Farmers have many acres of land which provide grazing areas for livestock and fields for crop production. Farmland incurs a lot of use from animals and farm machinery and this constant use can cause mud! And mud as natural as it is can cause problems for farmers.
Lameness is currently one of the most important welfare problems faced by dairy cattle today and mud is among one of the causes. The moist environment decreases hoof hardness and increases claw lesions which leads to disease and ulcers. Lameness has the potential to affect the entire herd and as a welfare point the cows will experience pain and discomfort. For farmers they will experience losses due to reduced fertility, lower milk yields and increased likelihood of culling rates.
Our grass protection can help reduce the amount of mud in these areas, therefore reducing the amount of mud the cattle’s hooves come into contact with. Mud mainly accumulates in feeding and drinking areas and gateway access to fields where there is constant traffic from the dairy cattle making the journey to the milking parlour. Our GP FLEX is designed to protect and strengthen grassed areas preventing them from rutting and becoming muddy. Our grass reinforcement also has an anti-slip layer which may help the cattle from slipping and injuring themselves. Mud can also cause the same issues in sheep, foot scald is a common infection which increases in cold and wet conditions where mud and manure accumulates, foot scald can then develop into foot rot – a secondary infection. Again like cows this causes welfare issues for the sheep due to the pain and discomfort they will experience. Due to the infections being highly contagious they can spread quickly, this can cause economic losses to the farms due to decreased weight loss, fertility and mobility and again increased culling rates.
Mesh 4 also supply horse pavers, these pavers have a soft resin material on the base which is gentle on the horses hooves and provides an anti-slip, elasticated surface making them ideal for riding grounds and paddocks. The pavers help to reduce and prevent any formation of mud as they have a high draining capacity which in turn helps with hoof problems caused by moisture which can cause lost shoes and skin infections. Excess muddy areas can also prevent injuries due to slipping and scrambling in deep mud. Falls to horses can be fatal as I know first-hand, two of my horses were playing and chasing each other and one of them unfortunately slipped in a muddy area and during the fall broke its leg, the break was so bad the only treatment was for the horse to be put to sleep.
Farmers are also liable and responsible for cleaning up any mud which falls on any public roads from their vehicles or livestock. Mud can be very hazardous to motorists and can cause a slippery surface which can result in serious and fatal collisions. Using these permeable pavers can prevent the churning up of the ground and grass therefore reducing the amount of mud meaning less mud being deposited onto public roads.
Disclaimer – Although we have produced the most anti slip resistant grass protection available, we cannot account for all the variances in climatic and ground conditions. Please note that until the grass has grown through the mesh and become established our GP FLEX maybe slippery in wet weather and care should be taken during this period. We recommend that for best results when using the GP Flex, that the drainage in the project and surrounding area is sufficient and the ground has a good firmness for best results.
Why not contact MESH 4 TODAY to find out more about our ranges, our competitive prices, impartial project advice and customer support? 01978 807345 sales@mesh4.co.uk
