Anchored rubber mats have some notable advantages over loose laid rubber mats when it comes to dairy farm surfacing.
If you’re going to use rubber mats on your concrete surfaces, you should definitely opt for the anchored variety, which offer more stability, greater durability, and better hygiene than their loose laid counterparts do. Here are 10 reasons why anchored rubber mats are better than loose laid rubber mats.
1) Numat anchored rubber mats are safe for cows
Let’s dispel any doubts about the safety of using Numat stainless steel anchors to fix down dairy mats and the impact that has on cow’s hooves. Because Numat anchors are recessed, they sit below the surface. This means they never come into contact with the hoof, because the last thing you want is cows standing on pointy metal objects. If this wasn’t the case, Numat would have gone out of business years ago. The reality is, Numat’s anchored rubber mats are 100% safe for dairy cows and a much better option than loose laid rubber mats.
2) Anchored rubber mats stay in place
The risk of loose laid mats is that they can shift around with heat expansion and contraction, leaving gaps between mats or creating bubbles under the mats. This can be dangerous for cows if they trip and can make cleaning the mats a difficult job. Even mats that have an interlocking edge can come apart with expansion and contraction if they are not anchored properly.
3) Anchored rubber mats last longer
While properly installed anchored rubber mats can last for decades, loose laid options are often replaced in a matter of months. Loose-laid mats have a hard time standing up to heat expansion and contraction. This means that farmers end up spending more money on replacement mats. If you have a yard of mats to replace every 2-3 years, costs are going to add up over time.
4) Anchored rubber mats are more hygienic
The gaps between loose laid rubber mats are susceptible to high levels of bacteria, even if they’re cleaned regularly. Cow manure can get trapped in the gaps and under the mats, creating an ideal environment for bacterial growth. Anchored rubber mats don’t pull apart so they don’t let manure pass between the mats, and they are significantly easier to clean than loose laid rubber mats that have pulled apart. Make sure that whatever rubber mat you choose has a proven anchoring system to hold it in place.
Click here to download our “Benefits of Dairy Rubber Matting” handbook.
5) Anchored rubber mats can be driven on
These anchored mats don’t move like loose laid rubber mats can, so can be driven on. Loose laid mats, on the other hand, can lift when driven on and can become a real safety hazard. With a specially designed anchoring system like Numat’s, you can even drive heavy farm vehicles over your rubber mats. This means that once you invest in a set of Numat anchored mats, you don’t have to worry about driving the tractor over them over them. When driving heavy machinery on these anchored mats, please take caution and avoid making sharp turns, as this can catch and pull out the anchors, compromising the stability of the mats.
6) Anchored rubber mats can be flood washed
As any farmer knows, it is important to keep your surfaces clean and your effluent contained. Flood washing allows farmers to easily wash away any solid waste that has built up without having to scrape off every square inch of surface material first. Loose laid rubber mats can not be flood washed because of the risk of mats lifting or effluent draining out through gaps between the mats. Anchored rubber mats can be flood washed without this risk.
7) Numat anchored rubber mats come with a Numat warranty
We’re proud to say that Numat rubber mats are covered by our famously long product warranties when they are installed by Numat certified installers. One of the reasons why we can offer such long product warranties is that we anchor each mat in place which ensures the longest life possible. We’ve been in business for over 20 years and have seen what happens to mats that aren’t anchored down. They don’t last very long.