Mattress vs. Deep Bedding

Both mattress and deep-bedded stalls can work well. The choice comes down to your cows, your labor, your manure system and how consistently you can manage the stalls.

Key points

Both systems work when managed well
Watch cows to judge comfort, not just specifications
Cleanliness and dryness drive udder health
Count labor, hauling and replacement in the cost
Visit farms and trial before converting

How the two systems differ

A mattress stall has a cushioned base, usually covered with a thin layer of bedding. A deep-bedded stall holds a thick layer of loose material, such as sand or organic bedding, in a curbed bed. Cows lie differently on each, and so do the management demands.

Neither is automatically better. A well-run mattress stall beats a neglected deep bed, and the reverse is also true.

Many farms mix approaches, using deep bedding in some pens, such as sick or fresh cow pens, and mattresses in others. There is no rule that the whole barn must match.

Comfort and cow behavior

Deep bedding can give cows more cushion and traction when they lie down and rise, which often helps cows with sore legs or hocks. Mattresses vary widely in quality and softness. Cows have to be willing to use them or they stand in the alley.

Watch your cows. How many are lying, how they rise, whether hocks are swollen or hairless, and how clean they are tell you more than a catalog.

Pay attention to the cows that struggle most, such as older cows, lame cows and big cows. If those animals avoid a stall type, the design is not working well enough, even if younger cows use it.

Look at hock and knee condition
Check lying time and stall use
Watch how cows get up
Compare how clean cows are

Cleanliness and udder health

Bedding type changes the bacteria teat ends meet. Inorganic deep bedding can support less growth than organic, while thin organic bedding on a mattress can stay damp if not changed often. Either way, clean, dry surfaces and good teat prep are the goal.

Ask your vet or mastitis advisor to review culture results and cell counts when you compare systems.

Keep records before and after a change. Note clinical cases, somatic cell counts and cleanliness scores if you use them. Compare apples to apples, using the same groups and time of year where possible.

Labor, upkeep and cost

Mattresses need regular grooming and fresh bedding but less bedding by volume. Deep beds need frequent topping up and leveling, and the loose material has to be hauled, stored and handled in your manure system. Compare labor hours realistically, not just purchase prices.

Mattress covers and bases wear out, and old ones harden. Ask suppliers about warranty, expected life and replacement cost, then check with farms that have used them for years.

Staff skills matter too. A system that is easy for an experienced person may be hard to keep up when employees change. Choose something your team can maintain every day.

Compare labor needs for each system
Include bedding hauling and storage
Plan for replacement, not only first cost
Check warranty terms in writing

Manure and environmental considerations

Deep bedding materials can change how your manure system works. Sand can settle in pits and wear pumps. Large volumes of organic bedding can affect storage and spreading. Talk with your equipment dealer and nutrient management planner, and check local rules.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and extension offices can help with planning.

Sand and similar materials may also need separation or reclaiming equipment. Get cost and service details from dealers and from farms that already run them.

How to decide

Visit farms with both systems, ideally with similar cow size and climate. Ask what they would repeat and what they would change. Trial a few stalls before converting a barn.

Consider heifers and fresh cows too, since they often struggle first on a poor surface. Set a review date to compare lameness, cleanliness, cell counts and labor.

Remember that a stall system also needs good ventilation, water, feed access and barn layout. Changing stall surfaces alone will not fix a crowded or hot barn.

What is the cow comfort result on my farm?
What are my labor and storage limits?
What does my manure system tolerate?
Who can help me monitor results?

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is choosing on first cost alone. A cheap system that cows avoid or that takes hours of daily labor is not cheap. Another is skipping a trial, then discovering a problem after the whole barn is converted.

A third is neglecting upkeep. Mattresses that are never groomed and deep beds that are never topped up both lose their benefit. Assign the job to a named person and check it often.

Do not ignore cow behavior after the change
Do not let stalls go unmaintained
Do not forget the manure system
Do not skip record keeping

When to get help: Ask your veterinarian or hoof trimmer to look at hock, knee and lameness patterns, and talk with your extension dairy specialist or barn consultant before changing stall surfaces.

Sources and further reading

Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.

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