Floor with a good grip

Comfortable laying box

Enough fresh air due to open walls

Light

Stable

The way of housing in a stable has maybe the biggest influence on the health and fertility of the cows. There are the four basic topics:

Floor

A a clean and dry floor with a good grip is a significant part of animal welfare in housing. It allows a cow to move without stress and fear. A good floor allows a cow to show her natural behaviour like jumping, which is a very important sign for a farmer to detect cows which are in heat (important for fertility). On a slippery floor a danger of injuries is also very high and therefore a problem for health. Cows which are not walking much may can get problems with nutrition and condition, too.

For more information please have a look at the page of  "Floor and walking area"

Laying areas

Cows spend about half a day laying and resting. Consequences from bad laying areas can be teat stepping and bacterial infections of an udder. Laying time is also a recovering time for the claws and legs of a cow. Further more the cows need this time for digesting the fudder and producing the milk. All this points are important for the health of a cow.

For more information please have a look at the page of "Laying areas"

Air/ Ventilation

A high producing cow needs about 400 cubic meters fresh air in an hour. Enough fresh air lowers the pollution with ammoniak (problems with lungs and breathing) and the risk of infectionous diseases.  The other point is that with a good ventilation the climate is better for cows and helps to keep cows in a good condition and therefore it is important for  fertility ,too

For more information please have a look at the page of "Ventilation, food and water supply"

Light

Most dairy barns are still too dark. Improving your barn lights and using them according to a special timeplan can improve the milk performance, fertility and well beeing of your cows and also working conditions for yourself on your dairy farm.

For more information please have a look at "Light"

Back to "Health and fertility"

Page updated 23.5.2006