Cow brushes for grooming and comfort are becoming an increasingly common sight on American dairy farms. Dairymen agree that these types of brushes provide enrichment through grooming and fly control.
They also provide another means to show farm visitors that dairymen care about the comfort and well-being of their animals.
There are many cow brush variations available on the market. Size, shape, availability, electrical needs and ease of installation are all details you should consider before purchasing a brush.
After deciding to purchase a comfort brush, the search to find the perfect brush for your facility should not be difficult.
Space availability
Do you know where you plan to install the comfort brush? How much space do you have available? These are two important questions to consider. A minimum of 8 to 10 feet of clearance on both sides of the brush should be available. Electricity will also need to be available nearby.
Keep in mind other structures like gates or half walls that could become obstructions. Avoid areas in or around entrance and exit lanes as well as dead-end spaces when selecting your brush placement.
Placement
The most common placement of a brush is on a crossover beam. This area usually offers the most available space, allowing the brush to move without any obstruction. Crossover beam installation gives the cows access to the brush from both sides without blocking any other animals from entering a stall or accessing the feedbunk.
If you don’t have a usable crossover, an outside alley post farthest from the entrance is a viable option. Brush placement on an outside alley post will direct the cows away from the entrance and down the alley, eliminating a traffic jam as the result of cows stopping to use the brush.
It’s important to place the brush in an area where cows have an escape route. Providing an escape route gives less dominant cows a way to avoid agitation from more dominant cows.
Using a mounting post
If you choose to install your brush outside and don’t have access to a solid wall, a mounting post can be used. Since a cow brush can weigh anywhere from 80 to 145 pounds, using a strong post is of the utmost importance to avoid injury to cows or workers.
A 6-by-6-inch treated wood post or a 4-by-4-inch steel tube should be the minimum size used to mount your brush. You can retrofit an existing post to mount the brush as long as it is sturdy and anchored into the ground properly.
Keep in mind that if the upright is too small in width, you may need to fabricate a mounting adapter.
Make sure your post is strong enough, tall enough and is firmly secured by burying it deep in the ground and with a concrete base as reinforcement. As the underground post serves as an anchor, the further down the post is sunk, the more stable it will be.
At a minimum, the post should be sunk into the ground 4 feet deep and 12 inches in diameter with concrete reinforcement to firmly anchor the device.
Number of brushes needed
The suggested number of cows per brush varies depending on the brush design. Some brushes recommend up to 60 cows per brush, while others suggest up to 150 cows per brush.
Pen size and knowing how many brushes you need for your facility should help in the decision-making process. If there is only room for one brush, and you have a pen size of 120 cows, it is best to get a larger brush that can accommodate that capacity. If you have 60 cows and a small area to work with, a smaller design should be considered.
Larger brushes can accommodate more cows at once than smaller brushes or brushes that are mounted horizontally, which are ideally suited for one cow at a time.
Multiple brushes
If you plan to add multiple brushes in one pen, it is best to place one brush at the crossover alley and one on the last crossover alley. When installed on opposite sides in the same pen, crowding is dispersed throughout the area, discouraging them from congregating at one end of the pen.
Avoid areas with high worker traffic. Comfort brushes are meant to create a more comfortable environment for your cows without making extra work for your people.
If you cannot avoid an area high in worker traffic, choose a brush design that can easily move out of the way. Some models are designed with a hinge that allows the entire brush unit to swing out of the way.
Electrical needs
If electricity is not available at your installation site, confirm what voltage is needed to run the brush before wiring the installation location. If electricity is already available, make sure it’s enough to power the brush you choose.
Most importantly, make sure the emergency shut-off switch on the brush is within reaching distance for a worker in case an emergency should arise.
If your preferred installation site is outside, there are specific brushes rated for outside use by featuring a design where the controls are sealed to protect them in the elements.
Careful consideration of all these factors will help you determine what type of brush is best for your cows and where you should install it. After installation, you can watch your cows enjoy their new brush. PD
PHOTO: If you cannot avoid an area high in worker traffic, choose a brush deisgn that can easily move out of the way. Photo provided by FutureCow.
For more information, contact Angelina Bertino, marketing director of FutureCow. , Go to their website or call (407) 571-2060.
