Cow Waterbeds Increase Milk Production

Manufacturers began making waterbeds for dairy cows in the late 1990s. By the early 2000s, a two-chamber design had become common, with one chamber supporting the cows' vulnerable knees. University of Missouri researchers found that 1,500-pound cows took 8.5 minutes to lie down on a standard mattress but less than five minutes on a waterbed. Longer resting time correlates with greater milk production, while blood flow to the udders increases by 20 to 30 percent when cows lie down.

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