The challenge to which the Good Practice (GP) is addressed is to “improve water conservation and management”.

The GP consists of laying a nylon sheet over the old, worn-out floor, which is first covered with a 12 cm concrete pour and then a quartz plating is applied to make it smooth (like hospital flooring).

This technique makes it possible not only to renovate old floors, but also to improve animal welfare by maintaining a drier environment and to make it easier to wash the shed thanks to a completely smooth floor.

No risks or unwanted consequences have been reported from the application of this practice, no additional costs, but to start a capital to invest is needed. At European level, it is not known how widespread this GP is.

From the economic standpoint there is no substantial difference between a shed with new flooring and one with the old flooring (same income between two sheds).

From the managerial point of view, much changed, as the smooth floor guarantees a drier litter, which improves both the well-being and health of the animals, but also of the operator, who works in a drier (less humid) environment. Furthermore, the quartz flooring allows easier washing at the end of the cycle without dirt accumulating in the joints.