Lying times of lactating cows on dairy farms with automatic milking systems and the relation to lameness, leg lesions, and body condition score

Abstract

Lying down and resting are important for optimal cow health, welfare, and production. In comparison with free stall farms with a milking parlor, farms with automated milking systems (AMS) may place less constraint on how long cows can lie down. However, few studies report lying times on AMS farms. The aims of this study were to describe the variation in lying times of dairy cows in AMS farms and to understand how much of the variation in individual lying times is related to cow-level factors, including lameness, the presence of hock and knee lesions, and body condition score (BCS). We visited 36 farms in Canada (Quebec: n = 10; Ontario: n = 10; British Columbia: n = 4; and Alberta: n = 5), and the United States (Michigan: n = 7). Gait scores, presence of hock and knee lesions, and BCS were recorded for 40 Holstein cows from each herd. Parity and days in milk were retrieved from farm records. Lying time was recorded across 4d using accelerometers (n = 1,377). Multivariable analysis was performed. Of scored cows, 15.1% were lame (i.e., obviously limping; 203 of 1,348 cows). Knee lesions were found in 27.1% (340 of 1,256 cows) and hock lesions were found in 30.8% (421 of 1,366 cows) of the animals. Daily lying time varied among cows. Cows spent a median duration of 11.4 h/d lying down (25th-75th percentile = 9.7-12.9 h), with a lying bout frequency of 9.5 bouts/d (25th-75th percentile = 7.5-12 bouts/d) and a median bout duration of 71 min (25th-75th percentile = 58-87 min/bout). Lameness was associated with cows lying down for 0.6 h/d longer in fewer, longer bouts. Increased lying time was also associated with increased parity, later stage of lactation and higher BCS. Older cows (parity ≥ 3) spent about 0.5 h/d more lying down compared with parity 1 cows, and cows with BCS ≥ 3.5 lay down on average 1 h/d longer than cows with BCS ≤ 2.25. Hock lesions were associated with shorter lying times in univariable models, but no associations were found in the multivariable models. We concluded that only a small proportion of the variation between cows in lying time is explained by lameness, leg lesions, and BCS.

Incomplete Milking in Early Lactation Does Not Affect Dairy Cows Resting Behaviors: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…The mean total lying time for cows was within the range of previously reported studies [9.3–13.9 h/day, DeVries et al (10); 9.7–12.9 h/day, Westin et al (11)]. Number of lying bouts and mean lying bout duration were also in agreement with other studies [29–115 min/bout, Tucker et al (12); 6–20 bouts/day and 48–96 min/bout, Gomez and Cook (13)].…”

Cow- and farm-level risk factors for lameness on dairy farms with automated milking systems

“…In crowded situations, simulations show that a middleranking cow queues for approximately 1.5 h, whereas a low-ranking cow may wait about 7 h (Halachmi, 2009). The daily lying time of the cows participating in this study was up to 1 h shorter in individuals with BCS ≤2.25 compared with cows with BCS ≥3.25 (Westin et al, 2016). Currently, dairy producers in Canada are required to take corrective action for animals at a BCS of 2 or lower (DFC-NFACC, 2009).…”

Implications of prolonged milking time on time budgets and lying behavior of cows in large pasture-based dairy herds

“…cows; for example, in a study of automated milking systems, where it was hypothesized that cows would be less constrained in their ability to lie down, the median lying time was 11.4 h/d, but even in this system 25% of cows laid for less than 9.7 h (Westin et al, 2016). In our study, we also noted wide variation in lying times, even in cows with a mean WT less than 60 min, which would be unlikely to have constrained their lying time.…”