SCHOOL EDITION 29 MARCH 2023 - Flipbook - Page 16
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FARMWEEK
MAY 16 2019
BALMORAL SHOW
Innovative
flooring product
brings benefits
to dairy farms
D
AIRY farmers are actively
seeking
better
flooring
surfaces to reduce hoof
problems in their herds and
help to reduce ammonia
emissions.
Now a Northern Ireland farmer is
the first in the United Kingdom and
Ireland to install a revolutionary new
rubber flooring product which has
received very positive results from
laboratory tests across Europe.
Dairy farmer Stuart Simpson,
who manages a 170-cow pedigree
Holstein herd near Lisburn, has had
Magellan Alley Flooring installed by
Teemore Engineering. The firm has
the product exhibited on its stand at
this year’s Balmoral Show.
Manufactured by Bioret Agri from
France, this special flooring has been
designed with innovative grooves
for the collection of urine which
has been shown to reduce humidity,
leading to drier hooves because
of the drainage of liquids into the
grooves and therefore leading to
reduced feet problems in dairy cows
and a longer herd life.
Because of the design of the rubber
flooring, ammonia emissions are also
reduced as the liquid is drained into
the grooves and the scraper cleans
the floor every 90 to 120 minutes. This
has been proven by an independent
laboratory in the Netherlands.
As a result, the Dutch government
gave the Magellan flooring a figure of
8.3kg of NH3 emissions per year per
cow instead of the normal 13kgs of
NH3 emissions per year per cow on
traditional slatted floors.
Stuart Simpson has installed
the Magellan flooring in one of
his passageways and adapted his
scraper to keep it clean to maximum
effect. He had been researching for
a product that would bring benefits
to his farm, especially with more
stringent ammonia emissions being
introduced.
One of the other great benefits of
this flooring is the reduced slippage
by cows when compared to walking
on concrete floors.
The grooves in the rubber also
collect any small sharp stones which
could further reduce damage to
cows’ feet.
Bioret Agri says Magellan is the first
alley flooring of its kind combining
comfort and security. Hoof problems
INSTALLED: Michael Anderson, left,
sales representative from Teemore
Engineering, with dairy farmer Stuart
Simpson, Lisburn, and Jerome
Berra, technical expert, Bioret Agri,
with the new flooring installed on
Stuart’s farm.
dispersal of liquids towards the
collection facilities thereby reducing
ammonia generation.
Magellan Groove combines rubber
fingers with a bladed scraper. The
scraper passes every 90 to 100
minutes to keep the excrement
cleared from the flooring.
This results in;
n Cows’ hooves are not surrounded
by liquids making hooves harder and
healthier.
n Movement on flexible rubber
protects joints.
n Bacteriological problems such
as digital dermatitis (also called
Mortellaro’s disease) are now better
controlled.
n Less ammonia generation (already
strictly regulated in some countries).
With
ageing
concrete
and
premature wear also aggravating
factors, the result is a financial loss
for dairymen.
The Magellan solution has proven
through studies never performed
before its efficiency in new and
renovated buildings.
The Magellan Alley Flooring will
be on view at Teemore Engineering’s
stand at the Balmoral Show.
are among the higher costs on dairy
farms and a reason for culling cows
early.
Keeping cows comfortable and
providing a healthy environment are
key to animal longevity, profitability
and a dairyman’s peace of mind, say
Bioret Agri.
Before bringing this product to
market, Bioret Agri led research
in
association
with
scientific
laboratories across Europe to
prove the benefits of the Magellan
regarding improved hoof health,
slip resistance and the reduction of
ammonia. This research was carried
out in the Netherlands and Germany.
The grooves allow the continuous
For more information please
contact Teemore Engineering
on 028 6774 8377 or by email
info@teemoreengineering.com or
check out the website
www.teemoreengineering.com