Rubber Matting for cows has been shown to positively impact mobility, hoof health, and leg health. The softer underfoot conditions provided by rubber mats reduce physical injuries to the hoof, and thus reduce lameness.
In dairy systems today, cows spend many hours walking on concrete floors and gravel alleyways on their way to and from the milking shed, contrary to the hooves of a cow that are designed for walking on soft surfaces such as grass, sand, and mud.
Rubber matt is better than concrete flooring because of its flexibility
However, concrete floors can be slippery, especially on ramps and alleyways, making them the most common flooring material in dairy sheds.
Rubber matting can reduce your animal health costs. According to a study comparing concrete floors with rubber floors, cows on concrete floors were more likely to be lame than cows on rubber floors.
Animals may also prefer softer surfaces to stand, walk and lie on, just as humans enjoy spending time on softer surfaces such as beds and sofas and wearing cushioned shoes.
Cows can grip better on rubber matting
There are many different rubber floors available today, with different thicknesses and designs. Rubber mats can improve the comfort and grip of alley flooring. If you want a floor that minimizes the risk of slipping, you need a rubber mat with a thickness of at least 10 mm.
It has been shown that cows with or without sole ulcers walk more securely on rubber floors, with longer and higher strides, more symmetrical steps, and at a higher speed than on concrete floors. This supports the claim that Horse Mats are more comfortable and secure to walk on than concrete floors.
Lameness in dairy cows: causes and effects
One explanation for cows becoming lame is that modern cows spend a lot of time on hard, slippery floors, which can result in strain injuries to their outer rear hooves. This can lead to sole lesions developing and gradually causing lameness.
Rubber floors were found to have a lower risk of sole hemorrhages, and concrete floors were the most common. A softer floor may decrease the risk of strain injuries and therefore minimize the risk of sole hemorrhages.
In horses, a sole ulcer is a painful hoof disease that often causes lameness. It is usually found in the lateral hoof of the rear feet and is described as a canal through the diseased, hemorrhagic sole horn to the corium. A sole ulcer can be costly to treat. Breeders should feed their animals well, trim their hooves, and use softer flooring to prevent sole ulcers.
In addition, Outdoor Matting is easier to maintain because they have a non-porous surface and can be easily washed. As hygiene can be improved in an environment with rubber matting, lameness issues such as digital dermatitis can be controlled more easily.
A cow's management can also increase the likelihood of lameness, according to Dairy NZ.
Did you ever observe the cows while they moved on the race tracks and in the yards when they were milked? There is a possibility that they are slipping on the ground or that some reason is making them feel uncomfortable because they are walking slower.
Do all of the workers on your farm understand that high heads are an indication of too much pressure on the cows?
Are you able to detect lame cows before they reach the back of the herd and can no longer support their weight?
Is everyone on your farm aware of how to open and close the backing gate in order to maximize cow flow and minimize hoof damage?
Have you sufficient staff who are experienced in treating lame cows in order to ensure that all lame cows are treated promptly?
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