“You can clearly tell which part of the barn has been renovated by the cows’ behavior: that’s where they lie down the most.”
Many dairy farmers recognize the problem: cows that lie down too little, restlessness in the barn, and concerns about productive lifespan. At Couperus in Houtigehage, the goal was clear as well: to create more comfort, so that cows can rest more and stay healthy for longer.
In June 2025, parts of the barn at Couperus in Houtigehage were renovated. In two sections, only Meadow Vista mattresses were installed in the existing cubicles. In another section, both Fitboxes and Meadow Vista mattresses were installed.
Meadow Vista
In a large part of the barn, Meadow Vista mattresses were installed, with a clearly visible effect.
Siemen Couperus: “In the sections where the Meadow Vista mattresses have been installed, the cows lie down more compared to the previous situation.”
Fitbox at 1.15 meters
In another section of the barn, the cubicles were renewed with Fitboxes. Here, the cubicles were widened from 1.08 meters to 1.15 meters.
Siemen Couperus: “We chose the Fitboxes to give the cows more space and provide more animal-friendly cubicles. Our goal is for them to lie down more often, which contributes to a longer productive lifespan.”
How do the cows respond?
“Within 1.5 hours after feeding, almost all cows are lying down in the Fitboxes and on the Meadow Vista mattresses, whereas in the other parts of the barn this is clearly much less.”.
“We see that cows in the sections with only Meadow Vista mattresses rest more than in the non-renovated part. But in the section with both Fitboxes and Meadow Vista mattresses, by far the most cows are lying down.”
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