EFFECT OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGY OF CATTLE HOUSING WATERBEDS ON COMFORT, HEALTH AND MILK PRODUCTION

A new housing technology double-chamber cow waterbeds should provide the animals with greater comfort improve their health and increase milk production. The study was carried out in the stable for dairy cows and heifers. They were stabled in free-stall housing. Rubber mattresses had been replaced with double-chamber cow waterbeds. The aim of the study was to determine their effect on comfort, health, occurrence of mastitis, count of somatic cells, total milk production. The study confirmed the reduction of number of animals with injuries of feet and incidence of mastitis. The values of somatic cells in milk were constant. Positive effect was shown with fluent increase in milk production. It increased the number of cows and heifers lying in the boxes.