GB2287190A

GB2287190A - A floor mat for an animal house

Info

Publication number: GB2287190A
Application number: GB9504783A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Duffy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-03-09
Filing date: 1995-03-09
Publication date: 1995-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2015-03-09
Also published as: GB2287190B; GB9504783D0

Abstract

A floor mat (4) for an animal house or shed (e.g. a slatted cattle house) comprises a mat (4) of a non-absorbent resilient material having a density in the range 0.2 to 0.3 gm/cm<3> (e.g. a microporous expanded ethylene vinylacetate material). Preferably a plurality of spaced-apart through holes (6) are provided in the mat (4) extending between a top surface (7) and a bottom surface (8) of the mat (4) for registration with associated drainage holes (3) in a slatted floor (2) of an animal house on which the mat (4) is laid in use. <IMAGE>

Description

"A Floor Hat" This invention relates to a floor mat, in particular for slatted sheds or houses for animals such as beef cattle.

The invention is concerned with the problems associated with the over-wintering of cattle in-doors in slatted sheds or houses.

It is well known that when cattle are housed in-doors in sheds having wooden or concrete floors, the cattle can suffer from problems such as sore knees and swollen hocks, lameness, mastitis and the like. Further, the cattle can be injured by slipping on the concrete or wooden floor when it is wet.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming these problems. It is an object of the invention to improve the quality of the life of the cattle which are housed in sheds having floor slats from wall to wall.

According to the invention there is provided a floor mat for an animal house or shed comprising a mat formed of a non-absorbent resilient material having a density in the range 0.2 to 0.3 gm/cm3.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mat has a number of spaced-apart through holes extending between a top surface and a bottom surface of the mat for registration with associated apertures in a slatted floor of the animal house on which the mat is laid in use.

Ideally, the density of the resilient material is 0.25 gm/cm3.

Preferably the resilient material is a composition which includes microporous expanded EVA (ethylene vinylacetate) as the principal component.

Preferably the mat has a thickness of between 20 mm and 35 mm, most preferably 30 mm.

In another aspect the invention provides a floor slat assembly for a slatted animal house comprising a mat of the type described above in combination with a floor slat, the floor slat having a number of spaced-apart apertures for through passage of animal waste, the mat being mounted on a top surface of the floor slat with through-holes of the mat in registration with at least some of the apertures in the floor slat. The apertures may be formed by a number of spaced-apart, preferably round, holes and/or elongate slots in the slat.

The mat may if desired be permanently or releasably secured to the floor slat.

In a further embodiment mounting means is provided for attachment of the mat to the floor slat. Conveniently the mounting means may be integrally formed with the mat and/or the floor slat. The mounting means may be provided by one or more clamps engagable between the mat and the floor slat.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a floor covering for a slatted animal house comprising a set of floor mats of the type previously described for mounting edge to edge on a top surface of a slatted floor of the animal house covering the floor from wall to wall.

In another aspect the invention provides a slatted house or shed incorporating a floor covering as previously described.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Fig. 1 is a plan view of a floor slat assembly according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines II-II of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of other floor slat assemblies according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a floor slat assembly according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The assembly 1 comprises a rectangular reinforced concrete slat 2 having a number of spaced-apart apertures 3, which in this case are formed by round holes, for through passage of animal waste. A mat 4 of non-absorbent closed cell microporous EVA (ethylene vinylacetate) material is mounted on top of the slat 2. The mat material has a relatively low density of 0.25 gm/cm3. The mat 4 has a number of spaced-apart through-holes 6 extending between a top surface 7 and bottom surface 8 of the mat 4 for registration with at least some of the apertures 3 in the slat 2.

In use, a number of the floor slat assemblies 1 form the floor of a slatted shed for housing cattle. Conveniently, waste materials will be drained away from the top surface 7 of the mat 4 through the holes 6 and apertures 3 for collection in a slurry tank below the floor.

The resilience of the non-absorbent sponge mat 4 can be chosen to provide a balance between strength and softness for compression of the mat under the weight of the cattle.

Advantageously as well as improved comfort for an animal the compression gives the animal a securer grip against slip. It has been found that a mat having a density of between 0.2 and 0.3 gm/cm3 has been found to give the best results. This provides a mat soft enough to provide good comfort and grip to the animal, particularly, when the animal is getting up from a lying position on the mat, while at the same time preventing excessive stretching of the mat.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown other concrete slats 20, 30, a number of which may be provided to form a floor of a slatted shed. In this case, the slats 20, 30 have a number of elongated apertures 21, 31 for a through passage of animal waste. A number of floor mats of the type previously described may be laid on the floor formed by the slats 20, 30 to completely cover the slats 20, 30 forming the floor. The mats are laid edge to edge to form a wall to wall floor covering within the slatted shed. Through holes in each mat are aligned in register with the apertures 21, 31 in the slats 20, 30 for through passage of animal waste.

It will be appreciated that the mats may be either provided in combination with slats as described above or a mat may be provided for fitting to a slatted floor. The mat may be provided with preformed through holes for drainage or alternatively, solid mats may be laid edge to edge on a floor of the animal house covering the floor and then a number of drainage holes are cut through the mats in register with associated drainage apertures in the floor.

The term microporous as used in this specification means a plurality of small sealed air-filled cavities within the mat structure.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described, which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

1. A floor mat for an animal house or shed comprising a mat formed of a non-absorbent resilient material 3 having a density in the range 0.2 to 0.3 gm/cm3.

2. A floor mat as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mat has a number of spaced-apart through holes extending between a top surface and a bottom surface of the mat for registration with associated apertures in a slatted floor of the animal house on which the mat is laid in use.

3. A mat as claimed in claim l or 2 wherein the density of the resilient material is 0.25 gm/cm3.

4. A mat as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the resilient material is a composition which includes microporous expanded ethylene vinylacetate as the principal component.

5. A mat as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the mat has a thickness of between 20 mm and 35 mm.

6. A floor mat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A floor slat assembly for a slatted animal house comprising a mat as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6 in combination with a floor slat, the floor slat having a number of spaced-apart apertures for through passage of animal waste, the mat being mounted on a top surface of the floor slat with through-holes of the mat in registration with at least some of the apertures in the floor slat.