Creating an environment that helps to reduce stress on cattle and livestock is critical to keeping animals safe and making sure your operation is performing at its best.
Stress can cause a number of issues such as loss of appetite, dehydration, aggression, and discomfort that can lead to injuries and affect animal growth.
High-stress situations such as transporting, inducting, testing, and moving livestock amplify the risk of injury and it is our responsibility to make sure livestock are kept calm and are provided with the best care. Creating a relaxed environment by reducing noise, making sure surfaces are clean and non-slip, and moving animals in smaller numbers are all part of minimising risk and prioritising their safety.
Rubber matting is a great and simple way to minimise some of the stress animals experience in these high-pressure environments. Having quality rubber matting installed in a yard, loading, zone, or crush, creates a non-slip surface that is both comfortable and effective in keeping animals calm, and safe, while also absorbing some of the surrounding noise.
Reducing Slipping
A cattle’s hooves aren’t designed to walk on such hard surfaces, so they often get injured when slipping and falling. Because concrete is so smooth, it can be very difficult for animals to stay on their feet, especially while running on it. When an animal slips, they are at risk of injuring themselves, even if they quickly recover their footing.
Some rubber matting solutions, like those available at NumatAGRI, are specially designed with grooves, studs, or lugs that provide animals with the grip they need to stay on their feet. The rubber surfacing is installed on top of concrete and secured down to provide consistent grip as cattle move across.
Reducing Pressure on Hooves
Hoof lesions are a common problem in beef cattle where hard surfaces cause pressure on the sole of the hoof leading to internal damage that takes weeks to heal. Because concrete is hard and abrasive, it creates a lot of stress on hooves when cattle are moving or standing around for a while. Installing durable rubber matting on concrete areas where cattle spend their time, can work to reduce some of that pressure and reduce the likelihood of hoof lesions and similar injuries.
Reducing Noise
Cattle are naturally sensitive to high levels of noise, and it stresses them out which causes them to behave in a more aggressive manner during handling. Rubber matting helps absorb some of the surrounding noise, which helps keep cattle calm during processing—and ultimately makes handling them a lot easier.
Installing quality rubber matting offers a surface compatible with your animal’s natural environment, helping to keep cattle calm and ultimately safer during processing.