WELA
Young cattle
Dairy cattle
Exceptional comfort & versatile application
The WELA comfort mat adapts to the shape of the lying cow thanks to the stable blade profile on its lower side. Boasting a thickness of ca. 5 cm, it provides excellent and durable lying comfort for both cows and young cattle. It is available either as a single or puzzle mat as well as a LongLine option (continuous roll system).
- Proven, low maintenance pebbled surface
- Chamfer on the rear edge: protects joints, no stumbling edge
- Integrated slope to the rear edge helps keep the surface dry
The WELA options
Find and download information about WELA here.
More animal welfare & less work
A stable high milk yield requires animal-friendly housing methods.
For the lying area, this means comfortable, non-slip and clean free stalls, where cows are happy to spend more than 12 hours in a relaxed position. This protects the joints, relieves the hooves and enhances animal welfare.
Improved joint health
If a cow lays down on a hard lying area, its body weight is focused on one point. Excessive pressure can cause hairless areas and skin damage, leading to joint inflammation and lying damage.
In contrast, soft lying areas ensure that the pressure of the body weight is distributed across as large an area as possible. Hygiene in the free stall also plays a key role, as the accumulation of feces and fluids is a dangerous source of infection. Elastic lying mats with a slight slope to the rear edge can be kept clean and dry with relative ease and help to actively prevent lying damage.
Higher milk yield
In addition to air, optimal barn climate and feed and water intake, the soft lying area has a significant impact on the efficiency of milk production. A cow produces most of its milk lying.
Thus, a cow should spend roughly 12 hours a day relaxing in the free stall, where the udder receives the most amount of blood flow, the rumen is most active and ruminating is stimulated. Adequate space and a comfortable ground are both indispensable for enhancing lying time quality.
Less bedding and maintenance
Compared to traditional deep bedded stalls, elevated stalls with a soft lying mat can significantly save on bedding. Moreover, elevated stalls are also much less maintenance intensive, which additionally reduces the number of hours of work considerably. (However, an adequate amount of bedding to retain moisture is necessary and boosts animal welfare.)
Incidentally: Low straw consumption not only saves time and money, it is also positive from an occupational health and safety perspective: Less straw = less fine dust.
Information worth knowing about the KRAIBURG mat
Let us take a look at the installation of our barn mats. Which tools do you need to install the rubber mats? How can you achieve the best possible result? We will guide you step by step, revealing valuable tips and tricks that facilitate laying rubber barn mats!
Why is lying down so important for the health and performance of dairy cows?
A larger animal takes up more barn space: Beside the walking areas, the free stalls also need to provide ample space for the cows. We present the essential factors for designing the best possible free stall for dairy cattle.