Cows Like These Woven Tire Mats

Cows Like These Woven Tire Mats LIVESTOCK Beef As long as tires wear out Dale Goetz and his family will have plenty of material for their mat business The Kansas feedlot owner came up with the tire mat design when he needed soft non-slip mats in the processing area where he vaccinates and works with his cattle     “I figured tires are tough and I started weaving strips together It worked better than I imagined ” Goetz says     He developed a machine to cut the tread part off steel-belted car and small truck tires The strips are hand-woven The sidewalls are used for weight to hold down the plastic on feed bunks so there is little waste Cattle hooves easily slide over the woven areas     “What I’m finding is that our mats have the best traction ” Goetz says noting most other mats are soft but have smooth slick surfaces Besides providing good traction to reduce crippling injuries the tire mats are soft and quiet     Demand has been good from feedlot owners and businesses such as sale barns livestock auctions and packing plants There has also been interest from hog breeders and dairy operators The mats work well in walkways crowd pens ramps scales and other locations     The most popular sizes are 6 by 6-ft and 4 by 10-ft but Goetz’s business Double D Family Mat Shop Inc makes them in any size They have created curved mats and mats as long as 50 ft for customers The mats weigh 5 1/2 lbs /sq ft and can be shipped anywhere by freight carrier     Price varies depending on the cost of tires fuel and other factors so call Goetz for cost     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Double D Family Mat Shop Inc Dale and Dena Goetz 6606 E Road 100 S Park Kan 67751 ph 888 377-2879; www ddfamilymats net

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