Freewalk housing system
A freewalk housing system is a barn without cubicles with various bedding material and ample space per cow in the bedded area where cows can walk and lie down. The aim of the system is to create more movement space for the animals, as well as to provide manure fractions, or products that can improve soil quality. To this end, feces and urine may be separated on a permeable synthetic floor or a sand bedding, or composted organic material, such as sawdust or wood chips. The choice of material depends on weather conditions, soil type, farming system and the farmer’s preference for manure type (organic manure versus fractionated manure). For the composting process to work a large area per cow is required. Adequate bedding management is essential to maintain cow cleanliness and to reduce the risk of mastitis. Poor bedding management may reduce walkability of the surface. Woodchips bedding barns use wood chips where urine and feces both fall onto the bedding. Organic material is added regularly, and the top layer is cultivated daily. Only at the feed manger is the floor slatted, where slurry is collected. If necessary, a low emission floor can also be used at this location. Permeable synthetic floors consist of a soft liquid-permeable floor that quickly separates urine from faeces. The faeces is picked up by a manure robot. On sand bedding floors, or so-called 'Free-Living Barns' urine sinks through the sand to a drainage pipe, where it is drained an
Resilience for Dairy
Completed | 2021-2024
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Spain, Slovenia, Netherlands, Northern Ireland