Webinar #2 The Barn, A Source of Comfort presented by the Dairy Farmers of Canada in collaboration with Valacta

1. This project is financed in part through the Support Program for the Establishment of Food Safety, Bio-security, Traceability
and Animal Health and Welfare Systems (Act 1), according to the Canada-Quebec Growing Forward 2 agreement.
Dairy Farmers of Canada in partnership with Valacta
are pleased to present a series of 3 webinars on:
The Barn, a Source of Comfort

2. W2Comfortable Surface
Welcome!

3. Question quiz
IN WHAT TYPE OF BARN YOUR COWS ARE HOUSING?
A. TIE STALL
B. FREE STALL
C. BEDDED STRAW PACK/COMPOSTED BEDDING
D. I AM NOT A DAIRY PRODUCER

4. FOLLOW US ON
#comfortablebarn

6. Injuries
Getting up/
Lying down
Behavior Lameness
A cow lets us know
how comfortable she is:

7. p.4HOMEWORK
Hock Injury Evaluation

8. Question Quiz
WHICH % OF COWS THAT SHOW INJURIES SCORING
2 AND 3 DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HERD?
 0-10%
 11-20%
 21-50%
 51% ET PLUS

9. And then? Where do you stand?
% injured
cows with
scores of
2 and 3
Percentile Tie Stall Free Stall Robot
Top 25% 3-26% 0-15% 0-9%
Mid-range 27-51% 16-46% 10-38%
Bottom 25% 52-85% 47-82% 39-65%
Evaluation of Hock Injuries

10. We’ve found the problem…
 Injuries?
 Lameness?
 Getting up/Lying down problems?
 Insufficient or excessive
resting time?
…How do we correct it?
p.10

11. Today
The Surface
Comfort
criteria
Solutions? Profitability

12. Today
The Surface
Comfort
criteria
Solutions? Profitability

13. A cow’s resting surface should be:
Soft
Non-
slippery
Non-
abrasive
Dry
p.12

14. Today
The Surface
Comfort
criteria
Solutions? Profitability

15. Possible Solutions
Mattresses
More bedding
Deep Bedding

16. QUESTION QUIZ
WHAT TYPE OF SURFACE YOUR COWS ARE LYING
ON? (multiple choices)
A. CONCRETE
B. HARD RUBBER MATS
C. MATTRESSES
D. DEEP BEDDING
E. SAND

17. 0
5
10
15
20
% Injured Cows
(knee and hock
swelling )
All Front
Legs
Back
Legs
Concrete Soft Mattress
Rushen et al., 2001
Mattresses Result in Less Injuries

18. Before / After (4 weeks)
Addition of Waterbeds on Top of Rubber Mats

19. Lying Down Getting Up Eating
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
Time(hours/day)
Small
Concrete
Stall
Large stalls
with mattress
P < 0.01
NS
P < 0.01
Large Stalls with Mattresses
Mean More Resting Time
Haley, 2000

20. Concrete Hard Rubber Foam Geotextile
Soft Rubber Water Gel
Mattress + Bedding Options
p.13

21. Mattress Costs
$0-100/cow
• Concrete
• Hard Rubber
$150-250/cow
• Foam
• Geotextile
$250-500/cow
• Soft Rubber
• Water
• Gel

22. Mattress’ Life Durability
Varies between
mattresses, but
must be changed
regularly
1 mattress per 2 cow lifespans

23. Sand Deep Bedding
2. Bedding Only Options
p.13

24. And the best surface is…

26. 40-100 CIV
• Concrete
• Hard Rubber
4-10 CIV
• Foam
• Soft rubber mat
• Wet sand
• Geotextile
0-3 CIV
• Pasture
• Deep bedding
• Gel
• Geotextile (pad)
• Soft rubber mat
• Water
• Dry Sand

27. Which is the best mattress?
The one with enough bedding to
meet the following 4 criteria:
•Soft
•Non-slippery
•Non-abrasive
•Dry

28. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
UIC
Depth (cm)
Paille Hachée Paille longue RipeLong StrawChopped Straw Shavings
Softness improves with bedding depth

29. QUESTION QUIZ
HOW MUCH REMAINS THERE BEDDING IN THE
STALLS/PENS BEFORE TO ADD SOME MORE?
A) Less than 2 cm (Less than 1 inch)
B) 2-5 cm (Between 1 and 2 inches)
C) 5-8 cm (Between 2 and 3 inches)
D) 8-10 cm (Between 3 and 4 inches)
E) More than 10 cm (more than 4 inches)

30. 0
10
12
14
16
Resting(h)
0 1 7.5
Bedding (kg)
Tucker et Weary, 2004
The more bedding there is, the
more resting time increases…
p.13

31. Each additional kg of bedding will
increase resting time
+1 kg of
shavings
+3
min +1 kg of
straw
+12
min
Tucker, 2009

32. Solano, 2016
Sand or deep
bedding
+1.44
h/d

33. 13.8 h
•Dry Bedding
8.8 h
•Wet Bedding
Fregonesi and coll., 2007
Moisture Resting Time
p.13

34. Types of Bedding
Cereal Straw Shavings/Sawdust Switch Grass
Crop Residues Peat Moss Recycled Manure
Sand
p.14

35. Bofran Farm
Source of Comfort

42. Irma Farm:
A Free Stall Source
of Comfort

43. 1.2 h less resting time if sand is
not kept in stall
3.5 in over
8 in exterior
6 in with
rounded corners
6 in interior
7 in from the beginning
of the gradual slope
Maximum height
11.5 in
68-72 in
Stall on sand or deep bedding

48. Today
The Surface
Comfort
criteria
Solutions? Profitability

49. Coast to Coast Farm
Quota 83.6 kg fat
Production 9,380 kg/cow
Components 4.04 kg/hl fat /3.31 kg/hl prot.
Age 1st Calving 26 months
Cows ≥ L3 39%
Culling Rate 36%

50. Resting Time
for each
additional hour
of rest
(after 10 hours)
+1.7
kg milk
(Grant, 2007)
p.7

51. v
Resting Surface = CIV: 6 to 0 (Soft to Very Soft)
Cost: $33,600 mattresses + $3,870/year bedding
+ $14,790
Places ---
Production + 863 kg/cow
Herd - 7 cows
Cows ≥ L3 39 to 40%
Cull Rate ---
Coast to Coast Farm

52. Homework
For W3 on Comfortable Space
1. Measure the average L3 cow
of your herd like this:
2. Measure the surface of your stalls:
a) Width from one division to
the other
b) From the brisket board to the
end of the stall
Take measurements in inches!

53. Documentation
Visit www.dairyknowledge.ca
 Practical Guide on Comfort
 Homework
 PPT Presentation
 Videos

54. space confortable W3Comfortable Space
April 6th