Why Barn Floors are Slippery and What To Do About It

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Originally posted on Progressive Dairyman, by our very own Tom Woodall, CEO of Agri-Trac Inc.

An investment on a dairy barn floor should set the operation up for the future. However, a faulty floor can lead to costly losses due to down cows and lameness.

In some barns, there are many underlying and outside issues that can contribute to the chronic failure of every possible type of floor surface. Below is a checklist of issues to look for in a facility to troubleshoot problems and identify solutions in order to keep cows walking with ease.

Hygiene & Lime Use on Barn Floors

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AGRI-TRAC Inc. is the only company that has undertaken this research to investigate lime use and it’s connection to concrete barn floors becoming slippery over a very short period of time. 

This serious issue of lime residue buildup affects ALL methods and forms of traction on concrete floors!

Unlike the others, we at AGRI-TRAC believe that investigation, education and prevention is the honest thing to do, rather than the exploitation of a bad situation and continuing to take your hard earned money time and again for something that is preventable.

Money-Saving Tips for Pouring a New Barn Floor

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Ready-mix concrete quality:

Some ready-mix companies use softer aggregate than others do. The aggregate used is every bit as important as the amount of portland cement used in a concrete mix. Depending on the area you live, types of aggregate used can range from soft limestone to crushed granite. Whatever is used, it must be “washed” materials so as to be free of clay and other impurities that prevent a good bond between the portland, sand and stones. Check with your local ready-mix supplier to verify this and attest to their quality.