A comfortable dairy farm is not only beneficial to the animals but also to the farmer. Cows will be more profitable in a comfortable environment. Cow mats play a major role in ensuring that cow sheds are comfortable. They can be used in alleys, parlors, stalls and resting areas.
Cow mats are of great importance in dairy farming. They are designed to eliminate all sorts of fatigue ensuring that the cow is comfortable and in good shape. In addition to comfort, cow mattresses have numerous benefits. These benefits include;
1. Cow Safety
Concrete stalls can be risky to the cow and its owner. Slipping is the main hazard associated with concrete surfaces. The installation of cow mattresses reduces slipping considerably. Cows will thus be more comfortable walking around.
The fewer the slipping incidences the safer the cow will be. Lameness is mainly caused by falls and the injuries suffered. The fewer the slips and falls, the fewer the injuries, thus few lameness cases. The presence of mats will give you the advantage of reduced number of cows lost to lameness.
2. Improved Cow Hygiene And Milk Hygiene
Cow barn hygiene is directly proportional to the overall cow and milk hygiene. Much as you may be trying to keep your cows clean, if the barn is not clean you will hardly achieve your targets.
Maintaining top of the range hygiene can be a little challenging in the average barn. This is however different with the best cow mattresses. These mats are easy to clean and maintain. They can be flushed with ease ensuring that all the dirt is removed.
It is important to ensure that the mats are not only clean but also disinfected. You may also need to use antibacterial and antifungal products in bacteria prone areas. Milking parlors and sleeping sections should be given special attention. These are the areas where mastitis bacteria reside.
3. Dairy Cow Heat Detection
Many farmers struggle with dairy cow heat detection. Some will go for months without noting any signs. This has adverse effects on the herd growth. For a dairy herd to be sustainable, it needs to have young and healthy heifers. This will only be possible if the cows are going on heat at the right time and insemination done without delays.
Accurate heat detection is very important for any dairyman. Cow mats help the cow feel comfortable and secure all the time. The comfort reduces stress levels thus contribute to them showing strong heat signs.
4. Improved Heat Retention
Heat retention is a major element in dairy cow management. Its every farmer’s duty to ensure that his heard is warm throughout the year. Concrete surfaces can be a little cold and uncomfortable during the cold seasons.
Cow mats make it easy to regulate cow shed warmth all year round. These mats have the advantage of retaining heat emitted from the cow. The cow will thus feel warm and comfortable all year round.
5. Reduced Dairy Cow Health Risks
A cow’s production is directly proportional to her healthy. Healthy cows will always produce more milk than unhealthy cows. Most of the diseases suffered by dairy cows have a close relationship with the environment.
Unhygienic cow barns contribute to the advent, distribution diseases. Disease causing pathogen, such as mastitis bacteria, thrives in dirty environment. This explains why farmers whose barns are unkempt have a hard time controlling mastitis.
You will enjoy the benefit reduced health risks by having cow mats in your farm. Having the cow mats in place also goes a long way in controlling health risks that may already be present in the farm. This will also save you the costs associated with treatment of such diseases.
6. The Best Cow Mattresses Are Eco-Friendly
Caring for the environment is everyone’s responsibility. Cow mats contribute in environment conservation. Most of these mats are eco-friendly. They thus contribute in ensuring that the environment is well catered for.
The fact that these mats can be vacuumed means that you only need a little water to clean them. This is environmental friendly considering that water is a scarce commodity. The waste associated with these mats is also easy to manage.
Cow mats are also bio-degradable. Once they have been used, it becomes easy to dispose them. Some can also be recycled or reused. This ensures that little waste goes into the environment.
7. Increased Sleeping Hours
Research has shown that increased sleeping and resting hours increase a cow’s production. Dairy cows avoid sleeping on cold and uncomfortable surfaces. It is for this reason that you will see them sleeping more on sand or natural ground that the cold unforgiving concrete surfaces.
Dairy cows will sleep longer hours on cow mats and mattresses. These mats are comfortable thus make the cow relish the time spent sleeping. You will actually note a tendency of the cow ignoring some activities for the coveted nap.
Conclusion
Cow mats and mattresses have numerous benefits. The benefits are directly proportional to the cow’s productivity and profitability. In an era where a farm’s productivity is no longer pegged on milk prices but a cow’s productivity, it’s important to understand the benefits you stand to enjoy by improving a cow’s comfort and the overall COW welfare.
Cow mattresses will be a major boost to the dairy farm. Though they may be costly than the old school bedding options, you will definitely enjoy the benefits of cow mats and mattresses. They are a worth investment. You just need to choose the right mattress that suits your cow barn. You may check our review of the best cow mats and mattresses for guidance on the same.