Yep, Dairy Cows Really Love Water Beds

Water beds for cows have been around for a few years now.

When dairy cow water beds first appeared in the late 1990s, it was understood that it’s important for a cow to lie down, but mostly, cow beds were simply regular designed-for-human mattresses or often just sand and straw. The water beds have become a mild success, but do they actually work?

Cows, contrary to popular belief, don’t stand up for their entire lives. And dairy cows, which tend to be very heavy and often sedentary, really shouldn’t be standing up for longer than necessary; their weight puts a lot of strain on underdeveloped joints and muscles. (One solution to this, obviously, is to give dairy cows time and space to graze, but one battle at a time.)

Starting in the early 2000s, one design of water bed became dominant for dairy cows: a two-chambered mattress, with the second chamber specifically located to give extra support to a cow’s knees, which are sort of a weak point.

Aside from comfort, maximizing the time a cow is lying down is vital for milk production. Studies show that resting time is directly correlated with milk production; the more time spent lying down, the more milk the cow produces. While lying down, cows aren’t sleeping; they’re chewing cud and storing energy. According to studies, blood flow increases by 20 to 30 percent in the udders while the cow is resting, compared with standing.

Over at the University of Missouri’s Foremost Dairy Research Center, a team of veterinarians and researchers timed how long it takes a cow to lie down on the dual-chambered water beds versus a more common mattress. Cows like to rest, but the prospect of lowering a sedentary 1,500-pound body to the ground isn’t an easy one, so it can take them a while. What the Missouri team found is that the time taken by a cow to lie down reduced dramatically when the cow was presented with a water bed, instead of a regular mattress—from 8.5 minutes down to less than five. That may not sound like a big deal, but it indicates that these water beds provide substantially more appeal for the cows than other mattresses—and a happy cow is a productive cow.

FROM: https://modernfarmer.com/2019/03/yep-dairy-cows-really-love-water-beds/

Cow Water Beds Make For Sweet Dreams And More Milk→

Source: Scott Poock, 573-882-6359; Stacey Hamilton, 417-466-2148

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Water beds for cows improve comfort and milk production at the University of Missouri’s Foremost Dairy Research Center near Columbia.

MU Extension veterinarian Scott Poock and dairy specialist Stacey Hamilton are part of the Foremost team that researches how the beds improve herds. They monitor cows on cameras and record data about resting times and milk production.

Foremost began using the new beds in fall 2018. Cows adapted quickly, Hamilton says, with an estimated 75 percent of the herd using the beds by the second day.

The amount of rest a cow receives affects the quantity of milk she produces. In freestyle barn operations, dairy operators want cows to lie down 12-14 hours per day to prevent lameness and increase milk production. With the water beds, cows stay longer in stalls and lie down sooner, Poock says. Before the water beds, cows lay down an average of 8.5 minutes after entering a stall. They now lie down within five minutes.

The dual-chamber beds offer extra support for the cow’s knees. Once the cow kneels, the pillows offer a cushion for pressure points with gentle support. Strong joints provide better stability and prevent leg and foot injuries, sores and infections that can reduce mobility.

It is “all about cow comfort” and profit for the herd owner, says Hamilton. “Comfortable cows are happier and make more milk.”

Foremost staff put wood chips in the stalls to cover the water beds and catch waste. If Foremost used sand, it would take 50 pounds of sand per day per 160 stalls. The water beds are an easier option, Hamilton says.

The bovine beds cost about a third more than beds previously used at Foremost. Those beds, made of interlocking chopped rubber pieces, deteriorated with time and use.

Many dairy farms still use sand, straw, wood shavings or grass to keep stalls dry and comfortable for cows. Foremost Dairy is among a growing number of dairy farms using the new technology.

Last year, the BBC reported that cows at Queen Elizabeth II’s farm at Windsor Castle enjoy the luxury of water beds. Queen Elizabeth also pampers her cattle with green pastures and automatic brushes that remove dirt and relieve stress. The queen’s dairy uses robotics to milk cows and clean barn floors.

Meanwhile, across the pond, Foremost cows receive the royal treatment too.

Learn more about the Foremost Dairy Research Center at ForemostDairy.missouri.edu.

FROM: http://www.mycaldwellcounty.com/farm-agriculture/cow-water-beds-make-sweet-dreams-and-more-milk