The importance of resting for milk production and cow health is well known to every dairy farmer. Resting hours translate into improved blood circulation in the udder, more effective rumination, better claw health, reduction of stress and ultimately more liters of milk in the tank. When renovating an existing barn, people often look at the comfort of the cubicle covering and the adjustment of the cubicle dimensions. However, the space in the existing barn is often limited; how do you improve lying comfort without sacrificing lying space?
Flexible cubicles generally give just a little more space. If the cow contacts the cubicle when lying down or standing up, the cubicle will flex slightly. Especially the older cows experience the benefits of this; they will lower themselves through their legs more easily to lie down. The larger cows can also take up a little more space thanks to the flexible cubicle. This does not mean that the cows are not guided by the flexible cubicle. A good flexible cubicle flexes with the cow slightly, but also pushes back gently. The cows do not experience this movement as disturbing.
The new flexible cubicle of Spinder, the Fitbox consists of a solid fiberglass rod with a steel connecting part and steel clamps. This makes the Fitbox strong and at the same time flexible. Thanks to the solid glass fiber, the Fitbox is only 3 cm thick; just as robust as a steel cubicle but half as narrow. This means that during renovations more space for the cow per cubicle can be created without sacrificing cubicles.
In an old barn with a cubicle width of 115 cm, with a steel box, approximately 109 cm of space remains for the cow. With the narrow profile of the Fitbox, the cow gets 3 cm of space for free: a 115 cm cubicle offers 112 cm of space for the cow. More space for the cow, without sacrificing lying space. The Fitbox is ideally suited for renovation and can, like any other cubicle, be fitted with a waved neckbar and a knee rail.
Would you like more information about the Fitbox? We have compiled an information package with a sample of the product, or you can visit our showroom or a sample barn.
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