The V-Bot system, rubber and Feeding step, offers both comfort and hygiene for dairy cows in stalls, preserving the integrity of their feet and hooves. The V-Bot optimizes the cleaning of livestock waste using a robot manure vacuum cleaner.
Custom-sized in length, width, and thickness, the V-Bot mat is made of the most durable rubber on the market, with a textile reinforcement.
It therefore provides a comfortable surface for cows in the passageway and on the Feeding step, offering long-lasting flexibility that respects their posture. Its Delta Diam relief design makes it particularly slip-resistant, ensuring the safety of cattle as they move around.
Non-slip and hygienic mat
In addition, the surface relief guides the flow of juices towards the central corridor of the livestock building, a process facilitated by the natural slope of the mat. Once on the ground, a robot takes care of scraping. Thanks to this system, building maintenance is easier, but above all, the barn environment is drier and therefore healthier for the animals' feet. Their last steps before climbing onto the Feeding step settling into their cubicle are taken on dry ground. This improved level of hygiene reduces 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 mindful of soil quality to ensure his cows can move around safely and maintain healthy hooves, while also wanting to simplify manure management. He therefore chose the V-Bot, a Feeding step a rubber mat in the passageway. Cleaning of the movement areas is carried out by a robot vacuum cleaner. The installation of a Feeding step the floor area to be cleaned by the robot and ensures peace and quiet for the cows when they are in headlock. " The cows are not disturbed when they are eating, " says Hugo Lucas. "They are not stressed by the robot passing by. Their slightly raised position reduces the risk of accidents compared to a scraper system."
On the hygiene side, Hugo Lucas is delighted with the absence of lameness in the heifers that have entered production in the new building. « It's a good sign for their longevity, appreciates the farmer. I no longer have foot rot either. It's a direct benefit of the quality of the floor. »