Behaviour during the first stage of labour in cattle: Influence of parity and dystocia

A comparative study on behavioral, physiological, and adrenal changes in buffaloes during the first stage of labor with normal and difficult parturition

“…The observation of these behavioral elements should highlight the possibility that there may be a problem in the first stage of labor. These findings were in agreement with those of Kharche et al (1982), Mukasa and Mattoni (1990), Dargartz et al (2004), and Wehrend et al (2006). These parameters can be assessed as signs of pain and should be included in the practical monitoring system of parturient animals.…”

“…As the first stage of parturition advances, most parturient animals lie down and get up several times, scraping the floor, looking back at the abdomen. Rupture of the fetal sac leads to apparent relief, and some parturient animals begin to lick up the escaped amniotic fluids (Wehrend et al, 2006). In fact, earlier studies have reported on the behavior of parturient cows and heifers during the antepartal period and the expulsion phase (Dufty, 1971;O'Mary and Hillers, 1976;Kharche et al, 1982;Berglund et al, 1987;Mukasa and Mattoni, 1990;Wehrend et al, 2005); however, there are hardly any studies, especially on buffaloes, about their behavior during the first stage of labor.…”

“…Behavior of the experimented animals was recorded and analyzed according to Wehrend et al (2006). The parturient animal was observed from a distance of 5 m outside the calving box starting from the time that the animal was moved to the calving box until the emergence of the fetal limbs from the vulval lips.…”

Short communication: Rumination and feeding behavior before and after calving in dairy cows

“…For example, the relaxation of the sacro-sciatic ligaments has been reported to start, on average, 1 wk before calving but can range from as early as 15 d to only 7 h before the calf is born (Berglund et al, 1987). Other signs, such as vulva edematization and milk leakage from the teats, are more consistent across animals but are also recognized as being associated with the first stage of labor (Wehrend et al, 2006) or even the second stage in the case of amniotic sac appearance (Noakes et al, 2001). Moving a cow during the first stage of labor may interrupt and prolong parturition (Wehrend et al, 2006;Mainau and Manteca, 2011).…”

Effect of meloxicam administration after calving on milk production, acute phase proteins, and behavior in dairy cows

“…The most frequently described behavioral changes before calving are an increase in restlessness and a decrease in eating and/or ruminating time, perhaps due to discomfort associated with calving (e.g., Houwing et al, 1990;Huzzey et al, 2005). Behaviors such as scraping the floor with the forefeet (Wehrend et al, 2006) or raising the tail for longer (Barrier et al, 2012) before calving were more frequent in dystocic than eutocic calving. However, more efforts are needed to study behavior before and after parturition to indicate valuable and practical indicators for pain or discomfort during calving and during recovery from inflammation caused by parturition.…”