Cow comfort is very essential in rearing healthy and happy animals. The animal’s well-being is very important socially and economically. Research has shown that comfortable animals produce more milk and have few health complications. Its thus paramount that every farmer implements the best ways to boost cow comfort. One of the sure ways is investing in the best cow mattresses.
Cow mattresses go a long way in boosting cow comfort. They have numerous benefits thus improve how the cow sleeps, lies down and gets up after sleep. These are the three crucial factors that veterinaries have identified to be high contributors to animals’ lameness if not handled carefully.
Well, cow mats and mattresses come in different forms, shapes and sizes. Their price also varies from one type to the other. This makes it a little confusing while searching for the best cow mattresses. Here are the basics to ease your search for cow beddings and help you settle on the best mat.
1. Anti-Skid Surface
The cow needs to feel comfortable while walking on the mats. Just like human, animals fear falling. They will thus avoid the mats at all costs if they instill the fear.
One of the reasons that the cow will reject sleeping mattresses is skidding. The mattress you install should thus be anti-skid to give the cow confidence while lying down or standing up.
2. Provides Cushion And Support
Cushioning is very vital in cow comfort. Hard surfaces make the cow feel uncomfortable and may not sleep as much as it would want to. The mats need to give a cow enough support and cushioning. This avoids transferring the weight to one side of the body thus making it uncomfortable.
3. Effective Insulation
Warmth soothes the cow to sleep. The longer the cow sleeps, the more the production. On average, a cow should sleep for four hours and spend at least eight hours drowsing. Comfortable sleeping pads motivate the cow to sleep unlike uncomfortable surfaces.
4. Moderated Humidity In The Pen
Humidity moderation in cow barns is very important. Quite a good number of disease-causing pathogens are known to thrive in humid areas. Such pathogen includes mastitis Bactria that has wreaked havoc in many dairy farms.
Cow mats go a long way in controlling humidity in cubicles as well as allays and holding areas. You need to invest in the best cow mats that can be cleaned and dried with ease. This will ensure that minimal water remains in the pens thus low humidity levels.
5. Easy To Clean
Dairy cattle mats ought to stay clean all the time. Hygiene is vital in rearing a healthy herd. As mentioned earlier, disease causing bacteria thrive in dirty environment. It is thus paramount that you ensure that the surface is easy to clean and maintain.
Cow mats are quite easy to clean. The material, especially rubber, releases the dirt with ease. You will have an easy time cleaning and disinfecting the mats compared to the convention floors.
6. Durability
The best cow mats ought to be durable and long lasting. These mats are costly. You thus need to ensure that you are getting value for money and the sure way is long service. Cows are heavy and the mats chosen should have the capacity to withstand the weight for years.
7. Price
When it comes to selection of cow mats, price takes priority. Many are the times that many people have foregone the best cow mats simply because of the price. Truth be told, the best mats aren’t cheap. You will need to have a good budget. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot get a good mat at an affordable price. Just don’t expect them to be in the lowest tier.
8. Material
Cow mattresses vary in terms of the material. They can either be rubber, nylon, fiber or even cloth. All these materials make excellent mats. You however need to go for the material that gives long lasting and high-quality mats.
Rubber has for long proven to be the best material for cow mattresses. This explains why most of the mats available in the market are made of this incredible material. Different types of rubber are used to make cow barn floor mats. Settle for the highest quality rubber and you will have no regrets.
9. Mattress size
The size of mattress you choose will be dictated by your barn stalls. Some mats are small while others are huge. The small mat may be one foot squared while the large mats may be four meters squared.
The small mats are quite easy to install. They however curl up with time as they stiffen. This can be addressed by investing in interlocking cow mattresses. The large barn mattresses on the other hand are difficult to install. Their weight makes it difficult to install and may require a specialist’s input.
10. Thickness
Cow barn and stall mattresses ought to be considerably thick. The thickness should range between two centimetres and one inch. This makes the mats comfortable and impermeable. The urine thus won’t penetrate through the mats to soak the surface.
