Beef cattle fattening on rubber: animal comfort as the basis for performance

Fattening bulls place high demands on the flooring in their pens. They walk, stand, feed and rest on the same surface. Hard or slippery concrete slatted floors can place stress on hooves and joints and hinder natural movement patterns. Elastic rubber coverings, by contrast, create flooring conditions that are closer to nature: they cushion impact, improve slip resistance and provide the animals with greater comfort when standing, walking, lying down and getting up.

On rubber flooring, fattening bulls are better able to carry out their natural movements. This applies to moving and turning safely as well as to lying down and getting up. In a one-year study offering a choice between concrete slatted floors and rubber coverings, fattening bulls showed a significant preference for the elastic flooring – both during the day and at night, and across all weight categories examined ^¹. To ensure even use of the pen so that lower-ranking and weaker animals can also benefit, KRAIBURG recommends covering the entire pen.

A soft, slip-resistant surface helps reduce stress on hooves and joints. Softer flooring conditions can also reduce injuries in the tail-tip area. Animals with good mobility can reach the feeding area more easily and make better use of their performance potential.

Higher weight gains resulting from increased comfort, improved energy balance and feed conversion can lead to significantly shorter fattening periods. In a study conducted by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Skara, fattening bulls on KRAIBURG LOSPA reached slaughter weight an average of 31 days earlier than animals on concrete slatted floors. The study, therefore, indicated a tendency toward a lower slaughter age on rubber flooring ².

The comfort provided by the rubber coverings is also evident in practice. Christian Kobold, a beef cattle farmer from Langenpreising, reports: “The rubber mats are an oasis for the cattle. Compared to bedded pens, I was able to observe an additional weight gain of 50 kg per animal on the rubber mats after ten months.”

For bull fattening, KRAIBURG offers the LOSPA SB and LOSPA swiss slat mats. Both solutions are custom-made to fit the geometry of the respective slatted floor. The mats are fixed in the slits using robust rubber pegs, whilst remaining flexible and independent of the rigid concrete floor. This allows them to absorb loads and, if necessary, to be replaced individually.

The 23 mm thick LOSPA SB features a curved, reinforced surface with square imprinting. The slope towards the slit supports the drainage of liquids and can thus help to ensure drier, cleaner floor conditions. LOSPA swiss is 20 mm thick, features a reinforced grip surface and can be used for any slatted floor geometry.

Both slat mats comply with DIN 3763 and are classified as DIN Class 1. They are also suitable as a straightforward renovation solution and help dairy farms meet the requirements for sufficiently soft or elastically deformable flooring surfaces.

Greater comfort in the barn can have an economical impact: healthier animals, reduced treatment costs and better conditions for consistent feed intake are key factors for high-performing fattening groups. KRAIBURG supports farms and specialist dealers in planning the right flooring solution – from measuring and customization right through to professional installation.

¹ Bahrs, 2005.
² Graunke et al., 2011.

Further information:

LOSPA swiss slat mat

LOSPA SB slat mat