Hybrid livestock flooring: AgriStride Classic vs AgriStride Vario compared

AgriStride develops hybrid livestock flooring systems that balance animal comfort with long-term durability, combining high-strength concrete with engineered rubber inserts. These dairy cow flooring systems support hoof health and improve drainage, making day-to-day yard work more efficient, offering a practical, welfare-first approach that’s helping UK dairy and livestock units update housing and futureproof new builds.

In this article:

What is hybrid livestock flooring?
Why flooring matters for welfare and efficiency
Overview of AgriStride Classic
Overview of AgriStride Vario
Key differences: Classic vs Vario
Which floor type fits your farm setup?
Choosing the best option
Get expert advice

What is hybrid livestock flooring?

Hybrid livestock flooring combines precast concrete slats with interchangeable rubber inserts. The concrete provides the strength and longevity required for livestock flooring systems, while the rubber sections add cow comfort benefits such as grip, hoof-friendly contact and options for drainage via grooved or perforated inserts.

The result is a cattle flooring solution that manages slurry more effectively, reduces standing water and supports natural and comfortable movement. Hybrid systems are gaining traction across UK dairy herds, helping to cut maintenance time and improving animal welfare and hygiene.

Why does flooring matter for animal welfare and farm efficiency?

Cow comfort flooring supports daily herd flow, footing confidence and minimises hoof wear, reducing slips, supporting healthier claws and helping cows move readily to feed, water and

the parlour, contributing to steadier yields and fewer vet interventions. Operationally, reliable drainage and scraper-friendly surfaces can also shorten clean-down time and keep passages drier, which improves working conditions and reduces ammonia build-up on the surface.

Overview of AgriStride Classic

AgriStride Classic is a hybrid cattle slat designed for wide passages and long service life.

Key features include:

Multiple lengths and weights:
- 4800 x 1200 x 250mm (2639kg)
- 4500 x 1200 x 250mm (2414kg)
- 3880 x 1200 x 250mm (2134kg)
- 3630 x 1200 x 250mm (1947kg)
- 2960 x 1200 x 250mm (1632kg)
- 2760 x 1200 x 250mm (1482kg)
- 2040 x 1200 x 250mm (1129kg)
- 1890 x 1200 x 250mm (1018kg)
- 1120 x 1200 x 250mm (626kg)
- 1020 x 1200 x 250mm (553kg)
Axle loading: 6–40 tonne (size dependent).
Concrete strength: 50 kN high-strength concrete.
Standards: BS5502 part 50 and BS8110.
Textured, non-slip imprint.
Interchangeable urine, solid, and smaller multi-animal insert options.
Designed to improve hoof health, support higher axle loads on certain sizes, and help reduce surface moisture and ammonia at the walking surface when paired with grooved inserts.

Full specification sheet (PDF): Classic by AgriStride

Overview of AgriStride Vario

AgriStride Vario is our hybrid cattle slat with a chevron (diagonal) pattern to speed up cleaning and support confident cow flow, especially in scrape passages and wider spans.

Key features include:

Multiple lengths and weights:
- 3030 × 1660 × 200 mm (approx. 2000 kg)
- 3800 × 1660 × 200 mm (approx. 2500 kg)
Axle loading: 6 tonne.
Concrete strength: 50 kN high-strength concrete.
Standards: BS5502 part 50 and BS8110.
Textured, non-slip imprint.
Interchangeable urine, solid, and smaller multi-animal insert options.
Wide-spanning diagonal layout; chevron geometry engineered to help scraper blades clear material efficiently and maintain cleaner lanes between passes.

Full specification sheet (PDF): Vario by AgriStride

Key differences between AgriStride Classic & Vario

Design:

Classic is a parrallel-slat hybrid suitable for wide passages and general yard traffic. Vario uses a chevron layout for scrape passages and wider spans where faster, more thorough scraping is a priority.

Cleaning and hygiene:

Vario’s chevron design helps scraper performance and clean-down speed, while Classic’s grooved inserts focus more on shedding urine and keeping surfaces drier between passes.

Load and longevity:

Classic supports higher axle loads on certain sizes (up to 40-tonne axle rating), making it suitable where heavier machine movements are frequent. Vario is rated to 6-tonne axle loading across its sizes. Both use 50 kN high-strength concrete and comply with UK agricultural building standards.

Flexibility:

Both systems accept urine, solid, and smaller multi-animal inserts so you can tune surfaces to your housing plan and stock class.

Which floor type fits your farm setup?

Cleaning methods

For tractor-drawn or automatic scrapers in long runs, Vario’s chevron pattern helps the blade bite and carry material efficiently in scrape passages. Classic, with a grooved insert, is a better option where the priority is broader urine drainage and drier walking surfaces.

Type of farm

High machine traffic or mixed-use yards can benefit from Classic’s higher axle-load options. Dairy units focused on confident cow flow to parlour or robots, and on keeping scrape lanes consistently clean, may find Vario a more suitable solution in line with daily routines.

New build farms or refitting

Both systems are available in wide formats. Vario is purpose-built as a wide-spanning diagonal system for scrape or broad passages, while Classic offers 15 ft and 16 ft standard lengths for wide spans. For retrofits, the interchangeable inserts on both systems provide additional flexibility when repurposing buildings or adapting to seasonal changes.

Maintenance

Both products benefit from textured, non-slip concrete with inserts that can be swapped to suit season or stock class. You can also match your insert choice to your scraper type, slurry handling and stocking density for minimised maintenance.

Choosing the best option for your farm

Choose AgriStride Classic if you need a robust, wide-passage hybrid with higher axle-load capacity, grooved inserts for moisture and ammonia management and sizes to cover a range of spans. It’s a dependable option for animal welfare flooring that also supports busy yard operations.

Choose AgriStride Vario if your priority is scrape-lane cleanliness, quick scraper performance and confident cow flow in wider passages. The chevron, wide-spanning design is built for hygiene and mobility in dairy housing.

For more insight and a look at real-life installation, see our case studies page to read how other UK farms have approached farm flooring comparison and housing upgrades.

Get expert advice with AgriStride

Our team can help you match hybrid livestock flooring to your herd, building layout, scraper setup and future plans, whether you’re planning a new build or retrofitting. Call us on 01282 844 213 or contact the team here.