As a first step, suitable measurement techniques for determining surface roughness will be procured and evaluated. For this purpose, international research partners (DLG in Germany and ART Tänikon in Switzerland) will be involved in the project. The general applicability in practice on both flat and perforated (slatted) floors is of particular importance.
The comparable analysis of the data is just as important a selection criterion as simple and error-free handling in practice.
The slip resistance/roughness of barn floors is being tested and analyzed in several measurements at 10 selected farms in Austria (current situation regarding slip resistance). Among other things, the age and construction type of the agricultural buildings are important factors in the analysis.
Hoof remediation measures already offered in practice or currently under development will be examined in detail and evaluated holistically (animal, human, and technology). Two to three of these measures will be selected and implemented on two observation farms each. The analysis will assess hoof roughness, animal behavior, and hoof health.
This should allow for an assessment of the suitability of the new remediation methods. The analysis also includes the costs of the remediation measures: these are calculated and presented in terms of total costs (labor and machinery costs) relative to their durability. In this way, the chamber of agriculture advisors or the farmer should be able to find the most efficient method in each individual case.
