HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-03-30, Page 3- Business Beat
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, March 30, 194-3
DAVID SCOTT PHOTO
COMFORTABLE COWS - Ernst Gubelmann of RR 4 Walton uses
Pasture Mats from Promat Ltd. in Seaforth in his dairy bam. At
left, one of his Brown Swiss cows has secure footing on the mat.
Gubelmann uses straw on top of the mats to help clean off
manure. Above, a pair of his Holsteins relax on the Pasture Mats.
Seaforth firm makescows com
BY DAVID SCOTT
Expositor Staff
You think your working condi-
tions are tough, try standing on all
fours on a concrete floor 12 hours a
day. It doesn't sound too comfort-
able for humans or dairy cattle. The
problem of uncomfortable cows,
whether standing or laying down in
stalls, sparked the invention of a
practical solution by a company in
Seaforth.
Two years ago in March, OMAF
(Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs) called a
meeting and invited everyone in the
dairy equipment and supply busi-
ness. Animal behavioural special-
ists, veterinarians, and agricultural
engineers spoke about the problems
of design of new dairy barns, how
the dimensions of stalls are too
small and generally uncomfortable
to cattle.
Also from the meeting came the
information that cows lay down in
pasture 16-18 hours a day. But in
an enclosed barn environment only
lay down 8-12 hours a day.
"It's not a good condition," said
Doug Young, Sales Manager- for
):romat Ltd. of Seaforth. especially
since there's a trend toward total
year-round housing of dairy cows.
Children greet
spring's arrival
"We're all looking for a dinosaur.
Something we've never ever seen
before..."
The children at the Seaforth Co-
operative Children's Centre have
spent the last few weeks learning
about dinosaurs through stories,
games, fingerplays and songs. They
were able to dig for 'dinosaur
bones' just like real scientists.
Dinosaur eggs were prepared
specially by Sandy.
With the arrival of spring green
thumbs are now busy planting seeds
in decorated pots and in the
homemade greenhouse.
A sure sign of spring is the run-
ning of the tree sap. On March 31
the Centre's children will be going
on a field trip to Storey's Sugar
bush to sec first-hand where maple
syrup comes from.
Happy Birthday in the month of
March goes to: Gwynne Burgess,
Jennie Hildebrand, Hilary Burgess,
Andrea Murray, Gianni Chiappetta
and Steven Jordan. Happy Belated
Birthday to Shaun Brooker. (Sorry
we missed you, Shaun.)
♦' SENIOR
CITIZEN'S
DAY
ON
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
receive
DOUBLE
COUPONS
Canadian Tire cares about Senior
Citizens and to show their appre-
ciation offers double coupons with
all purchases the first Tuesday of
each month (Cash or cheque,
excludes Auto Centre labor)
Open: Mon. to Thurs. 8:30-6;
rl. 8:30-9.00;
Sat. 8:30-5:30
THIS TUESDAY IS
DOUBLE COUPON DAY
FOR SENIOR CITIZEN'S
ONLY AT SEAFORTH
CANADIAN TIRE
527-1350
"If they're falling onto
concrete... it can cause
trauma."
Swollen hocks and joints and
abrasions on legs are common
problems for cattle who stand in
stalls with concrete floors.
"Cows have a peculiar way of
laying down. They crash the last six
to eight inches. If they're falling
onto concrete or hard rubber, it can
cause trauma. If they're laying in a
natural environment, they don't
have a problem," said Young.
The Pasture Mats from Promat
Ltd. in Seaforth offer a solution.
The mats are made from rubber
crumb. Each mat contains the
equivalent amount of rubber from
10 passenger ,ear tires inside 12
cells. The material won't rot, it's
not biodegradable. The rubber
crumbs are injected into the cells
and won't 'migrate' or move
around.
"The Pasture Mats have the
deadening effect of sod. It's a
springy type of rubber. The energy
is 'stored and given back to the cow
when it lays down, like a trampo-
line. It's not like landing on con-
crete or sand," said Young, who
developed the prototype of the
Pasture Mat.
The results of the mat can be
beneficial for cattle. Swollen hocks
will go away in seven days, accord-
ing to Young.
There are incidents of milk pro-
duction noticeably increasing where
farmers have used the mats on top
of hard rubber surfaces or concrete
in their stalls. If the mats were
introduced in a barn where farmers
were using sand or hay or a more
natural surface there wasn't a big
increase in production but there was
a decrease in labour and bedding
costs, said Doug Young, Sales
Manager for Promat Ltd.
What Young thinks is remarkable
is that after one month of the Pas-
ture Mats in stalls farmers will
comment on how much longer cows
try down: `In some barns. farmers
have come in to do milking and
found all of the cows laying down.
"Many farmers have never seen
that," said Young.
The mats allow the cows to sink
in a little to secure their footing
when they're standing.
Some farmers using the mat have
commented that it's the best cure
for "dumb heifer disease," said
Young. When heifers are about two
sHoffirrie-
anada
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years old, they're put in a tie -stall.
If their footing isn't good, about
five per cent of the time the cow
can't figure her new arrangement
and ends up beating herself against
her surroundings causing serious
injuries. The Pasture Mats alleviate
this problem overnight, according to
Young.
For older cattle the mats can ease
the pain of rheumatism when easing
up and down in the stall.
Some cows are regularly culled
now because of feet and leg prob-
lems. In the past, the problems have
been blamed on the floor they walk
on. But just the difference in stand-
ing time between a pasture environ-
ment and a barn stall has an effect
on cows. "Cows are standing (in
stalls) three to four hours longer
than nature intended them to be,"
said Young. "Cows stand normally
a. quarter , of :.the= time - only ; six___
hours a day."
The Pasture Mats are said to
reduce standing time 40-50 per cent
which results in much better foot
and leg health. Young said the mats
might even allow farmers to get
another lactation out of the cows.
But some of the benefits or results
from the mats might not show up
for years.
see Company, page five
` --
HEALTH ON THE HILL
A Review of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
East Huron Long Term Care Planning
Committee Meeting
March 31, 1994 — 10:00-12:00 noon
Seaforth Community Hospital Board Room
You are invited to come and help plan for
Multi Service agencies model for Huron
County. Sally Lawton will speak on Placement
Co-ordination Service. To order reference
material call 1-800-663-3775 and ask for
"Salmon" book of Rainbow Series.
ULATIONS
BILL
on your 15th year as a successful
GM Dealer
Celebrate our Anniversary
with a
$1 7.95
oil change on most
vehicles.
McLaughlin Chev Olds
13 Main St. N., Seaforth 527-1140
THURSDAY MAR. 31 SAVE 5 on all
GROCERIES AT SEAFORTH GROCERY
on S50. minimum purchase between 5 & 9 pm only
CANADIAN TIRE
/.4edeith
Join Us at the Seaforth
HOME & GARDEN SHOW
WED. & THURS. APRIL 6 & 7
7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
• Meet Bert and Gert.
Your children will love the
Alert Twins from Stay Alert...
Stay Safe.
• Receive a FREE booklet.
It will help your children
recognize potentially unsafe
situations.
• Talk to a police officer.
You and your children will
learn important facts about
child protection.
Stay Alert...Stay Safe is a national
charity whose mandate is to give
children the skills and confidence to
help them stay safe wherever they are
The charity's educational materials
are funded by the Canadian Tire Child
Protection Program
TOGETHER, WE'RE HELPING KIDS TO BE CAREFUL
Vflflf101fifanamsP
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Child
Protection,
Foundation
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