Animal comfort and welfare should never be neglected. Every UK farmer would agree with this: happy cows, happy farmers. That’s why it’s crucial to start with the main cause of injuries in cattle sheds: slippery floors.

There are various non-slip surface treatment solutions available in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, concrete grooving remains one of the most effective and long-lasting solutions, alongside concrete scarification.

What is Concrete Grooving?

Grooving is a cost-effective solution that prevents cattle from slipping on concrete floors. Cut lines are created into smooth, slippery concrete surfaces, which ensures optimal grip for animals when they walk in corridors or in milking parlours.

Dairy cow comfort and welfare

Safe floor
Think about that time of the year, autumn, when you have to walk on slimy and slippery sidewalks. Wet fallen leaves can be as slippery as ice: you walk cautiously, slowly, and are afraid of falling. You don’t want to injure yourself.

This is how your cows feel when they walk on smooth, untreated concrete.

Grooved patterns prevent cattle from slipping and create a stable footing for them. Cows are more willing to move freely to water troughs and feed stations because they finally feel safe. The anti-slip solution also prevents falls during sharp direction changes.

Calm cows
Cows have excellent memories! If they’ve slipped or felt unsafe in a certain area before, they’ll remember—and that stress can linger. And stress increases the risk of injuries, such as dislocations or muscle strains.

Stress can also result in reduced milk productivity. That’s why it’s important for farmers to create a safe environment for their cattle so they can eat and drink as often as they want.

With grooved concrete, dairy cows know they can walk on the floor safely: they feel much calmer. They are happier. And they produce more milk.

Less injuries
Every year, slippery barn floors contribute to numerous injuries and accidents across UK farms.

These can lead to expensive vet bills—or worse, the loss of livestock. Thanks to concrete grooving, cows are less prone to injuries. They can walk on flat, non-slippery surfaces. They can’t slip because grooves catch their feet, even on wet floors.

Easy heat detection
Concrete grooving can also help farmers and their employees analyse cattle behaviour. This is very handy to detect the first signs of heat: standing to be mounted, mounting, restless attitude, etc.

Heat duration varies from just a few hours to 30 hours among cows, so it’s essential to be able to recognise the early signs as soon as possible to not miss this crucial window of time.

When cows stand on non-slippery floors, they tend to show the first signs of heat more often because they are less stressed and they can mount or be mounted for a longer period of time. Detecting ovulation periods early helps farmers increase calving rates too.

Create a safe environment, maintain its cleanliness

Grooved floors aren’t just safe—they’re easier to clean and maintain. You can continue to use scrapers in corridors, feed passages and cubicles. Grooving also helps create regular flat surfaces, which are ideal for automatic scraper systems. Vermot also offers custom-made sets of brushes that can be adapted to your existing scrapers.

Floors are then flat, non-slippery, cleaner and drier: your cattle feel safe and can live longer.

Choose Vermot for Professional Concrete Grooving

Improve the welfare of your dairy cows and their comfort by hiring the best concrete grooving expert for cattle in the UK: Vermot.

Grooving is a cost-effective, non-slip solution that helps you quickly detect the first signs of heat (your cattle are not afraid of falling anymore), protect animals from lameness and create a safe and happy environment.

Don’t wait for an accident to happen: reach out to Vermot today and receive a personalised quote. Happy cows = happy farmers.

Contact us for a quote