Change in Behaviour

Of major importance within fertility management is heat detection of the cows. Fertility problems are the second most important cause of depletion in a herd, but are usually not affected by housing. However the effect of a soft floor up to now has an underestimated impact. Through observations it could be ascertained that heat expression on a soft floor is different to that on a hard slippery surface. Frequency, but also intensity and duration of riding as an indicator of heat expression increased considerably. Locomotion problems can occur when riding cows land on a hard surface, slip or injure themselves. This risk is minimised on a soft floor.

Cows tend to clean parts of their body by standing on three legs and lick the area of the lifted hind leg, which has become an indicator for qualifying the quality of floors. Research showed that cows on a soft floor expressed this licking behaviour three times more often than on a hard slippery surface, which implies that they have more confidence on a soft floor.

Blood circulation and claw health

Walking behaviour and claw health influence each other reciprocally. Cows suffering from lameness tend to walk as little as possible. However, walking is a prerequisite for adequate blood circulation in the claws. When standing still, blood is pressed out of the claw and when the foot is lifted blood flows into the claw again, a sort of press-suck pump. Standing for longer periods is like poison to microcirculation of the blood. Not only blood circulation is too little encouraged but also malfunctioning of the blood circulation occurs, when the sclera between the hard floor and the claw bone is bruised.

Disruptions in blood circulation have an effect on the horn building part of the claw. The quality of new horn deteriorates and a basis for knock-on effects is created. Internal bleedings and discolouring of the hoof are signs of poor blood circulation.

Claw health clearly improves when soft floors are used. Mechanical-traumatic damages on five test farms went down by 80% six months after installing rubber floor coatings. Not only occurrence, but also intensity of claw damages declined.

Contrary to hard floors, soft floors maintain soft hoof walls. The hoof wall has to carry around 60% of the animal's weight and is supported by the heel or bulb part of the claw, which is made of a specific type of born around a fat cushion that has additional shock absorbing properties. High producing cows often suffer from energy deficiencies and the cow has to mobilise its body fats, also from the heel of the claw, which decreases the shock absorbing properties of the heel.

This makes the hoof wall even more important. The hoof wall takes all the weight when walking on a hard surface. The sole can only support the wall when the cow walks on a soft surface in which the hoof wall can sink a little.

Horn wear-off

In natural conditions, horn from the bulb and sole automatically peels off, which can be observed in cows walking on pastures. This is also the case on soft surfaces in the barn. The weight is evenly distributed on the wall and the sole horn is peeled off gradually from both. When using soft floors in passageways it is often questioned if the horn wears off efficiently. Critical is the net growth of horn, where wear is a factor of influence. An external (hard surface, disease) influence on the claw results in extra growth of horn, (similar to callous growth on one's hand or feet). This firstly occurs on the outside claws of the hind legs. Experiences with soft floors have shown that net growth is only a few millimetres of extra horn. When the weight is evenly distributed this will not result in damaging overload of the claw.

Clean and safe surface

To keep claws healthy the passageways should be clean. Urine and manure have a detrimental effect on the claws and also precondition the occurrence of disease-causing agents. Naturally passageways should never cause additional mechanical strains to the claws. Concrete slats should have sufficient walking surface with adjusted spacing. Concrete floors often are laid out with a specific profile, such as a diamond shape, broom sweep or grooving, which actually do not prevent slipping. When a cow slips, grooving abruptly stops the slide and can cause mechanical damage to the claw.

Soft Floors

Soft floors to cover concrete floors are made of rubber mats that return to their original shape when pressure is released. The softness of the mat is achieved through a special cleaned sole and the grade of softness is adjusted to the weight of the cow, so the hoof will only sink a few millimetres into the rubber. The rubber also works as an anti-slip mat.

Rubber mats are available for full concrete floors as well as slatted floors. The latter being customised cut to the pattern of the slats. Slatted floors need more cleaning, but practice has shown that because of the increased activity of cows on soft floors they "walk" the manure through the openings and "clean" the passageways better.

On full concrete floors the rubber mats have to be seamlessly attached to each other to enable the slurry scraper to run smoothly over the rubber surface. By connecting the mats in a puzzle-like pattern the problem of catching by the scraper is solved. This way rubber mats can also be installed in existing barns.

CONCLUSION
Even if claw diseases have multifactor causes, the housing system should never be an extra burden to claw health. When cows in a barn can move as they would on pastureland the danger of damaging the claws is minimised. Soft floors can imitate these positive properties of a natural pasture. Unlimited locomotion improves blood circulation of the living tissues in the claws and thus prerequisites the growth of healthy horn as a basis for healthy claws.

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