Two farms, one experience – KURA has been proving its worth for over 20 years

On these two dairy farms in Wisconsin, KURA P walking area flooring has been part of everyday life in the barns for over 20 years. The farms report safe walkways, good cow comfort and a level of quality with which they remain very satisfied to this day.

Comfort, grip and longevity – for more than two decades

Two dairy farms in Wisconsin, one shared experience: KURA P walking alley mats have been proving their worth in daily use for over 20 years. At the dairy farms Habeck Homestead Farms in Maribel and J&M Hofacker near Appleton, they ensure secure footing, comfort and a durable flooring solution in the walking alleys.

Whilst Habeck Homestead Farms is a family-run dairy farm now in its sixth generation and milks around 700 cows, J&M Hofacker has deliberately maintained a stable herd size of around 250 cows for some 30 years. Both dairy farms demonstrate that those who invest in animal welfare think long term.

Safe movement and cow comfort in everyday life

For the J&M Hofacker farm, cow comfort was the key factor in their decision to opt for rubber flooring. John Hofacker has gained real-world experience showing that a floor which provides the animals with a secure footing and supports their movement makes a significant difference to day-to-day operations.

Habeck Homestead Farms chose rubber flooring primarily because they expected it to reduce the risk of slipping and support hoof health. These expectations have been confirmed by Kim Landt’s experience. She reports that the flooring provides good grip and that the cows move safely on it. She has also found that the rubber flooring has a positive effect on hoof and joint health.

Sure footing supports natural behaviour

A slip-resistant flooring gives cows confidence in their movements. At J&M Hofacker, this was particularly evident in the cows’ heat behavior: John Hofacker reports that the animals move more confidently on the KURA P rubber flooring and behave more naturally. In his view, good slip resistance has contributed to making signs of heat easier to detect.

At Habeck Homestead Farms, too, the importance of a walking alley flooring with good grip is evident. The KURA mats help to reduce the risk of slipping and relieve strain on hooves and legs. At the same time, they create a calmer atmosphere in the barn – a benefit for both animals and people.

Convincing quality – even under the scraper

The long-term performance of the mats in combination with chain scrapers is particularly impressive. At both dairy farms, the manure scraper has been operating on the KURA P walking alley floorings for many years. Despite the daily strain, the mats continue to demonstrate their functionality and stability after more than 20 years. According to John Hofacker, there are no noticeable signs of wear caused by the scrapers.

Permanently soft and functional

Kim Landt from Habeck Homestead Farms also reports that, despite decades of use with animal traffic and scraper operation, the KURA P mats are still soft, flexible and functional.

The positive experiences in the walking alley have also led the dairy farm to use KURA mats in other areas as well – including the holding area and on travel lanes. Secure footing and comfort are particularly important in these high-traffic areas.

Invest once. Benefit for decades.

For both farms in Wisconsin, one thing is clear after more than 20 years: choosing KURA P was the right investment in the future of their farms. The mats help the animals to move safely, contribute to better comfort and have proven themselves in high-traffic areas with scraper manure removal.

The following product is used on these farms:

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