Cow brushes: a smart investment that goes beyond “stopping the itch”
If you’ve ever been around cows, you know they’ll scratch against anything. Fence posts, tree trunks, cow locks······they will rub against anything they can. This behavior has even caused problems, such as electric and communication towers that must be fenced off or the cows will lean on them and break them. It’s safe to say that cows are incredibly motivated to “stop the itch”. The best way to fulfill this need is with a cow brush.
The cow brush is a mechanical brush that can often be rotated, oscillated, or a combination of both to provide the most comfortable “tickling” experience for cows from all angles. But it can do much more than that – it can help remove harmful parasites, dead skin and dirt, and clean cows in ways they would never be able to do on their own. Each use of the brush also improves blood circulation while reducing boredom, stress and abnormal behavior. In short, cows with brushes are happier. This isn’t just marketing speak to sell brushes, it’s backed by science. In countries such as Denmark, for example, it is already mandatory to provide cows with hair care facilities. While it is not yet mandatory in the US and Canada, it may be included in regulations in the future as well.
To say that cows crave “itch relief” is an understatement. A study at the University of British Columbia found that cows’ desire for mechanical brushes was comparable to their desire for fresh feed. Cows were trained to push open weighted gates to get to the “incentive”. The weight of the door was gradually increased until no cow could open it. The results showed that cows were willing to exert as much effort to gain access to the mechanical brush as they were to gain access to feed, but were not willing to exert the same effort to gain access to more space. The study concluded that access to the mechanical brush was as important to the cows as eating.
Another study from Cornell University states that the use of cow brushes can also lead to increased milk production. There are several hypotheses as to why brushing leads to more milk:
- Cows are more active in order to use brushes and are more likely to eat multiple times;
- Brushing improves circulation, and increased circulation is good for the udder; and
- Active cows utilize ketones more efficiently and have higher serum concentrations of ketones.
The benefits of brushing are not just seen in the cows themselves, but also in the farmer’s profitability. Healthier, happier cows mean more efficient milk production. Farmers naturally benefit as stress, boredom and abnormal behavior are reduced and the overall condition of the cow improves. And the cost of the brushes can be ‘recouped’ through increased milk production.
Brush Recommendation Advice
There are several key factors to consider when selecting a brush. The most important is safety:
- A safe brush should be able to stop automatically when resistance is encountered;
- The motor should be thermally overload protected; and
- It should be equipped with an easy-to-operate emergency stop button.
It is true that brushes can be of great benefit to cows, but only if they are safe to operate. Our company recommends one brush for every 60 cows. More than that and there may be brush grabbing, fighting and other aggressive behavior among the cows. For the safety of the cows and their companions, the number of brushes should be reasonable for the whole herd. It is also important to look at the stiffness and durability of the bristles and to make sure that the bristles reach the harder to clean areas of the cow’s body.
Although it is not legally mandatory in the U.S. and Canada to provide hair care facilities for cows, by all accounts it is a worthwhile investment. Just like humans, cows have cleaning needs. When their basic needs are met, the increased productivity that results justifies the investment.
