Changes of locomotion activity in the Holstein dairy cows during estrus

Abstract

The objective of this study was the evaluation of the locomotion activity in heifers and Holstein dairy cows during estrus. We have analysed the locomotion activity using the Heatime RuminAct device on 99 dams (68 dairy cows and 31 heifers) and we evaluated a total of 213 estrus cycles during the reference period of 3 days before estrus, 3 days after estrus and on the day of the estrus occurrence. The data was analysed using the DataFlow TM II program. The locomotion of cows was expressed in the units of locomotion activity in 24 hours (u/24h). During the reference period, 3 days before estrus the cows showed locomotion activity 602.7 u/24h, with an increase in the locomotion activity on the day of estrus of 876 u/24h and during the reference period 3 days after estrus the level of locomotion activity decreased to 566 u/24h, what is the similar locomotion activity to the reference period before estrus. Keywords: dairy cows, estrus, locomotion activity, Heatime RuminAct IntroductionSearching the cows in estrus in herd means one of the important activities in the management of the herd reproduction. The attention of breeders and researchers is concentrated on the precise estrus identification according to the outer symptoms because as a result of the missed estrus the considerable economic losses generate to the breeders (López-Gatius, 2000). The completed experiments show that the estrus period of cows is characterized by the increased locomotion activity, which is the reliable tool for the accurate estrus detection (Firk et al., 2002) and at the same time it is the prerequisite for the required insemination results. The most probable reason of the increased activity in the period of estrus can be the gradual increase of estrogen concentration (17β-estradiol) in the cows´ blood in the period before the estrus (proestrus). Lopez et al. (2004) point out the important relationship between the estradiol concentration in the cows´ blood and the estrus length (r = 0.57) and estradiol concentration and the changes of cows´ behaviour in the estrus period (r = 0.7).In order to increase the detection effectiveness of estrus several electronic technologies have been developed (Rorie et al., 2002) and similar other additional equipment measuring the changes in cows´ behaviour in the period of estrus (Firk et al., 2002). Recently there is the widespread utilization of the different systems of electronic evaluation of the locomotion activity and other systems which are targeted at the evaluation of the cattle estrus behaviors (Rorie et al., 2002). According to the authors the commercially available electronic equipment for the estrus detection is aimed at the recording of changes of locomotion activity which is measured by pedometer placed on the leg (Roelofs et al., 2005), and at the cows´s neck (Elischer et al., 2013).Nowadays, one of the most modern technologies of the estrus detection is the system Heatime RuminAct which takes into consideration the biological principles of cows´ behaviour in the period of estrus when the ...