Why is rubber flooring important for milk cows?

Question

I'd like to know why it is important. Does it increase milk production, quality and/or costs? How?

If you put data about it, certainly you will get the best answer.

Answer 1

If they slipped and fell on concrete it would be:

an udder disaster!!

Sorry I couldn't resist.

Answer 2

Stops the cows slipping over!

Answer 3

it has to do with cow comfort and the care of their feet. farmers strive for cow comfort to increase milk production. every little bit helps. concrete is also hard on a cows feet, wears them down easier. hope this helps

Answer 4

A commonly asked question at the Dairy Days sessions was in regard to the practice of using rubber flooring as a means to help prevent or reduce lameness.

Answer 5

because in the U.S. most producers don't feed enough fibre to their cows, so, the cows go acidotic and get sensitive feet.  We don't need rubber floors in Canada because we feed em what they need up here. Cheers

Note: bile salts produced from cud chewing prevents acidosis.  In a balanced fibre diet a cow will chew her cud 75 times before swallowing, this is a sign that your diets are formulated correctly.  Many producers feed too much starch thus the cellulitic bacteria of the Rumen don't get fed the balance between cellulitic bugs and the starch digesting microbes is lost; essentially you turn the cow into an alcoholic.  When the cattle get acidotic ketones build up in the blood and tiny blood vessels in the hooves get stressed and burst simular to diabetic rectinopathy.  A diet containing 60% dry matter would prevent this.  Feeding cows hay.. who would have thunk it

Answer 6

Its to stop the wear and tear of their feet...hence it lowers the cost of caring for the cow, since you won't have to pay some ridiculous amount for a wooden hoof, or rubber shoe for the cow, while its hoof repairs from chaffing on the cement.

The cost of rubber flooring is ridiculous though, its like 300 dollars for a square metre, depending on the type of flooring your looking at.

Answer 7

happy and comfortable cows give more and better quality milk

Answer 8

Easy, YOU stand on a cold wet concrete floor 24/7 and tell us how it feels. (I'm not kidding cause I did it for years, it really suks)