The V-Bot system, rubber and Feeding step, The V-Bot offers both comfort and hygiene for dairy cows in stalls, while preserving the integrity of feet and hooves. The V-Bot optimizes the cleaning of livestock effluents with a robot slurry vacuum cleaner.
Customized in length, width and thickness, the V-Bot mat is made from the most resistant rubber on the market, with a textile reinforcement.
It provides a comfortable surface for cows in traffic lanes and on feeder steps, while maintaining a supple surface that respects their posture. Its embossed Delta Diam 16 design makes it particularly non-slip, ensuring safe movement for cattle.
Non-slip, hygienic matting
In addition, the relief of the surface guides the flow of juices towards the central corridor of the barn, an evacuation facilitated by the natural slope of the belt. Once on the floor, a robot takes care of the scraping. Thanks to this system, building maintenance is made easier, but above all, the barn environment is drier and therefore healthier for the animals' feet. Their last steps before climbing onto the feed step or settling into their cubicle are taken on dry floors. This improved level of hygiene reduces the risk of lameness. What's more, the separation of urine and faeces, and their regular evacuation, reduces ammonia emissions by 30 %.
« The juices are so well evacuated that, on the stall side, the tails do not soak. »Hugo Lucas, a livestock breeder in the Côtes d'Armor region of France. When designing his new building, which has been in operation since February 15, 2021, the young farmer was keen to improve the well-being of his cows. « When you invest in their comfort, your cows pay you back. A cow that lives in good conditions gains in production and longevity, and, for me, in working efficiency. »says the young breeder. To ensure the comfort and well-being of his animals, Aquastar water mattresses are used in cubicles.
Safe circulation, healthy feet
The farmer also pays close attention to the quality of the floor to ensure safe cow traffic and maintain healthy legs, while at the same time simplifying effluent management. He therefore opted for the V-Bot, a feeding step with a rubber mat in the circulation corridor. A robot vacuum cleaner is used to clean the movement zones. Installing a feed step reduces the surface area to be cleaned by the robot, and guarantees peace of mind for the cows when they're at the feed fence. « The cows aren't disturbed when they're eating," says Hugo Lucas. They're not stressed by the robot passing by. Their slightly elevated position reduces the risk of accidents compared to a system with a scraper. »
In terms of hygiene, Hugo Lucas is delighted with the absence of lameness among heifers entering production in the new building. « It's a good sign for their longevity," says the breeder. I don't have any more plagues either. It's a direct benefit of the quality of the soil. »