The main advantage of Moving Floor can not be seen with the naked eye.
Sound strange? It is all about bacteria and how continuous cleaning and drying can prevent bacterial growth.
Hygiene is an important component of health and ultimately it effects the profitability.
Tests
The Swedish Veterinary Institute (SVA) has done several experimental bacteriological studies of cubicles to see the difference in bacteria growth on different surfaces and in different cleaning intervals.
An experimental study on bacteria growth on different cow cubicles were made in barn environment but without animals to check survival of bacteria in different cleaning intervals and cubicle surfaces. The study was designed to simulate normal conditions in a freestall barn.
Karin Persson Waller, at SVA
Manure was put on the mat and after 1 hour the mat was automatically cleaned. The bacterial growth was measured after 9 hours and was 0.
Manure was put on the mat and after 9 hours the mat was manually scraped off. The bacterial growth was measured directly and was 350.000.
Manure was put on the mat and after 9 hours the mat was manually scraped off. The bacterial growth was measured directly and was 5.700.000.
0
Bacterial growth Moving Floor
350.000
Bacterial growth PVC mat
5.700.000
Bacterial growth rubber mat
Results
In the Moving Floor cubicle with automatic cleaning the mat was much cleaner after the simulation of manure contamination than the two mats treated by conventional methods with manual scraping, regardless of bedding was used or not. When the entire material was analyzed the surfaces were generally cleaner when sawdust was used compared with chopped straw or no bedding. The cleanliness of the Moving Floor mat was the same regardless if bedding was used or not.
Clean cubicles are an important requirement as to keeping the cows clean which in turn is good for animal welfare and reduces the risk of hock lesions and udder infections (mastitis) caused by environmental bacteria.
