Source: National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals, Section 1.9
Pastures and yards
Pasture and yards can be used to provide cows with comfortable walking and lying surfaces. Pasture in particular has been found to reduce lameness rates. Time off hard (i.e., concrete) surfaces is an important factor for reducing lameness rates. Access to pasture or a yard can be used as one option for meeting this goal (15). Outside yards, laneways and pastures may be hazards during wet conditions. High traffic areas in yards, at feeders, on trackways and at gateways can be built with geotextile fabric techniques that reduce the loss of soil fines and allow water to drain. When built and maintained correctly, the areas decrease exposure to mud and contribute to clean cows.
Transfer alleys
Alleyway floors are generally made of concrete and are a place where manure accumulates, so frequent and thorough alley scraping is needed. Cows spending excessive time on hard surfaces under wet, manure-contaminated conditions are more likely to have infectious diseases of the foot (7). Cows benefit from rubber trackways on slatted floors in transfer alleys to and from the milking parlor.
RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES
- adjust cattle gradually to pasture feeding to prevent digestive problems
- use geotextile fabric to build laneways, trackways to pastures, high-traffic gateways, yards, or outdoor feeding areas
- provide cattle with pastures and yards that have good drainage
- ensure pastures and fences (including electric fences) are safe and properly maintained
- limit exposure to areas that may compromise animal health and safety
- provide clean water and supplementary feed on a daily basis to meet recommended nutritional needs if pasture forage is not adequate
- ensure cattle are provided with shade and protection from inclement weather if provided outdoor access (e.g., natural or artificial shade in the summer, or shelter in the winter, dry area during wet weather)
- provide handling facilities at pastures that are far from the barn
- inspect and maintain cow paths to minimize risk of injury and lameness (e.g., sharp protrusions)
- minimize the time cows spend in concrete alleyways
- flush and/or scrape alleyways 2-3 times per day.
