Rubber matting - you’ll be floored by the benefits

Two recent examples have made me think about the role flooring performs in cow comfort and welfare.

There is an abundance of research which has established that soft flooring improves livestock welfare and increases production and profit but these real-life examples really brought it home to me.

In the first instance, my livestock carrier replaced the mesh flooring on his truck with heavy duty rubber matting and has been impressed by the results. The new matting is quieter, gives the cows more secure footing and is easy to clean.

This carrier also placed rubber matting on his metal loading ramps, because having a shiny and noisy metal surface, was causing cattle to frequently baulk.

Having the addition of rubber matting, which has a similar look of a dirt floor and feels secure under foot, giving cattle confidence what they are walking on, was sound.

He found the rubber matting inside his truck makes cattle more comfortable, being less likely to turn around once loaded, and made much less noise. In fact, he commented, they moved around so little during transport and were so quiet, he had to get out and check everything was ok.

Other benefits he observed included, the cattle are less stressed, there is less manure being deposited in his truck, and the new matting is quick and easy to clean.

The combined results mean his animals are calmer to load and transport, are less stressed, and there is time saved with quicker and easy cleaning. Therefore, happier cows and happier carrier.

In the second instance, a farmer contacted me about an ongoing issue with cattle having to be pushed past an area in his new dairy with a poor exit design.

It’s a familiar story - the dairy has narrow right angle corners with a deep drain which causes the cattle to stop and hold up the herd from leaving the dairy.

The farmer had to constantly leave the parlour to push animals out and then to avoid stepping on the drain they leap over it and often slip.

The rubber matting will not fix the poor design of the drain, but by placing matting either side of the drain the cows will at least have more confidence in their footing and perhaps step over it more easily by themselves.

Even if they still hurdle the obstacle, they will have a securer landing and much less chance of injury.

Unfortunately, a lot of cattle infrastructure is a compromise between the constraints of an area, or budget, and cow behaviour.

Rubber matting can be a cheap way to resolve concreted engineering problems causing issues with cow flow and slipping.

The latest, well designed rubber matting is durable, lasting up to 10 years - or four years in high traffic areas – and that could equal four years of more comfortable, calmer cows, less slipping and fewer injuries.

Are there areas in your system that would benefit from better flooring? Perhaps you can experiment with small areas to see for yourself the advantages of more comfortable animals, at a lower risk of injury.

Market report for 20th and 21th June 2018 Wednesday Fat Sale head 182. Thursday Bull and Cow Sale, 10 bulls, 350 cows.

Improved demand for all cattle. With not that many to pick from buyers were keen to get what was needed this week, resulted in all categories lifting, with per head prices rising. Bullock numbers were still low with little movement. Vealer numbers were down with averages up, with some very good vealers coming in saw the yard average up at 262.3, up 6 cents. 4 bullocks topped at 290.2 and averaged 262.7, up 22. 40 heifers topped at 297.2, up 25 and averaged 269.2, up 25.

32 steers topped at 299.2, up 10 and averaged 247.7, back 15.

102 veal topped at 352.6, up 2 and averaged 271.9, up 10.

The bull and cow sale also was dearer, averaging 174.8 cents, up 7 cents. 10 bulls sold to a top of 242.2 and averaged 209.6, both up on last week’s sale. Cow numbers were back with 340 yarded, 40 less. The top this week was up 23 cents to 270.6 and the average at 171.4. 10 bullocks topped at 260.2.

Vealers 1 LimX PH Scroen, Bunyip Nth 440 1 LimX CA Pharaoh, Labertouche 395 4 LimX CA Pharaoh, Labertouche 354 1 LimX D&R Godman, Labertouche 440 7 LimX D&R Godman, Labertouche 404 Steers 1 Lim 6 B/B Heifers 1 Lim B&S Garratt, Moe 1 Char J&M McInnes, Trafalgar 23 Char J&M McInnes, Trafalgar

4 Char Mile Park, Hernes Oak Export Cows and Heifers 1 Ang Blackwood Grazing, Traf 3 Ang Blackwood Grazing, Traf 3 Ang V&M Zappula, Neerim 1 Ang G&M Pigdon, Shady Creek 1 Ang Mrs DD Renshaw, Lillico 3 R/A J&W Balcombe, Rosedale Dairy Cows 9 F/H G&M Pigdon, Shady Creek 1 Frn Cuthlink, Athlone 1 Frn CJ&DM Kelliher, N/South 1 Frn CW Hobson, Cora Lynn 1 Frn Mrs C Elliott, Nilma 3 Frn M&M Briggs, Drouin 2 Frn Lowden Family, Modella Bullocks 1 Ang 6 Frn Bulls 1 B/Lim P&W Bavaro, Drouin 1 Hfd Athlone B&S Garratt, Moe Marble Hill Pas, Brandy Ck G&M Pigdon, Shady Creek CA & DC Kent, Lillico

SEJ, 4. Scotts, 5. Landmark. 520 545

495 505 457 465

495 523 470 560 585 623

620 505 790 685 560 683 600

795 539

352.6 1551 340.0 1343 320.0 1132 310.6 1366 302.2 1221

299.2 1555 289.2 1576

299.2 1471 289.6 1462 285.6 1462 285.2 1326

270.6 1339 262.4 1373 259.6 1220 248.0 1388 244.2 1428 225.0 1401

224.2 1390 222.6 1124 209.2 1652 203.6 1394 196.2 1098 184.6 1260 171.6 1200

260.2 2068 248.2 1337

915 242.2 2216 990 230.0 2277 1. Elders, 2. Gibbon, 3.