Floor and walking areas

Uncomfortable walking areas and floors lead to a high amount of problems. It is stressfull for cows to move or even impossible to show natural behaviour (see cowsignals) like jumping when she is in heat or licking. The cows start to be more passive, which leads to an decrease of their performance and wellbeing. The risk of hurting themselves and the danger of getting bacterial diseases are also higher.
And therefore a clean and dry floor with a good grip is a significant part of an animal welfare in housing.

Here you find descriptions of different kind of  floors, their cleaning and also ways how to improve the quality:

- Paved floors
- Slatted floors
- Rubber floors
- Deep straw-bedding

Advantages, disadvantages and problems we have seen and our solutions:

- Problems and solutions
- Summary from each country

- Claw diseases ("Health and fertility")

Another important part for the animal welfare is a space demand of a cow in a stable. Stall dimensions must be appropriate for standing, lying, rising, walking and resting without injury, pain or fear.

- Rules for housing in our countries

Back to "animal welfare"

Page updated 23.5.2006