best way to deal with manure? How can I save the night pee? Thank you!

Hi fabio;  Not sure what your trying to do here...  one cow breeding ?? should be interesting... (sorry, couldn't help myself) manure is best dealt with a shovel...  start a compost pile.  Night pee ? never ever heard of anybody saving cow pee?  What would you want it for ??  If you really want it, then a strong grate with a pan underneath would catch it   Or wait with a pail and catch it that way... (glad that is not me holding that pail )  If your concern is soiling the inside of your new stable well... its a stable... that is what animals in captivity do. See use a shovel above... give her a barnyard and she will go outside most of the time.  When pee and poop are outside a tractor with a bucket does all the hard work for you.  If you are wanting building plans for your stable, i'm sure a quick you tube search will find just what your looking for.   As a side note... no animals do well alone... they need friends... another cow..(helps with breeding) a goat, horse , pigs, a lama ,even a dog if he will spend all his time with your cow. If you have an animal alone it will not be a happy cow and it will listen for other cows far down the road and it WILL escape ! Fixing fences is no fun and sometimes they can get cut up badly trying to get thru a fence. Buy 2 cows, build a barn for both ... maybe even some chickens or a few wiener piggy's . You will eat better, be healthier , stronger and ultimately happier.       Good Luck with your new adventure !

There are some interesting biologically activated manure teas that call for cow pee.I always wondered how one was supposed to obtain it.

Pigs are said to be able to get a large portion of their nutrition from cow dung.
Chickens also will scratch through all kinds of manure for food,including fly larva.
The advantage of these stacked systems is all feed gets used as much as possible before becoming fertilizer,and each set of animals will harvest from the next,largely without your help.

Assuming an overnight stall big enough for at least two cows, a stable would also have a milking stall, feed storage,equipment storage,and good ventilation.
I would want hard surfaced slanted floors leading to drains,for cleaning ,and/or saving pee,etc.
I would also want doors/sliding panels on each side of the building, for ventilation and cleaning.

I actually meant rearing not breeding (is it right now? sorry, not too good in english) What is the best way to compost manure? I ask about saving pee because I read somewhere it may be used to water the manure compost. The manure compost may receive sunlight, heavy rain, etc? or should be - what is it the word... shut? closed? May it be composted alone or is necessary to mix straw?  I have not enough pasture for two cows Thomas, but some chickens I do have, it will be fine, don´t worry I may ask you to hold the bucket (couldn´t help myself). I read about spreading a straw bed to keep the pee, but it should be cleaned at least twice a week which is too much work. Thanks!

Hi Fabio; My apology for teasing you.  Your compost pile can be open to the weather. Outdoors your cow will pee & poop in the same area.  Shovel it in your wheel barrow and move it to your compost pile, the pee will be soaked into the poop.  If you have a concrete pad with a drain that your cow is on then the pee will go down, the drain the poop will need to be shoveled. If you have a dirt floor it will soak in.  If it is not raining enough simply hose down your compost pile to keep it active. Add fresh greens not just straw (lawn/garden clippings, spoiled fruit) turn it every few days and eventually you will have beautiful black dirt for your garden!  Oh put your chicken poop into the compost also, it is very strong. The reason some people use  straw on the floor inside is so the wood of your building does not soak up the pee and rot, as well as smell horrible forever. If you don't have pasture for two cows consider a goat or sheep, animals really do need a friend to be happy and feel safe.  

Is this cow being kept for milk, beef or as a work animal/ ox? How much pasture do you have and what is your climate like, the answers to these questions will impact how to best setup a place for your cow and would give us a better idea of how to help you.

I´ll build the stable over a concrete floor which I already have. Maybe then I will just let the pee drain out through gravity or I could gather it if there was any utility. I will raise a cow for milk and then maybe I can raise two later (which is my desire). It´s 16 hectare land but only one clean - the rest subtropical forest. Thank you for you kindness.