A fragile start that determines the future
At birth, the calf rapidly loses heat through the floor. As its thermoregulation is still immature, it mobilizes its energy reserves to maintain its body temperature. The result is reduced immunity, increased risk of diarrhea, and delayed growth that is sometimes difficult to recover.
However, studies are clear: a calf that gets off to a strong start is a heifer that will produce better and longer.
Thermal comfort, a direct lever on growth
Every gram of average daily gain (ADG) counts. According to scientific extrapolations, providing a stable and temperate environment could allow a gain of 200 to 350 g of ADG per day. The result is faster weaning, better established health and fewer curative treatments.
It is also an economic issue. Healthier calves mean fewer losses and a more efficient herd.
Bioret Agri transposes its expertise from cows to calves
For more than 20 years, we have been developing solutions to help dairy cows cope with heat stress: Aquastar water mattresses, Aquaclim conductive cooling, Cyclone 360 ventilation.
With this experience, the company has developed the CalfCare Thermofloor: a low-temperature water-heated floor specially designed for nurseries and calf pens.
How does it work?
The principle is simple and robust: a closed circuit of tempered water, integrated into an insulating foam, maintains the surface between 18 and 22 °C – the calf's thermal neutrality zone.
The internal tests are revealing:
- temperature rise to +20 °C in 5 hours,
- thermal stability over 7 hours,
- average consumption of 500 Wh, well below an infrared lamp.
In summer, the system can be reversed with cold water to dissipate excess body heat.
Visible benefits in the field
In addition to comfort, the flooring contributes to better litter drying, thus limiting bacterial proliferation. Initial trials conducted on equipped farms confirm improved thermal comfort, increased calf vitality, and enhanced hygiene in the pens.
Each floor is custom-made, high-pressure washable, waterproof, and non-slip, meeting the hygiene and durability requirements of farmers.
Investing in the future of the herd
With CalfCare Thermofloor, we continue our mission at Bioret Agri: to put comfort back at the service of performance. By protecting calves from their first breath, the company emphasizes that a strong herd is built from birth.
An innovation already rewarded
CalfCare Thermofloor doesn't just convince farmers; it also won over the jury of Innov'Space 2025, which awarded it its prestigious label. This distinction, awarded by a panel of independent experts (farmers, veterinarians, researchers, journalists, etc.), recognizes innovations that bring real added value to the field.
To learn more about this recognition and discover the video testimonial of the Bioret Agri director published on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of SPACE, find our dedicated article: CalfCare Thermofloor distinguished at Innov'Space 2025
