Coat care is not just cosmetic. Animals that have a suitable place to rub and scratch are calmer, cleaner and show fewer signs of stress. That is why cattle brushes are now considered a standard piece of cattle farming equipment in any modern barn.
Why rubbing is not just a habit
In nature, cattle rub against trees, branches or bushes, but such surfaces are usually missing in a barn or on a pasture. A brush takes over that role instead of nature. The animal uses it entirely on its own, whenever it decides it needs to, meaning it does not have to wait for the farmer or adjust to anyone else's schedule.
Regular scratching and rubbing help keep the coat cleaner, encourage general activity in the herd, and reduce skin irritation caused by parasites, dirt or dead hair. Because the animal chooses the intensity itself, the risk of injury is low with correctly chosen equipment.
Mechanical or electric brushes
The choice between a mechanical and an electric version depends mainly on group size, breed, and where the brush will be installed.
Mechanical swing brushes need no electrical connection, which greatly simplifies installation, since they can be placed almost anywhere, even on a pasture with no power supply. The animal moves the brush itself and so controls the intensity of scratching. They come in several sizes, from models for goats, calves and alpacas up to larger versions for adult cattle and horses.
Electric brushes are activated by touch and then automatically brush all parts of the body, giving more thorough care than mechanical versions. The swing version allows movement in all directions for maximum comfort, while the double version is permanently mounted and also covers most of the body. Both include a safety cut-out that stops the brush if it experiences a heavy load or if a tail gets caught, which matters for animal safety.
For electric brushes, adjust the mounting height to the size of the animals and make sure the group using it is sized so that queuing and pushing at the brush does not occur. As a rough guide, the top edge of the support tube for the large swinging brush is mounted at around 250 to 285 cm above the ground, while for the double brush the distance from the bottom edge of the brush to the ground is around 65 to 80 cm. For the mechanical swing brush, the pivot point is usually set about 30 cm above the animal's hip height. The actual height should always be adapted to the specific group.
For pastures with no natural rubbing surfaces, such as trees, a modular brush with a larger number of fixed rings is also available, which can be installed even on unpaved ground. Because the individual brush rings are replaceable, worn parts can be swapped out individually instead of replacing the whole brush.
Brushes for specific needs
Besides the standard versions for adult dairy cattle, there are also solutions for specific groups:
- Spring brushes with a protective frame for bulls and fattening cattle, where the animal presses the brush against the protective arch during use, which extends the life of the bristles.
- Calf brushes, adapted to a smaller body size, with a smaller cleaning surface than versions for adult animals.
- Post-mounted brushes, suitable where there is no room to install other versions, sized for animals from small to large.
- A scratching brush and a scratching pad, which can be installed almost anywhere and so extend access to grooming across the whole herd at minimal cost.
Where and how many brushes to install
The number and placement of brushes should match the size of the group and the layout of the barn. For groups of several dozen animals, a single brush is usually not enough, since queues quickly form at popular spots. Place brushes where animals can reach them without blocking the movement of others, and make sure the rubbing surface is large enough for the type and size of animal using it.
When choosing a location, also consider access for cleaning and maintaining the brush itself, since well-maintained bristles stay effective for longer.
What counts as a suitable rubbing option
Animal welfare criteria for cattle fattening also define what counts as a suitable rubbing option. The surface must allow animals to rub the sides of the body, head, neck, rear and flanks, or the back, in a manner typical for the species, without any risk of injury. Surfaces must have an uneven profile, and suitable options include stationary brushes as well as rotating swing brushes, rubber rubbing mats or rubbing panels.
For vertically mounted cleaning options, the rubbing surface must be at least 90 cm long and 30 cm wide. Besides vertical devices, horizontally shaped ones are also suitable, letting animals clean their back and head, as are combinations of the two. No specific dimensions are set for these, but they must allow the cleaning behaviour typical of the species.
Need advice?
PATURA is a German manufacturer of brushes and other animal welfare equipment, and Kancler Sistem Pro is its Slovenian partner for sales and installation.
For advice on which brush and mounting height suit your barn, drop us a short message.