NEW FARMS Blister Sandbedmat (Acid resistance, Joint evaluation)

The Blister sandbedmat tested here, is a system for building a lying area in cubicle barns for cows and cattle.

• Black Rubber sandbedmat with 35 quadratic chambers ca. 20 x 20 cm, which are filled with sand. The surface of the sandbedmat should be interspersed with ca. 5 cm straw litter.
• Dimensions: length 154 cm, width 114 cm, high 11 cm
• weight 50 kg each mat
• Shore A: 75
• The sanbedmats are fixed with 13 screws plus disks and dowel on the anchoring supports on the floor.

Acid resistance

A permanent dipping test in accordance to DIN EN ISO 175:2000 (performance of synthetic material against liquid chemicals) was carried out. Test samples (size 30 mm x 30 mm) were completely dipped into different test liquids for 24 hours and 28 days (room temperature 20° Celsius). In the 28 days test the liquids were changed weekly. After the 28 days the samples were washed with distillate water and dried for 24 hours. Before and after the dipping the weight, the dimensions and the shore hardness (shore A) of the test samples were measured.

Additional visual evaluation was done for alterations like colour changing, swelling, destruction or crystallisation. All samples were evaluated in comparison to the standard water.

Joint evaluation

On three farms which had installed only the tested sandbedmat, cows were examined for externally visible damage in the joint area as of the second third of lactation (joint evaluation).
Evaluation comprised the left and right half of the body and focused on the 10 spots exposed during resting (cf. figure 6). Joint evaluation was always carried out by the same person at the end of the winter feeding period.  The results were classified accor­ding to the following scheme (table 2)

Acid resistance

The material of the sandbedmat was resistant to the tested media. The sandbedmat mat appears to be suitable for the described purpose as it exhibits material resistance to the tested media.  

Joint evaluation

On three farms which had installed only the tested cow mattress, a total of 105 cows were examined for externally visible damage in the joint area as of the second third of lactation (joint evaluation). Evaluation comprised the left and right half of the body and focused on the 10 spots exposed during resting. Joint evaluation was always carried out by the same person. In two farms straw litter was used on the Blister sandbedmat. On one farm pellets made of husk were used as litter.

The percentage of the results found in the 105 animals examined is shown in figure 7. 96.4 % of the spots evaluated did not show any pathological result. Great alterations, like increased circumference in the bursal area, open joint participation were not found.

Small alterations, such as hairless spots were found at 2.6 % of the spots evaluated. At 1.0 % of the spots evaluated  medium alterations, such as skin abrasions and increased circumference in the bursal area (covered) at the joints were found. The pathological results determined were mainly found in the tarsal joint. Only in a few cases were pathological results found in the ankles ort the carpal joint.