Proper freestall bedding management is key to keeping cows healthy and producing high-quality milk. Regardless of the choice of bedding materials, the beds must be maintained to proper levels and kept clean of manure, urine and wet bedding in order to keep the cow clean, dry and comfortable. McLanahan designs and manufacturers Stall Fillers and Stall Groomers to allow dairy producers to maintain their freestalls efficiently in order to keep the cows clean and healthy.
Stall management equipment is used to manage the bedding in freestalls. It begins with the weekly addition of bedding materials and follows that bedding during its time in the stalls before it gets pulled out and mixed with the manure in the alleys. McLanahan's Stall Fillers can be used to easily fill freestalls with clean, dry bedding.
In addition to adding fresh bedding to the stalls on a weekly basis, a freestall management maintenance routine also includes raking the manure and dirty bedding from the stalls daily and grooming deep-bedded stalls.
McLanahan Stall Groomers can be used to till and aerate the bedding between fillings.
McLanahan has a team of engineers and sales personnel who understand the importance of proper freestall management. They listen to the advice of dairy producers who need properly designed and built equipment to help them manage their stalls to keep their cows healthy and producing high-quality milk. This teamwork approach has driven the design of McLanahan’s equipment over the years. This equipment is recognized in the industry as being robust and practical because it was designed from the lessons learned from dealing with sand and sand-laden manure.
McLanahan was one of the first companies to design and build a Stall Filler specifically for putting sand back into freestalls. These Stall Fillers were purpose built machines and have evolved into one of the most durable machines on the market. They allow producers to keep their freestalls at optimal levels at all times.
Stall Groomers are used to rake and level freestall bedding between the addition of new bedding. Grooming the stalls lifts and aerates the bedding material. This allows the top layer of bedding to dry and the moisture to drain down. It also breaks up the hard layer that forms on top of the bedding to create a softer resting environment for the cow.
McLanahan’s Freestall Management equipment allows dairy producers to focus on managing their stalls for optimal cow health and not on managing poorly designed equipment. McLanahan Stall Fillers and Stall Groomers keep bedding materials at an optimum level as well as raked and aerated to keep cows clean and dry for maximum milk production and higher milk quality.
