Cubicle design significantly affects lying time, comfort, and injury rates in housed dairy cows. Evidence-based design standards reduce welfare harm substantially.
Cubicle design welfare is a case where small engineering details have large animal welfare consequences. A cubicle 10 cm too short changes how cows rise and lie, increasing injury rates. A mattress that fails prematurely causes daily discomfort affecting lying time. Evidence-based design standards that take cow body size and movement requirements seriously prevent substantial welfare harm at low additional cost.