COMPARISON OF LYING AREA SURFACES FOR DAIRY-COWS BY PREFERENCE, HYGIENE AND LYING DOWN BEHAVIOR

Three surfaces, concrete floor, conventional rubber matting (Kreiburg( TM)) and Comfort mat(TM) (a soft rubber mat) were compared for their s uitability for use in the lying area of cubicles and tie-stalls for da iry cows using preference, behaviour (lying down and getting up) and h ygiene studies. A standard amount of bedding was given. In the prefere nce study, 18 cows in cubicle housing had access to 18 cubicles, six o f each type of floor surface. Lying down and getting up behaviour was studied using 15 cows in tie stalls and a procedure using an incomplet e block design model was followed. The hygiene was evaluated in cubicl e housing (16 cows and 16 cubicles) for two week periods for each surf ace. The cows preferred the Comfort mats(TM) in comparison to the rubb er mats and concrete floors. In cubicles, the cows spent 71% of the ob servation time lying in the cubicles with Comfort mats(TM) 55% in cubi cles with rubber mats, and 18% in those with concrete flooring. The pr eparation time for lying down was significantly shorter on the Comfort mats(TM) than on the rubber mats (p < 0.05) or on the concrete floori ng (p < 0.01). The process of lying down was interrupted twice on the concrete and the rubber mats, respectively, and getting up was abnorma l once on the concrete surface. More of the concrete surfaced cubicles were dung covered than were the other surfaces (p < 0.05). No differe nces in the amount of milk leakage in the cubicles were observed betwe en the different surfaces in the morning, but in the afternoon, less m ilk leakage was seen on the Comfort mats(TM) than on the other surface s (p < 0.05). In the morning, more of the cubicles with Comfort mats(T M) appeared to have bedding with dispersed dirt than the other cubicle s (p < 0.05). In the afternoon, the cubicles with rubber mats appeared to be the cleanest (p<0.05). The Comfort mats(TM) appeared to provide a very attractive surface for the dairy cows, especially since the ly ing down process appeared to be facilitated. To some extent, hygiene i n the cubicles with the Comfort mats(TM) seemed to be improved, but it was observed that faeces tended to stick to the uneven surface layer.