Thick stall mattresses are less likely to curl up. They are also long lasting and are less likely to move as the cow sleeps or stands up.
Best Cow Mattresses Reviewed
1. Best Interlocking Cow Barn Floor Mat
Prosource Fit Puzzle Interlocking Floor Mat
Prosource fit mats are non-skid durable mats that have proven to be very reliable in dairy farming. These mat tiles make it possible to convert any cow barn into a comfortable space for all types of cattle.
The ProSource fit mattresses are very popular in the gyms. They have been used for years to provide comfortable working out spaces. The same features that have made them win in the gym have attracted dairy farmers and the results are incredible.
Prosource fit mats easily rank among the best cow mattresses as they are not only comfortable and durable but are also easy to assemble. They can be assembled in a few minutes and taken apart when the need arises.
Product Specifications
- Size: 24”x24”x0.5”
- Weight: 4.41 pounds
- Color: Black
- Design: Interlocking
Product Features
- Non-skid surface
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
- Long lasting and water resistant
- Adjustable coverage
- Versatile with numerous uses
- Features six tiles with end borders
Outstanding Mattress Features
1. Long-Lasting Water-Resistant Cushion
The mats are made of high density foam. This foam is water resistant. It is thus comfortable on the cow’s knees and belly. It offers excellent cushioning as the cow sleeps. The fact that it is water resistant means that cow’s urine cannot penetrate to the surface.
This mat is designed to last long. It can be very costly changing cow mats every now and then. installing these mat gives you the peace of mind knowing that you have something that can keep your cow comfortable for a number of years.
2. Adjustable Coverage
The interlocking mat comes in twenty-four inch (24”) square tiles. The six tiles fit easily to make a considerably huge sleeping mat. You can play around with the tiles to get the desired coverage. normally, the design adopted will be dictated by the sleeping pen design.
Pros
- High quality foam offers excellent comfort
- No toxic phthalates
- Offers good insulation
- Not pleasant to the bugs
- Easy to assemble
- Easy to clean and maintain
Cons
- Absence of tries at the bottom reduces traction
- The tiles separate on rigorous cow movement especially when fighting for sleeping space
2. Best Non-Slip Barn Mat
Heming Weigh Non-Slip Extra-Long Thick Mat
Traction is very important in cow barns. Cows will only feel comfortable when they can walk on a mat without the fear of falling. You do not want to expose your cow to the risk of falling or sliding when moving.
The Heming weigh non-slip mat serves as the perfect piece to install in your stall. Just like the ProSource interlocking mat, this mat is also very popular in gyms and workout spaces. This however doesn’t stop one from using them in the barn. You will be amazed at how incredible these mats turn to be.
Product specifications
- Size: 70”x23”
- Weight: 2.6 pounds
- Color: Black
Product Features
- Superior material
- Thick cushioning
- Non slip surface
Prominent Product Features
1. Superior Material
This mat is made of long lasting material. This means that it will not wear down after a few months of use. The heavy duty mattress does not fray or rip thus remains in its original form for a long time.
2.Thick Foam Cushioning
Cushioning is very important in boosting cow comfort. This mat is very competitive in that it offers great cushioning. The thick foam keeps the cow comfortable all the time. This extends cow lying hours thus increased production. The thick cushion easily makes it the best cow mattress due to the superior joint comfort and support.
3. Non-Slip Surface
This is the most outstanding feature of the HemingWeigh mattress. The unique aspect is that both sides of the mattress are son-slip. This means that you can use either side.
The double-sided mattress brings in versatility and makes it for the farmer to install without worrying about the sides. The non-slip surface keeps cows safe as they walk, sleep and wake up.
Pros
- Very resilient
- Its thick and comfortable
- Its long lasting
- Easy to clean
- Doesn’t fray or roll up
- Its soft and sturdy
Cons
- Has a strong odor
- Slips when placed on smooth surface
3. Best Absorbent Cow Mattress
Airmatrix Polypropylene Universal Heavy Weight Absorbent Spill Control Laminated Pad
ESP Airmatrix absorbent pad is a high quality mattress that serves well in cattle barns. This mat has been used for some years and has proven to be very reliable. This is a high absorbent pad that is made from 85% recycled polypropylene.
