Authors
D Swierstra, CR Braam, MC Smits
Publication date
2001/1
Journal
Applied Engineering in Agriculture
Volume
17
Issue
1
Pages
85-90
Description
To improve the slip resistance of solid floors in dairy cow houses and to achieve the ammonia emission reduction prescribed by the Dutch government, precast concrete floors with grooves and a dung scraper were investigated. The grooves parallel to the alley had 160 mm center-to-center spacing and were 35 mm wide and 30 mm deep. The urine could drain along the grooves. Perforations in the grooves were spaced 1.1 m apart and could be open or closed. When the perforations were open, urine could be drained directly into a slurry pit below. In case of closed perforations, draining of urine was only possible at one alley end. The feces were dragged to one end of the alley using a scraper, provided with facilities, that also cleaned the grooves.
The floor system was constructed in a compartment of a mechanically ventilated experimental cow house. In another compartment a traditional slotted floor served as a …
Total citations
Scholar articles
D Swierstra, CR Braam, MC Smits - Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 2001