The V-Bot system, rubber and feeding stall, offers both comfort and hygiene for dairy cows in barns, preserving the integrity of the feet and hooves. The V-Bot optimizes the cleaning of livestock effluents by a vacuum slurry robot.
Custom-sized in length, width and thickness, the V-Bot mat is made of the most resistant rubber on the market, with a textile reinforcement.
It therefore ensures, in the traffic lane and on the Feeding step - Feeding Stall, in a sustainable manner, a comfortable surface for the cows and flexibility that respects their posture. Its Delta Diam 16 embossed design makes it particularly non-slip, thus securing the movement of cattle.
Non-slip and hygienic mat
In addition, the surface reliefs guide the circulation of liquids towards the central corridor of the livestock building, an evacuation facilitated by the natural slope of the mat. Once on the ground, a robot takes care of the scraping. Thanks to this system, the maintenance of the building is facilitated, but above all the environment of the barn is drier and therefore healthier for the animals' feet. Their last steps before climbing onto the feeding step or settling into their stall are on dry floors. An improved level of hygiene that limits the risk of lameness. In addition, the separation of urine and feces, as well as their regular removal, reduces ammonia emissions by 30%.
" The liquids are so well drained that, on the stall side, the tails do not soak ", notes Hugo Lucas, a farmer in Côtes d'Armor. When designing his new building, which has been functional since February 15, 2021, the young farmer was keen to improve the well-being of his cows. « When you invest in their comfort, the cows pay you back. A cow, which lives in good conditions, gains in production and longevity and, me, in work efficiency ", says the young farmer. For the bedding of his animals, comfort and well-being in stalls are ensured by Aquastar waterbeds.
Secured traffic, preserved foot health
The farmer is also attentive to the quality of the floor to ensure his cows have safe traffic and preserve the health of their limbs, while wishing to simplify the management of effluents. He therefore chose the V-Bot, a feeding stall with a rubber mat in the traffic lane. The cleaning of the movement areas is ensured by a vacuum robot. The installation of a feeding stall reduces the area of floors to be cleaned by the robot and guarantees tranquility for the cows when they are at the feed fence. « The cows are not disturbed when they eat, appreciates Hugo Lucas. They are not stressed by the passage of the robot. Their position, slightly elevated, reduces the risk of accidents compared to a system with a scraper.»
On the hygiene side, Hugo Lucas is delighted with the absence of lameness in the heifers that have entered production in the new building. « This is a good sign for their longevity, appreciates the farmer. I also no longer have foot rot. This is a direct benefit of the quality of the soil. »
