Behavior and Performance of Dairy Cows After Transfer from Tied to Cubicle Housing

Abstract

Behavior and performance changes when tied dairy cows were moved to a loose housing system in a cubicle system were investigated. Behavioral observations were made for 3 consecutive days in 3 periods after transition. The cows (n = 105) were observed on 18 sampling occasions for 1 month. Recordings were made of body positions and general and social behaviors. Monthly milk records were collected 1 year before and 1 year after transition. Cows walked more during the 1st observation period than during the other periods (p < .05). Walking activity also differed between days when nested to period (p < .05). During the 1st period, cows ruminated while standing more than during the 3rd period (p < .05). Cows ate and groomed less and vocalized more during the 1st period (p < .05). It was concluded that after transition from a tied to a cubicle system, several behaviors were affected during the 1st days, and milk production of multiparous cows was negatively affected, although this effect was not long-term.

Nutritional value and in situ degradability of oak wood roughage and its feeding effects on growth performance and behavior of Hanwoo steers during the early fattening period

“…Rumination, drinking and eating did not show any significant difference among treatments. Rumination and eating were the most common active behaviors and, as observed in other studies [31,32], time spending rumination was less compared to eating regardless of the treatment group. Pavlenko et al [32] showed that when dairy cows were transferred to a new and unfamiliar housing, they performed more rumination and walking and less eating during the first 3 d, and then it was reversed afterwards.…”

“…Rumination and eating were the most common active behaviors and, as observed in other studies [31,32], time spending rumination was less compared to eating regardless of the treatment group. Pavlenko et al [32] showed that when dairy cows were transferred to a new and unfamiliar housing, they performed more rumination and walking and less eating during the first 3 d, and then it was reversed afterwards. More importantly, forage NDF source at a similar level did not impact growth performance but both forage source and inclusion level influenced feeding behavior as cattle consuming bulkier forages (wheat straw or corn stover) or at greater inclusion levels had a higher eating time [26].…”

Symposium review: Scientific assessment of affective states in dairy cattle

“…For example, increased calling is observed during estrus (Schön et al, 2007), where any link to affect is unclear. Increased vocalizations have also been observed in cows transitioned from tiestalls to freestalls (Pavlenko et al, 2018) and in calves during social play (Wagner et al, 2013), suggesting that a vocal response is not specific to negative events. Moreover, vocal responses are highly variable among individuals even in response to clearly negative events.…”

Holstein cow vocalization behavior during oestrus periods

“…Our results showed similar trend with other research results. 12,13 Cows in oestrus display the many behaviors more intensively: restlessness, mounting, allowing mounting without standing, sniffing the vulva of another cow, resting the chin on the back of another cow, licking, rubbing, and aggressiveness. Many technologic aids try to use Oestrus detection generally depends on behavioral changes of cows such as standing, mounting, walking, restlessness, chin pressing to detect oestrus.…”

“…It is also suspected that the vocalizations of cattle contain information about age, sex, dominance status, and stage in the estrous cycle. 11 Increased vocalizations have also been observed in cows transitioned from tie stalls to free stalls 12 and in calves during social play, 13 suggesting that a vocal response is not specific to negative events. Moreover, vocal responses are highly variable among individuals even in response to clearly negative events.…”