The disclosure relates to mats for placement on livestock slats. In the livestock industry, slats, frequently made of concrete, are placed in livestock buildings, and more specifically are placed in indoor livestock pens and containment areas. Typically, the slats have gaps defined therein that allow for feces and other waste liquids (such as from animal watering systems, etc.) to pass through to an area beneath the slats, thereby reducing or eliminating the collection or accumulation of such feces and waste liquids in the pen. This helps to reduce contact of the livestock with such feces and waste liquids, thereby reducing illness and injury resulting from the presence of such liquids. The use of slats makes it possible to retain livestock in a building or enclosure for an extended period of time, including, for example, during the winter months. And keeping livestock in an indoor environment during cold weather can enhance the efficient growth of the livestock, as the livestock will gain weight faster in the warmer indoor environment.
These slats, being made of concrete or other solid, rigid material, can cause additional strain on the joints and feet of the livestock. Previous attempts to address this strain have involved the placement of mats over the slats. however, these prior art slats have a tendency to move on the slats, which can cause them to be displaced, and to accumulate bacteria and other unwanted materials between the mats and the slats. Further, prior art slats have typically utilized thin, hard coverings of less than an inch with a durometer of more than 70, and are frequently held in place by bolts or other metal fasteners, thereby contributing to the development of joint problems in the animals, and diseases when the mats are pulled up and exposed to accumulated bacteria. Further, certain prior art covers also require the use of a sledgehammer to install. The various embodiments of the slat cover described herein, including the associated systems and methods, address the deficiencies of the prior art.
There is a need in the art for improved devices, systems and methods for covering livestock slats.