Why Durapak Cubicle Mats?

Durapak Cubicle mats: a range of sizes and thicknesses

Durapak Cubicle Mats are made from Ethyl-Vinyl-Acetate (EVA) which is a non-porous polymer providing a soft, warm, comfortable cubicle mat for all livestock including cows, weanlings, pigs and horses.

All animals spend more time lying in cubicles without mats. Independent researchers working with cows have discovered that cows spent more time in cubicles which contained mats. It was found that cubicles with mats were re-occupied very quickly after a cow had left. This meant that a cubicle with mats was used over four times each night compared to twice for the cubicles without mats. 

Main benefits

• Higher Occupancy
• Soft, Warm & Comfortable
  Using modern computerised equipment Durapak Mats are manufactured using EVA compounds which are blown to produce a mat which is soft, warm and has outstanding comfort characteristics.
• Flexibility to 'turn' mats
  Allows flexibility in 'facing' either side of the mat upwards. 'Turning' mats extends the lifetime of the mat and the two-sided pattern allows for this flexibility while still maintaining the non-slip characteristics.
• Thicker mats lead to increased comfort
• Increased Yields & reduced veterinary costs
  When livestock are warm and comfortable they perform better. With the cushioned effect of the Durapak Mats, you will find a reduction in solar ulcers resulting in a drop of veterinary bills.

Specifications for Durapak Mats

Important

Durapak Agri supply a large range of mat sizes and thickness to suit your particular needs. Mats can be cut to suit size or cubicle. Mat fixings also supplied. Fixings include: galvanised plate; zinc coated coach screw; plug.

What farmers say...

"The Durapak Link or Jumbo Mat has greatly increased cubicle occupancy on our farm and is far ahead of the rubber mats which we used in the past"

John Gash, Minane Bridge, Cork

"The Durapak Mats are trouble free and we find them great to train young animals to use the cubicle, They are as good as the day we put them in 7 years ago"

Paddy Owen Leonard, Baltimore, West Cork

"The Durapak Mats have increased our cubicle occupancy and the mats seem to be going to last a long time as they are wearing very well"

Michael Darcy, Killick, Co.Wexford

Trial Data

Durapak Slatted Rubber

It is widely known for years that cattle housed on slatted rubber mats have been shown to gain weight faster than animals housed on bare concrete slats. Teagasc carried out an intensive trial comparing 360 Beef Bullocks using; 3 different Slatted Rubbers, out-wintering Pads and bare concrete slats. The results from the Teagasc Trial on Slatted Rubber for 2006 & 2007 are summarised in the bar charts below. The Durapak mat is colour coded BLUE. Mat B & C are two well known competitor products. Durapak Slatted Rubber came out on top with 14kgs of extra carcass weight over and above bare concrete slats and together with a higher carcass classification was worth between €45 - €55 per head of animal.

Picture Sequence shows the ease with which the Durapak Slatted Rubber Mat
is positioned onto the slat

*Durapak Slatted Rubber's unique 3 piece patented design allows for greater comfort and enhanced performance for the animals. The double anchoring system is the ultimate in terms of a secure installation.
 

Study 1 & 2 Combined - Finishing Beef Steers

*Preliminary Statistical Data as displayed by Teagasc at Grange Open Day on 8th May 2008

Animals: Continental Crossbred Steers

(n = 72 animals per treatment; mean initial live weight = 538 (s.d. 42.2 kg)

Space allowance: 2.73 m²/head - slats, slats covered with mats; 12.00m²/head - OWP's

Other Points

winter 2007 Finishing Beef bulls

*Preliminary Statistical Data as displayed by Teagasc at Grange Open Day on 8th May 2008

Animals: 72 Continental Crossbred Beef Bulls

(n = 18 bulls per treatment; mean initial live weight = 442 (s.d. 44.4) kg)

Space allowance: 2.98m²/head

More €€€€€ with Durapak

Compare the benefits against concrete:

SIZES OF DURAPAK SLATTED RUBBER

To ensure the correct size of Slatted Rubber, you must:

1. Measure the width of the rib (eg. 156mm)
2. Measure the width of the gap (eg. 38mm)
3. Measure the length of the slat (eg. 12.5ft)
4. Count the number of ribs to be covered (eg. 22 per pen)
5. Measure the length and width of concrete apron area

Suitability Of Durapak Slatted Rubber

Durapak Slatted Rubber is suitable for use on the following slats:

The Department of Agriculture & Food have a list of approved slat manufacturers. The most popular brands are listed above, however if your slats are manufactured by a company not on the list, please contact us for further information.

What farmers say

"We found Durapak Slatted Rubber easy to install and versatile in use. We used it in a creep area for calves and found it saved us a lot in straw costs over the winter months. We were able to also use it for fattening beef bulls in the summer and we found it increased daily liveweight gains and we had virtually no lameness with the animals"

- Derek Dunn, Strabane, Co Tyrone

"We have experienced a big reduction in lameness in beef bullocks; while the animals might be a wee bit dirtier, they are more comfortable and perform a lot better"

John Neill, Carbery, Co Kildare

"We are extremely happy with the performance of our fattening dry cows since we installed Durapak Slatted Rubber – the comfort is unreal"

- Donal & Martin Vaughan, Broadford, Co Clare

"Since we installed Durapak Slatted Rubber, we have found a lot less stiffness and animals are more comfortable and find it much easier to get up"

- Alwyn Davies, Aberystwth, Wales