Flex Stalls, Bedding Savers Boost Milk Production

Flex Stalls Bedding Savers Boost Milk Production DAIRY EQUIPMENT & IDEAS Bedding Savers plastic mats laid over sand keep the sand in place for level beds in freestalls while reducing stall maintenance Flex Stalls plastic tubing guides cows into position without injury increasing laying time and production “My dairy farm customers complained about problems bedding with sand ” explains Gail Foxworthy Foxworthy Supply “There are problems with fixed steel stalls as well especially with fresh heifers or cows that are new to the herd and the barn If they get excited they can get hurt ” Foxworthy found answers to both problems Flex Stalls from Cow-Welfare a Danish company were the answer to the stall problem The stalls are made from a soft flexible plastic that directs the cow’s movements without confining her if a problem occurs Tubes in line with the stall encourage her into her own space Upper and lower tubes running perpendicular to the cow and at the front of the stall help guide her head as she lays down and gets up Jason Hoogenhous of HyHuis the U S Cow-Welfare distributor points out the adaptability of Flex Stalls “The design is suitable for calves and cows from small and large breeds ” he says “Both the vertical plastic pipe and the neck rail can be adjusted to the needs of the cow for optimal conditions benefitting the cow and the farmer ” While the Flex Stalls are a more recent addition to Foxworthy’s product line the Bedding Savers were introduced in 2014 The 1 1/2-in thick grid-shaped mats are laid in the stalls and covered with sand The mats prevent the cow from kicking out sand before laying down The $99 mats are 2 by 5 ft in size with legs on the bottom side to anchor them in place The mats are made from post-industrial rubber scraps “We buy tractor trailer loads of rubber waste otherwise headed for landfills ” says Foxworthy “Once in place the mats reduce the need for diesel fuel otherwise spent maintaining and disposing of sand Fewer trips across the field also reduce soil compaction and wear and tear on equipment ” Foxworthy has surveyed customers and found they can spend $100 per year per stall buying sand and maintaining it raking and grooming and refilling Then they spend another $100 a year removing sand from the lagoon that has settled out and spreading it on their fields Eliminating those costs increases profits “Our customers see a two-year payback on the mats and we project at least a 30-year life span ” says Foxworthy “We’ve had mats in place for eight years and they show no wear If it does occur we expect to see it on the back half of the mats which can be rotated with those in the front of the stall ” HyHuis has largely marketed Flex Stalls west of the Rockies Foxworthy is now marketing them to the east Meanwhile HyHuis is also distributing Bedding Savers west of the Rockies Like the Flex Stalls it is all about adaptability and cow comfort Hoogenhous notes that Bedding Savers can be adapted to a wide variety of freestall bed designs from partial front center and rear to full bed coverage “Cow comfort is important ” he says “We have nearly two decades of research on Flex Stalls With them in place cows spend an additional hour and a half laying down per day get deeper sleep and produce 3 to 5 lbs more milk ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Foxworthy Supply 4650 20 Mile Rd Kent City Mich 49330 ph 616-292-3755; info@foxworthysupply com; www foxworthysupply com or HyHuis Development 5446 Mendes Ct Atwater Calif 95301 ph 866-490-0987; Jason@hyhuis com; www hyhuis com

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