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Comfortable cows are productive cows. When lying areas are dry, soft, and sheltered, cows conserve energy, ruminate more effectively, and turn feed into milk with less waste. On farms where conditions fall short, cows are forced to stand longer, burning energy on maintenance instead of production.
That’s why lying comfort isn’t just a cattle welfare issue. It’s a driver of cow health, milk yield, and farm profitability.
Ideally, cows should lie down for at least 10-12 hours a day; however, under certain conditions, they may lie down for up to 14 hours. Out of that, actual sleep is less than half an hour; most of the time, lying is dedicated to rumination and recovery.
Every extra hour spent lying down pays off. The difference between 12 hours and just 4 hours of lying time can mean an additional 0.4-0.5 kg of milk solids per cow per day, even with the same feed input. Better lying conditions are also one of the reasons cows often perform better at pasture in frosty or sunny weather, alongside higher sugar content and increased intake.
Lying time is when cows recover, ruminate, and turn feed into milk most efficiently. Blood flow to the udder increases by around 30% while resting, directly supporting milk yield and udder health.
Cows that lie more also hold better body condition scores (BCS), and BCS, milk yield, and lying time reinforce each other in a positive cycle. Conversely, when lying time is cut short by muddy paddocks, poor bedding, or weather stress, energy reserves drop, condition deteriorates, and production declines.
Climate plays a role, too. While cows are tolerant of cold temperatures, high humidity — especially above 70% — can sharply reduce lying time. Protecting them from damp conditions is just as important as keeping them cool in summer.
Poor lying conditions put cow health at risk:
Cold, wet conditions raise calcium demand, so the risk isn’t limited to calving cows. Subtle signs, such as bloating, stumbling, or slow movement, can be easily missed but may signal a calcium imbalance. Strategic use of lime flour or protected fats in feed helps maintain steady levels.
Cows with good gut fill generate more body heat, calve stronger, and recover faster. Hay or straw is ideal in cold weather, while molasses or protected fat (up to 500 g per cow per day) can be used to top up energy reserves. Without this, cows standing in mud use up excess energy just to stay warm, leading to weight and body condition decline.
Long hours standing on hard or wet ground raise the risk of lameness, ketosis, and other costly issues. Pregnant cows are particularly vulnerable, as extra body weight and growth demands make extended standing particularly damaging to joints and mobility.
Dry, soft bedding reduces stress and encourages cows to eat, which is the best insurance against these compounding health risks.
When cows lie long enough, the benefits are clear: stronger body condition, steadier milk curves, and fewer health problems. But on most New Zealand farms, weather and ground conditions make it hard to protect those hours year-round.
Farms shifting indoors consistently report a 10-20% lift in milk yield for three to four years after installation, before stabilising at around 600 kg milk solids per cow — roughly 120% of liveweight. Alongside production, indoor composting barns recycle bedding into organic fertiliser and can cut nitrogen leaching by up to 50%.
That’s why more farmers are turning to practical sheds, shelters, and other infrastructure that lock in the payback from lying time, keeping bedding dry, shelter close, and cows comfortable through all seasons.
Across New Zealand, SmartShelters helps farmers protect cow health and obtain measurable gains. A few examples:
Peter Hargest installed a loafing barn after winters of wasted feed and cows standing in slush. Once undercover, cows gained weight, calving issues decreased, and feed utilisation improved.
[Read the full case study]
Jeff Rea’s composting barn let his herd milk two to three weeks longer into winter on less feed. Even in snow, cows stayed dry, and composted bedding reduced fertiliser costs.
Jarrod Rider cut winter costs by $100,000, halved feed wastage, and lifted per-cow milk solids by 26%. Calf losses during winter calving also plummeted.
Mark Turnwald’s Waikato barns improved calving conditions and steadied summer milk curves with barns up to 9°C cooler. Nitrate leaching also fell by 45%.
While cows should lie down for at least 10-12 hours per day, they only sleep for about four hours a day, usually in short bursts spread over 24 hours. Resting time includes less than one hour of REM sleep (rapid eye movement), which only happens when lying down on comfortable bedding.
Yes. Cows can doze while standing, but proper rest (including REM sleep) requires lying down. Cows may also lie down to regulate their body temperature, conserving warmth in cold weather or cooling off in hot weather.
No. It’s a myth. Lying behaviour is more about comfort and temperature regulation than weather forecasting. If cows are lying before a shower, it’s coincidence, not prophecy.
Better lying time means healthier cows, steadier milk curves, and stronger pastures. And with SmartShelters, those gains are locked in for the long term.
Built from premium NZ steel, fitted with durable PVC-free fabric, and relocatable if your operation changes, these shelters give you both immediate results and future flexibility. Farmers nationwide are already proving the difference.
Call 0800 580 297 or complete our contact form and discover how SmartShelters can safeguard your herd, land, and bottom line.
Talk to our team about our highly resilient commercial shelters, backed with a leading 12-year guarantee, and generations of experience. Please get in touch with SmartShalters on 0800 580 297.
Heat stress is no stranger to New Zealand dairy farmers, with drier regions of the country such as Northland, King Country, and the Bay Of Plenty each
averaging over 80 sweltering hot heat stress days every year.
In New Zealand, every dairy farmer worth their salt knows just how important it is to look after the welfare of their animals. The health of the herd directly impacts profit margins, which, in turn, determines the viability and sustainability of the farm.
As a nation of farmers with a proud agricultural history, New Zealand is at the forefront of the dairy industry, renowned as a global industry leader with some of the best animal welfare standards in the world.
Protect what matters with New Zealand-made shelters built on 100 years of trusted expertise. Contact us today!
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