Flooring In Dairy Cattle Facilities

Contractual documents should clearly specify type of flooring to be provided by the contractor along with minimum levels of acceptance.
Flooring in dairy cattle facilities. Our usda compliant poured flooring is virtually seamless and without grout lines where germs and mold can hide making it an ideal option for parlors. Hygiene genetics nutrition and facilities all play a role in prevention of digital dermatitis at all. Slip resistance and traction are especially important for the safety of facility personnel. Cheese and dairy facilities have tough conditions for flooring.
Whether milk tanker unloading areas chiller and storage rooms pasteurization and production rooms or even in the milking parlors themselves dairy processing facilities present ongoing slip. Rubber flooring has been incorporated into both the processing chutes and in housing pens at this facility which vann says has worked well to reduce slippage and lameness issues associated with poor footing. Non slip flooring the flooring described in this article is designed for use in stockyards veterinary facilities truck loading pens ranch corrals feelot cattle handling systems and slaughter plants. This way even pressure is exerted over the entire bearing surface of a cow s hoof.
Effects of varying the environment upon the performance of. Floors that do not conform to the specifications should not be accepted by the dairy producer. Proceeding from the animal behavior and the design of livestock and poultry systems international conference. It is designed to provide non slip flooring during animal handling.
Some practices can significantly reduce the problem while helping your dairy clients maintain cow performance. Northeast regional agricultural engineering service. Non traumatic flooring rather than slats. Use high quality concrete when making floors for livestock.
About 23 of dairy cattle will be affected with lameness during their lifetime. Concrete floors do not provide enough friction to allow natural locomotion behavior. Additionally floors must provide confident footing for the cow so she can navigate around the barn without worrying about slipping and possibly going. At a minimum floors for dairy cattle need to provide a flat surface that uniformly supports cows weight.
References and additional information albright j l. Concrete is relatively cheap and durable for use in livestock facilities but it is far from an ideal surface for cows to walk and stand upon especially when it is covered with manure slurry. For processing facilities grandin recommends interwoven tire mats such as those produced by double d cattle mats out of park kansas. Cornell university ithaca new york.
Dairy facilities have unique needs when it comes to flooring. Flooring in dairy cattle facilities. Flooring in dairy cattle facilities. Puma crete dairy flooring is a seamless troweled urethane mortar developed for the dairy industry.