J&M Hofacker – Appleton, WI
20+ Years of Cow Comfort with KRAIBURG KURA Rubber Flooring
For John Hofacker and his brothers, dairy farming has always been a family effort. Located in Wisconsin near Appleton, J&M Hofacker milks about 250 cows and has maintained that herd size for roughly 30 years.
“We never really wanted to get any bigger,” John says. “All the work is done by us brothers. Our kids helped us when they were growing up as well. It’s a great place to bring up a family. Good work ethic you can develop.”
That same practical, long-term mindset is reflected in the farm’s choice of flooring. More than 20 years ago, J&M Hofacker installed KRAIBURG KURA rubber flooring in their facility. Today, the rubber remains an important part of the farm’s cow comfort program, providing traction, durability, and a more comfortable walking surface for the herd.
We’ve had the KRAIBURG rubber in for probably almost 20-some years now. We’re really happy with it.
John Hofaker, J&M Hofacker
Better Footing for Natural Cow Behavior
For John, one of the biggest differences after installing the KURA flooring was how confidently the cows moved on the rubber. He noticed that cows showing heat tended to spend more time on top of the rubber surface, where they had better footing and could move more naturally.
“The cows actually, when they’re showing heat, are always on top of the rubber,” John says. “They just seem to have a lot better footing. They seem to show good heats.”
He noticed the improvement soon after installation.
“You could tell right after we put them in, the heats were a lot easier to tell on the animals,” John explains. “I think their footing was so much better that it allowed them to show it easier.”
For a dairy focused on daily consistency, visibility, and cow comfort, that kind of confidence underfoot matters.
Cow Comfort That Supports the Whole Operation
At J&M Hofacker, cow comfort is not just a talking point. It is part of how the farm operates every day.
“Our animals usually give around 92 pounds of milk per cow,” John says. “Cow comfort is a big thing around here.”
KURA rubber flooring helps support that focus by giving cows a cushioned, non-slip surface in high-traffic areas of the barn. For farms that rely on efficient movement, dependable traction, and long service life, KURA is designed for use in areas such as alleyways, crossovers, holding areas, and parlor decks.
Chain Scrapers and Long-Term Durability
One of the most impressive parts of the J&M Hofacker installation is how well the KURA flooring has performed with chain scrapers over two decades of daily use.
“On top of our rubber, we have chain scrapers, which actually work beautiful, especially on top of the rubber,” John says. “There’s no wear on the rubber at all.”
After approximately 20 years of scraper use, John says the mats still show no indentations from the equipment.
“If you look at the rubber on the KRAIBURG, there’s no indentations at all,” he says. “It glides over it really simple and really easy.”
The benefit goes both ways. Not only has the flooring held up well, but John has also noticed less wear on the scrapers themselves.
“There’s no issues with the scrapers,” he says. “They last a lot longer just because they’re on top of the rubber. A lot less wear. Seems to last a lot longer for us, and we’re really happy with it.”
There’s no indentations at all. It glides over it really simple and really easy.
John Hofaker, J&M Hofacker
A 20+ Year Product Review from KRAIBURG
During a visit to the farm, Agromatic Sales Manager Erik Niemeier met with Josh from KRAIBURG, who traveled from Germany to see KURA flooring that had been installed for more than 20 years.
For Josh, seeing the product still performing after decades of use was a powerful example of what KURA was designed to do.
“It’s awesome,” Josh says. “You can see barely any wear and tear. That’s what you want, really. You’re going to make one purchase, and it’s going to look after you.”
KRAIBURG launched KURA in 2002, and the product has become one of the most popular flooring solutions Agromatic offers for dairy facilities. The goal is simple: bring the comfort of pasture into the barn.
“You’re taking that pasture comfort and putting it inside your barn,” Josh explains. “That’s the idea, to provide that kind of comfort.”
Engineered for Cow Comfort and Built for the Long Run
KURA rubber flooring is manufactured by KRAIBURG in Germany using a carefully engineered process. According to Josh, the product begins with research, design, and a strong understanding of how cows move in real barn environments.
KRAIBURG uses recycled tire rubber as a base material and has developed a unique process for turning those rubber granules into new cow comfort products. The company’s approach focuses on high-quality ingredients, long-lasting flexibility, and consistent performance over time.
“All our mats are produced in Germany,” Josh says. “Everything starts with doing a lot of research. You first have to go out and learn, and then you go to the drawing board and come up with a really good plan.”
For J&M Hofacker, that engineering has translated into more than two decades of daily use.
A Trusted Rubber Flooring Solution from Agromatic
KURA continues to be a leading choice for dairy producers looking to improve traction and cow comfort in high-traffic barn areas. Agromatic recommends KURA for alleyways, crossovers, holding areas, parlor decks, and other areas where slipping or cow movement is a concern.
“Anywhere that you’ve got an issue with your cattle slipping is a good spot for KURA,” Erik says. “As we can see here with the farm we’re at today, you’re going to get a long life out of it.”
J&M Hofacker’s installation is a strong example of what dairy producers look for in a long-term flooring investment: traction, comfort, scraper compatibility, and durability that holds up year after year.
It’s very much making an investment in the future of your farm.
Josh, KRAIBURG
J&M Hofacker Media
