Buying waterbed for a lazy cow

AMSTERDAM (Reuter): A Dutch rubber factory has begun producing waterbeds for cows -- and its first clients are crazy about the product, the daily De Volkskrant said on Monday.

About 180 of the luxury bovine mattresses have been delivered to a farmer in England whose herd has taken to them so well that another 100 are on order.

The cows were initially wary of the tough, water-filled rubber mats, which can be filled with hot water for extra pampering but, having tried them once, they did not want to get off, the daily quoted the farmer as saying. He was not named.

"It is good for a cow to lie comfortably. Then she will produce more milk," a salesman at the Dunlop-Enerka factory in Drachten said. "Cows can be compared to top athletes: under the best circumstances they will give their greatest performances."

No company spokesman was immediately available for comment.

The newspaper said Dunlop, better known for its tires and tennis kit, has applied for a patent for the waterbeds, the latest development of in-stall cow comforts which have encompassed straw, coir (coconut fiber) and foam mats and even inflatable cushions.

If the product catches on in the cattle market, the rest of the farmyard could soon be sleeping more soundly. Waterbeds for horses, sheep and pigs are under consideration.