Brushes for Dairy Farms: Cow Brushes and Cleaning Brushes
Industry guide · 6 min read · updated 2026-10-24
Brushes do two very different jobs on a dairy farm. Rotating cow brushes let animals groom the back, sides and neck they cannot reach themselves, which farmers install for coat cleanliness and cow welfare. Cleaning brushes, from tube brushes for milk lines and claw parts to stiff barn brooms, keep the milking system and housing hygienic.
This guide covers both groups: what research says about cow brush use, how to choose and replace a brush head, which cleaning brushes suit milking equipment and how cleaning temperatures affect them, and the details a factory needs to quote.
1. Why cows use mechanical brushes
A widely cited study by DeVries and colleagues (2007) followed 72 lactating cows in free-stall housing. When a rotating brush was installed, 57% of cows used it within 24 hours and 93% within seven days. Total time spent scratching rose about six-fold, and scratching on the brush made up 91% of all scratching time.
Those numbers explain why a worn brush matters: a head that has flattened or lost fill is used less, and the welfare benefit falls with it.
2. Cow brush heads: materials and design
A rotating cow brush head is a cylindrical brush roller: a core packed with stiff synthetic filament and a hub or flange that couples to the machine's drive. Filament is usually polypropylene or nylon, UV-stabilised because many brushes are mounted near open sides of the barn or outdoors.
We supply only the replaceable brush head, built to match the machine you already own, in UV-stabilised PP or nylon. Our custom replacement cow brush head guide explains wear signs and what to measure in detail; see also the livestock and cow brush category.
| Property | Polypropylene | Nylon |
|---|---|---|
| Stiffness and feel | Firm, lighter | Firm, springy |
| Bend recovery | Lower; takes a set sooner | Over 90% (DuPont data) |
| Water uptake | Very low | Depends on grade; nylon 66 takes up 8.5% at saturation |
| Typical choice | Cost-sensitive replacements | Longer recovery in heavy use |
3. When to replace a cow brush head
Usage rises with herd size and stocking density, so plan replacements around how many cows share each brush rather than a fixed calendar.
Mount the new head at the same height and position as the old one unless the machine maker advises otherwise, and check that it starts and stops rotating freely when pushed. Keep the old head until the new one is fitted and running, in case a dimension needs checking.
- Filament lies flat in the direction of rotation and no longer springs back.
- Bald patches or missing tufts.
- Diameter noticeably smaller at one end or side where cows lean most.
- Cows visit the brush less often than before.
- Cracks, play or wear at the core, hub or keyway.
4. Cleaning brushes for milking equipment
Pipelines are normally cleaned in place by circulation, but parts such as claws, liners, short tubes, jars, valves and bulk tank fittings are often brushed by hand. Tube and bottle brushes need to match the bore: too small and they skip deposits, too large and they jam or bend. Our tube and bottle brush sizing guide explains how to measure.
Cleaning temperatures are high. Typical guidance for milking systems is a lukewarm pre-rinse at 100 to 110 °F, a chlorinated alkaline wash starting at 160 to 170 °F and not falling below 120 °F at the return, and an acid rinse at 100 to 110 °F for 3 to 5 minutes. Hot alkaline solutions are hard on nylon: DuPont notes that alkalis begin to degrade nylon above 38 °C (100 °F), with the rate roughly doubling for every 5 °C rise. Rinse brushes after use, let them dry, and replace them as soon as bristles splay or the stem corrodes.
5. Barn and parlour brushes
See our broom and tube and bottle brush categories.
- Stiff push brooms and deck scrubs for parlour floors, alleys and feed tables; PP and PET fills tolerate water and manure well.
- Hand and scrub brushes for walls, gates and equipment surfaces.
- Colour-coding (for example, separate colours for milk-contact and floor use) keeps manure-contaminated brushes away from milking equipment.
6. What to send for a quote
Send it through Request a Quote. For cow brush heads, a drawing or the old head is the surest way to get a correct fit.
- Cow brush head: machine make and model, outside diameter, overall length, core and hub or flange details, photos of the worn head; quantity.
- Tube brushes: bore diameter, brush length, total length, handle or thread type, and the parts being cleaned.
- Brooms: head width, fill, handle type and quantity.
- For dealers and distributors: annual volume and packaging or labelling needs.
Frequently asked questions
- Do cows really use rotating brushes?
- Yes. In a 2007 study of 72 lactating cows, 57% used a newly installed brush within 24 hours and 93% within a week, and total scratching time rose about six-fold.
- Can I buy just the brush head for my cow brush?
- Yes. Replacement heads are made to fit the existing machine. Send the machine model plus measurements or the worn head, and the head is built to match.
- What material are cow brush bristles made of?
- Usually stiff polypropylene or nylon, UV-stabilised for barn and outdoor use. Nylon recovers its shape better; PP is lighter and absorbs almost no water.
- What brushes should be used to clean milking equipment?
- Tube and bottle brushes sized to the bore of each part, with synthetic fill and a corrosion-resistant stem, kept only for milk-contact parts. Rinse and dry them after use and replace them when bristles splay.
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Need help choosing or a custom spec?
Send us your machine, drawing or requirement — we'll match the right brush and quote, usually within one business day.