Get them to lay in it… Not play in it!

Studies show that the environment in which a dairy herd lives has a direct correlation with the herd’s health, comfort and milk production. Since the cows spend much of the day lying down and processing feed into milk, one of the most important factors is the bed that is used. 

The Agri-Sand Saver^™ Mat, which has been on the market for the past five years, is designed to provide a base to keep deep bedding in place. It works especially well with sand bedding. Sand bedding levels in freestalls affect how much time cows spend lying down which can increase comfort and milk yield. That’s where the Agri-Sand Saver^™ Mat can play a big role.

The product is only manufactured with new virgin tire rubber compound and is designed as a grid-like structure. The Agri-Sand Save Mat is an excellent alternative to conventional open stall bases. The rubber tiles absorb pressure from the weight of the animal, alleviating stress on joints and muscles. The placement of the tiles assists in preventing the formation of deep ruts from constant digging, and the spacing allows for sand to sit in-between the tiles for a porous solution and product stability.

The reason so many dairy producers are turning to the Agri-Sand Saver Mat is that it works in both new or existing facilities and can complement any deep bedding system used. Higher stall occupancy – with the base provided, the bedding stays more level and does not move around as much. The grid system still allows moisture to get away. As a result, it is a more comfortable, dry environment for the cow. This, in turn, helps with udder health and milk quality.

Less stall maintenance – with the solid base, cows have less of a tendency to dig in the sand, so the bed does not “belly out.” Traditionally, a lot of labor is spent evening out the sand bed. With the Agri-Sand Saver Mat, the bed stays more level. Lucas Donkers of Rose Vega Farms says, “A 35-40 percent savings in sand use convinced us to install the Grid in the rest of our stalls. A level bed means that daily stall maintenance is dramatically reduced.” 

With the Agri-Sand SaverMat, more sand is kept in the stall. This saves the expense of more sand and at the same time saves on equipment when it comes time to clean and scrape the alley. Chris van den Heuvel of Fireblade Holsteins Ltd, is a believer in the Agri-Sand Saver Mat. “After years of using deep bed sand or sawdust for our cows, we were tired of bedding literally going down the drain. We decided to install stall mats and went with the Sand Saver Grid mat. Best decision we could have made. The cows continue to get the feel of deep bedding while remaining dry and happy, and best of all, our bedding bill has been cut by close to 2/3 putting more money in our pocket.”

The Agri-Sand Saver Mat^™ is made in the United States and there are dealers located strategically across the country.