A cow spends 4 to 6 hours a day eating. The level of milk production depends on feed intake. Since cows are sensitive to disturbances in their environment, to optimize feed intake, each animal must be able to access the trough without fear, stress or discomfort.
In some buildings, the passage of the scraper not only disturbs the cows, but can also cause shocks to the limbs. The feeding step is a piece of equipment designed to avoid this type of inconvenience. This system allows cows to be raised off the stall floor, out of reach of the scraper.
Made up of modular composite blocks, no structural work is required for installation. The blocks are quickly assembled. They are then covered with a flexible anti-slip mat Delta Diam which provides a high level of comfort for the animals and protects their paws. In addition to a 3% slope over 46 cm, this mat facilitates the evacuation of liquids for guaranteed hygiene. The depth of the step is also calculated to ensure that droppings fall into the walkway.
Compatible with any type of cleaning system, it can be maintained like a row of cubicles. In terms of accessories, tubular dividers, bolted to posts, are installed every two cows. They avoid jostling and prevent animals from lying down.
Longer ingestion times
It was while looking for a solution to his slippery concrete that Christophe Favreau, a livestock farmer in the Deux-Sèvres region, heard about the Feeding Step feeding step, developed by Bioret, a specialist in livestock equipment. I could see that the passage of the scraper was disturbing my animals during feeding," admits the breeder. I thought it was a good idea for the cows to be able to eat without discomfort, while maintaining the evacuation of dejecta ".
The feed step was therefore installed in February 2021, at the same time as the conveyor belts Magellan. It took a little time for the animals to adapt to the new equipment," confides the breeder. But now that they're used to the system, the cows seem calmer when they eat. It's difficult to quantify the benefits of walking on milk production, but since the installation of the walker and the carpets, we've achieved a level never before achieved.
Feeding steps and Magellan, two products that promote feed intake and performance in dairy cows
Hugo Lucas, a dairy cow farmer in the Côtes d'Armor region of France, discovered the feed walker and the forage harvester robot while researching the equipment for his farm's future barn. The combination of the two products quickly proved its worth.
There ' s always someone at the table," jokes the breeder. Nothing disturbs the cows when they're eating their ration. What ' s more, thanks to the bat-flanks, they don't lie on the step. "
In terms of hygiene, the farmer appreciates that the length of the walk has been designed to keep it clean. Dejecta falls directly into the corridor, where it is picked up by the robot vacuum cleaner. While he saves time on washing and cleaning, the farmer feels that his peace of mind has improved above all.
"Cows spend more time at the trough without any contact between them and the scraper. Even if a cow gets stuck at the feed fence, there's no risk to her feet. What ' s more, my dairy cows' feet are dry, which can only be good for their health .
