Dairy Farm Cows ?Spoiled? With Waterbeds

james

Guest
By: Michael Kaminsky

Remember when you were a kid and all you ever wanted from your parents was a trampoline or a waterbed? The cows of Conrad Farms, a dairy farm/livestock spa in Ohio, haven?t quite negotiated the trampoline, yet; but they have been lounging atop waterbeds for nearly a year now. Not a bad life for these Ohio cows. The waterbeds have not only produced a higher-quality milk, but have also promoted better overall health for the cows. This progressive investment in a floundering agricultural market isn?t just a head-turner, but rather a way to give back to the cows: the literal business at hand.

To begin with, where did the idea to pair cows with waterbeds even come from? The origins date back 15-20 years ago in Europe. Eventually Dean and Audrey Throndsen brought the newest craze in livestock living stateside, founding Advanced Comfort Technology, Inc. in 2003?a first generation international agriculture business, focusing on products that improve efficiencies in dairy farming. That same year the Throndsen?s patented the design of Dual Chamber Cow Waterbeds?. Today, if you spot a cow sleeping on a waterbed, the chances are it?s an Advanced Comfort Technology Dual Chamber Cow Waterbed.

The waterbeds are slightly smaller than a full mattress. They hold 14 gallons of water concealed within the mattress? tough rubber hide. The liquid then cushions the lounging cow, as the 1,500-pound animal essentially floats atop inches of water. By relaxing for a large portion of the day, both the cows? quality of milk and life vastly improve.

Recently, the water-bedridden cows of Pittsfield, Ohio?s Conrad Dairy Farm have been getting plenty of press. They?ve been called pampered, coddled, and spoiled (dairy pun intended); but dairymen Richard and David Conrad only have glowing reviews to back up the waterbed method.

Richard Conrad explained the give and take process of the dairy farming industry as, ?You make them happy, they?ll make you happy.? The give part of the process being the near $55,000 the Conrad brothers paid to install enough Dual Chamber Cow Waterbeds for their 240 cows, in addition to another $15,000 for the concrete foundation the waterbeds rest on. The take is the cow?s milk, the product; of which the Conrad?s have reported has improved since the waterbeds? installation.

The farm lowered its somatic cell count, an indicator of the quality of milk, to around 100,000 cells per milliliter, compared with 150,000 to 200,000 cells per milliliter pre-waterbeds. The amount of somatic cells increases with the amount of bacteria, so the lower the cell count, the cleaner, healthier, and less bacteria-ridden the milk.

More at http://www.globalanimal.org/2012/01/26/dairy-farm-cows-spoiled-with-waterbeds/63821/
 

chattymatty

Guest
Farmers report that their cows are healthier, and that swollen hocks and pressure point sores are a thing of the past
A dairy cow isn't a machine. She's an animal, and the happier she is, the more milk she produces, and the higher the quality of the milk. Dairy farmers live and die by the slimmest of profit margins, so it makes sense to crunch the numbers and make the animal as comfortable as you can afford. If a new farm initiative costs $X, but it results in 10 x $X in added milk profits over the next however-many years, then it's definitely worth it!

And so: waterbeds for dairy cows.

In the human world, waterbeds have a reputation that stems from their popularity during the "Swinging Seventies." For people over a certain age, it's impossible to think of a waterbed without picturing a huge bed frame covered with black Naugahyde, dressed with sateen sheets. Maybe a mirrored headboard while you're at it, or a dude with lots of gold jewelry and chest hair reclining provocatively.

But if you have ever slept on a waterbed (actually slept, not "slept," wink wink nudge nudge) you know: they are crazy comfortable. Turns out, cows think so, too!

These beds have to be designed to support a dairy cow weighing about 1,500 pounds, so you can't just buy one at Sears. DCC Waterbeds creates dual-chamber waterbeds for cows. The beds sit in a concrete frame, with the top of the water cushion flush with the floor. Once the cows get used to the strange texture, they reportedly grow quite fond of them.

More at http://weirdanimalreport.com/news/cows-waterbeds
 

frank

Guest
[video=youtube;Bkyw619JKbE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkyw619JKbE&feature=player_detailpage[/video]
 
 
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