Cubicle housing is the dominant system for dairy cows in the UK and Europe. Cubicle design profoundly affects lying time, lameness, and overall welfare. Poorly designed cubicles are a significant source of dairy cow suffering.
The mismatch between cubicle size and cow size is a widespread and preventable welfare problem. Cows that cannot lie comfortably reduce lying time, increasing lameness risk and reducing overall wellbeing. Inadequate lunge space means cows must lunge sideways to rise, risking injury and increasing reluctance to use cubicles. Worn or wet bedding increases udder infection rates and reduces the comfort benefit of lying. Regular assessment of cubicle usage, lying time measurement, and hock scoring enables farms to identify and correct problems systematically.