Ron Sharp & The Herringbone

In 1952, Ronald Sharp, a visionary dairy farmer from Gordonton near Hamilton, New Zealand, forever changed the landscape of milking sheds with his revolutionary design known as the herringbone cowshed. This innovative creation not only alleviated the physical strain on dairy farmers but also significantly enhanced the efficiency of milking cows, setting a new standard for the New Zealand dairy sector.

At the time, milking was a labour-intensive process involving multiple tasks such as restraining cows, attaching and removing milking machine cups, washing, stimulating milk flow, and extracting remaining milk from udders. This arduous routine required farmers to bend over repeatedly, with an estimated 2,400 stoops per cow and 240,000 for a sizable 100-cow herd during a full season. Ron Sharp, who was dealing with knee and hip problems, recognised the need for a more efficient way to conduct this crucial agricultural task.

In the autumn of 1952, during the customary lull in the dairy season, Ron embarked on a transformative project to improve his father’s outdated 12-bail walk-through cowshed. With the help of family and friends, he devised a deceptively simple solution – a central pit for the milker surrounded by raised platforms for the cows. Inspired by the angle-parked cars on Hamilton’s main street, Victoria St, Ron positioned the cows at an angle, making their udders easily accessible at a convenient height for the milker.

Initially referred to as a “stoopless batch” milking shed, this design allowed cows to be brought in groups, reducing the need for constant stooping. The compact system saved operators an estimated 225 kilometres of walking during each dairy season. Ron’s son, Alan, recalled his father’s belief in finding efficient solutions and the simplicity of the herringbone design, emphasising that simplicity often yielded the best results.

One of the most significant advantages of the Sharp cowshed was its capacity to handle up to 90 cows per hour, a remarkable improvement over the traditional milking process that allowed only 30 cows per hour. This increased efficiency paved the way for expansion in the dairy industry, earning the praise of Dr. W.G. “Wattie” Whittlestone, a renowned scientist and lactation expert at the Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, who hailed the herringbone shed as the “greatest innovation since the invention of the milking machine.”

Despite its groundbreaking nature, the herringbone design initially faced resistance from Dairy Division inspectors. However, it gained recognition and international acclaim in 1955 after installation at Massey Agricultural College. By 1964, thousands of herringbone sheds, also known as parlors, were in operation worldwide, even reaching the Soviet Union.

Ron Sharp’s contributions to the farming community and his innovative cowshed design were acknowledged when he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2000. A modest and well-respected stockman, Ron Sharp’s legacy lives on, as his innovative herringbone cowshed design continues to shape and influence the dairy industry globally. Ronald Sharp passed away in 2004, leaving behind a lasting impact on the world of agriculture.