High Welfare Floor
Innovative flooring concept for welfare and sustainability
The High Welfare Floor by ID Agro is a groundbreaking flooring system for free-stall barns, developed to improve animal welfare while combining efficiency, hygiene, and environmental sustainability.
The concept was created to encourage more natural animal behaviour inside the barn while separating nutrients in manure at the source. On the High Welfare Floor, animals can lie down and stand up freely without being obstructed by barn equipment.
The High Welfare Floor consists of multiple layers:
- A finely woven top layer that acts as a filter for manure and urine
- A strong comfort layer that allows urine to pass through while providing sufficient resilience for safe lying and standing
- A lower section where urine is collected and discharged into separate storage
The liquid fraction contains high levels of nitrogen and can be used as a substitute for artificial fertiliser, for example on grassland. The solid fraction contains high levels of phosphate, making it highly suitable for crops such as maize, potatoes, and sugar beet. The solid fraction is also highly suitable for biogas digestion.
The digestion process works most effectively when fresh manure is continuously available and no bedding material is present.
The High Welfare Floor is cleaned fully automatically, eliminating the need to clean cubicles two to three times a day. Bedding is largely unnecessary as well, resulting in significant cost savings.
- Excellent cow comfort
- Separation of manure and urine at the source
- Lower ammonia emissions at barn level
- Easy robotic cleaning
The calving or separation area is a part of the barn where cows require extra care and attention. A proper floor is the foundation for this. Thanks to the structure of the High Welfare Floor, cows can naturally lie down and stand up, just as they would in a pasture. Multiple dairy farmers have already experienced positive results over recent years.
In addition, the floor significantly reduces bedding costs. With an average use of 10–15 kg of straw per cow per day in calving pens, annual savings can quickly become substantial.
Complete manure removal is no longer necessary; manually removing manure piles from the HWF 6–8 times per day is sufficient.
The High Welfare Floor also provides optimal comfort and hygiene within the Cow Garden concept. The soft and resilient surface allows cows to move freely, lie comfortably, and express natural behaviour.
At the same time, manure and urine are efficiently separated and discharged, helping to keep the barn dry and clean. This contributes to healthier, stress-free cows and a pleasant working environment for employees.
The High Welfare Floor is also highly suitable for goat kid housing. It significantly reduces labour while improving air quality inside the barn. Combined with a thin bedding layer such as flax, it creates an optimal housing environment and climate for newborn and young animals.
Urine passes directly through the permeable HWF, preventing high humidity and ammonia levels inside the barn. Farmers report that manure removal may only be required once during the entire rearing cycle.
Advantages of the High Welfare Floor
- The High Welfare Floor is soft, allowing animals to lie comfortably. At the same time, the surface provides grip and resilience, making it easy for animals to stand up and walk safely without slipping.
- The floor is permeable, allowing manure and urine to be separated as quickly as possible. This makes the High Welfare Floor the first flooring system to truly separate manure streams at the source.
- The High Welfare Floor contributes to lower ammonia emissions at barn level. Initial measurements already demonstrate this effect. Fast separation of urine and faeces reduces urease activity and therefore ammonia formation.
- A unique fully automatic manure collection robot has been developed specifically for cleaning the floor. The cleaning system is designed to remove solid manure while keeping the top layer permeable.
Frequently Asked Questions
The High Welfare Floor (HWF) is an innovative barn flooring system that combines animal welfare, hygiene, and sustainability. The floor separates manure and urine directly at the source, reducing ammonia emissions and improving nutrient efficiency.
The floor consists of several layers:
- A finely woven top layer that filters manure and urine
- A comfortable and resilient middle layer
- A lower layer where urine is collected and discharged
Solid manure remains on top and is automatically removed by a manure collection robot. Urine is discharged separately into dedicated storage.
The High Welfare Floor is:
- Soft and resilient, similar to a natural surface
- Slip-resistant
- Comfortable for lying down and standing up
This allows cows to express more natural behaviour, reducing stress and improving overall health.
By separating manure and urine immediately, urease has less opportunity to form ammonia. Initial measurements show significantly lower ammonia emissions at barn level.
Liquid fraction (urine): rich in nitrogen and suitable as a fertiliser substitute
Solid fraction: rich in phosphate and suitable for crops such as maize, potatoes, sugar beet, and biogas
Yes. In calving and separation areas, the floor offers major advantages. Cows can lie down and stand naturally while significantly reducing bedding use and labour.
A unique fully automatic manure collection robot:
- Removes solid manure
- Keeps the top layer permeable
- Eliminates the need for daily manual cleaning
This saves 2 to 3 cleaning moments per day.
In most applications, bedding is no longer necessary. In specific situations, such as goat kid housing, a thin bedding layer may still be used for additional comfort.
Yes. The floor provides:
- Fast urine drainage
- Lower humidity levels
- Reduced ammonia pressure
- Fresher barn air
Experiences show that manure removal may only be required once per rearing cycle.
Yes. The High Welfare Floor is slip-resistant and slightly resilient, allowing animals to walk, turn, and stand safely.
Yes. The system can be installed in both new and existing barns. The exact possibilities depend on the current situation and requirements.
Yes. Multiple dairy farms are already working with the High Welfare Floor. Contact ID Agro for reference projects or a demonstration.
Our High Welfare Floor projects
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Get in touch with one of our sales representatives at +31 (0)572-371404 or by email at info@idagro.nl.
With our many years of experience, we are happy to assist you further!