“Cows would slip quite regularly. It wasn’t as if they were running or getting knocked by another cow either.
“We would lose two to three cows every season that would damage their hip and have to be put down.”
He invested in NZ Cowshed Groovers, which cut grooves into the concrete on the feedpad and leading up to the yard.
The cows were now more sure-footed, walked casually and flowed well from the feedpad onto the yard, he said.
“They run up there now when they know there is feed but before they were so cautious in case they slipped. We’ve had no cows slip since we’ve had it done.”
The problem is the ceramic finish left on concrete wears off after about four years and the surface becomes smooth, NZ Cowshed Groovers owner Neil Taylor said.
“Hard cow hooves in dry weather and slippery concrete don’t go well together.”
His design has a lifetime guarantee and starts at $19 a square metre and gets cheaper the bigger the area.
Some farmers put up with losing cows from slippery concrete for years but when they get the concrete grooved they wish they’d done it years ago, he said.
Farmers should ideally get him in when they are building their farm dairy or feedpad before the rails are welded to make it easier, he said.
“Every cow down with an injury and every litre of her milk not in the vat is money. Farmers value their cows at $2000 but their lifetime value is far more.”
For more information visit www.nzcowshedgroovers.co.nz or phone Taylor on 0274 747 775.