The long lasting mat features single sided melt blown construction. It has no lint and can last several years with little maintenance. The single sided construction goes a long way in controlling slips. The underside is rough giving it ample grip.
Product Specifications
- Size: 19.4”x16.1”x15.7”
- Weight: 11 pounds
- Color: Gray
Product Features
- Minimal lint
- Durable spun bond polypropylene dark gray layer
- 85% sustainable/recyclable polypropylene
- 2 sonically welded sorbent layers
- No lint spunbond combined with high loft melt blown fibers
Outstanding Mattress Features
1. Durable Spun Bond Polypropylene Dark Gray Layer
Polypropylene is one of the best modern textiles used for manufacturing, upholstery and industrial applications. It is lightfast, soft and easy to clean. This makes it best suited for cattle mattress.
Polypropylene has incredible tensile strength. This means that it can withstand heavy weights. Cows aren’t light and having a mattress that can comfortably withstand their weight is an added advantage.
2. 85% Sustainable/Recyclable Polypropylene
Polypropylene being recyclable makes excellent mats that can be recycled once used. This explains why some of these mats are quite cheap. The material is environmental friendly as it doesn’t release toxics. The cows will thus be exposed to healthy mats.
Pros
- High absorption capacity
- They are affordable
- Impart luxurious look
- Highly resistant to stains
- Easy to clean. May be cleaned with bleach
- Hardly holds lousy odor
Cons
- May be susceptible to UV degradation
- Doesn’t absorb oil spills
- They have low resilience
4. Best Anti-Fatigue Cow Mattress
Kangaroo Commercial Grade Anti Fatigue Ergonomic Floor Pad
Cows stand for a long time especially when eating. Some cows opt to relax or even sleep while standing. Such behavior demands that you install reliable anti-fatigue mattresses. Kangaroo commercial mats are ergonomic and engineered to offer the highest pressure relieve.
What is good for human is good for cows too and this mat has received lot of praise when it comes to relieving fatigue. The mats look great in the cow stalls and contrasts nicely with concrete floor.
The mat gives the cattle a soothing feel. This relieves them of the fatigue associated with long standing or sleeping hours. This reduces legs aching while feeding or milking. You may therefore use the mats in alleys, milking area or even the alleys.
Product Specifications
- Size: 39”x 20” x 0.5 ”
- Weight: 5.19 pounds
- Color: Midnight black
- Material: Leather
- Pattern: Solid
Product Features
- Thick cushion
- Non-slip bottom
- Beveled edge (with anti curl)
- Cushioned comfort
- Eco-friendly
Most Outstanding Features
1.Non-Slip Bottom
Its so painful to see your cow fall. This may result in serious injuries and may also instill fear and stress in the animal. No slip mats are vital in ensuring that the floor is safe for the cows at all times.
2. Beveled Edge
The beveled edge prevents tripping. As the cow walks, the edge of the mat may result in tripping. Eventually, the cow may end up falling especially in high traffic areas. Such instance should be avoided at all cost. The beveled edge goes a long way in preventing mat curl up thus reducing the chances of tripping.
Pros
- Its easy to clean
- Its well made and comfortable
- Looks good in the stalls
- Excellent quality that takes the strain off leg joints
Cons
- Doesn’t allow folding as it leaves creases
Conclusion
Cow comfort plays a vital role in determining a cow’s production. A comfortable cow will produce more milk. As dairy cows graze in the fields, they look for the most comfortable points to rest and sleep. This may not be practical for zero-grazed dairy cows.
In a bid to make the zero grazing unit comfortable, its important that you consider installing comfortable bedding mats. There are different types and categories of mats that can be used for cow barns. The mats reviewed above and just but a few of the best cow mattresses. Invest in one of the best mats and you will indeed notice some improvement in cow comfort and production.