Effects of a rubber-slatted flooring system on cleanliness and foot health in tied dairy cows

Abstract

Effects on animal cleanliness and foot health of a new rubber-slat system for tied dairy cows, with the ability to drain faeces and urine, were studied in a 2-year controlled quasi-randomised trial in a Swedish university herd. Swedish Red and White cows were kept tied in 42 traditional long-stalls with rubber mats. In total, 82 cows were observed. In 21 stalls, the rearmost 0.74 m of the solid stall floor was replaced with nine rubber-coated 53 mm wide slats, divided by 29 mm slots. The cleanliness was assessed subjectively weekly (year 1) or bi-weekly (year 2) by observations of the hind part of the body. Claw measurements and foot health in hind feet were assessed in connection with hoof trimmings at the beginning, middle and end of the housing period. The foot-health recordings were blinded to flooring. For the analysis of both cleanliness (1781 records, 73 cows) and foot health (240 records, 79 cows), logistic regression was applied, using marginal models and cow observations as repeated measures within each year. The risk of getting dirty on the rubber-slatted floor was significantly lower (odds ratio 0.12 for hind feet when short stall dividers were used, 0.39 for hind legs and 0.38 for thighs and udder), comparing with the solid stall floor. The prevalence of foot diseases in hind feet at trimming was significantly lower on the rubber slats (odds ratio 0.23 for dermatitis, 0.09 for heel horn erosion, and 0.34 for sole ulcer or sole or white line haemorrhage).