The effect of stocking density and a blind on the behavior of Holstein dairy cows in group maternity pens. Part II: Labor length, lying behavior, and social behavior

Abstract

In natural settings, dairy cows separate from the herd to give birth. When kept indoors, seeking isolation before calving may be restricted and may depend on space and resources provided in maternity housing. The effect of group maternity pens on behavior around calving and labor progress is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of stocking density and provision of a blind in group bedded pack maternity pens on lying and social behavior as well as length of labor of preparturient dairy animals. The study was conducted as a complete randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments including stocking density and presence or absence of a blind, resulting in a total of 4 treatments:(1) high stocking density (7.7-12.9 m 2 lying space/cow) with a blind, (2) low stocking density (15.4-25.8 m 2 ) with a blind, (3) high stocking density without a blind, and (4) low stocking density without a blind. A total of 127 primiparous heifers and 247 multiparous cows were housed in mixed-parity groups from approximately 3 wk before and immediately after calving. During the 4 h before calving, lying behavior (lying time and bouts) was collected automatically using accelerometers, and social behavior (agonistic interactions, allogrooming, and attention from other cows), stage II labor duration, and frequency of position change during stage II labor were collected using video. Lying behavior was collected with accelerometers. Regardless of treatment, lying time and bouts increased as calving approached. Cows and heifers performed more lying bouts in low stocking density pens compared with high stocking density pens. Agonistic interactions and allogrooming were not different between treatments. Other cows spent more time paying attention to focal animals regardless of stocking density as calving approached, but time spent paying attention was reduced by the presence of a blind during h −2 before calving. The hazard of calving unassisted was greater for cows and heifers in low stocking density pens with a blind compared with all other treatments. Further, animals in pens with a blind tended to change positions fewer times during stage II labor. These results suggest that providing a blind in group maternity pens may improve the calving environment for cows and heifers and, in combination with low stocking density, may reduce the amount of time spent in labor.

The effect of stocking density and a blind on the behavior of Holstein dairy cattle in group maternity pens. Part I: Calving location, locomotion, and separation behavior

“…This study was part of a larger study (Creutzinger et al, 2021b), and we had more animals than were needed for detailed behavioral analyses. The sample size analysis to determine the necessary number of ani-mals for detailed behavioral analysis can be found in Creutzinger et al (2021a).…”

“…Based on our study design, it is unclear whether the increased distance between parturient animals and other cows in the pen was initiated by the focal animal or other cows. It may be less likely that other cows initiated the greater distance, as cows in late pregnancy are attracted to the scent of amniotic fluids (Jensen and Rørvang, 2018) and spend more time interacting with parturient cows as calving become more imminent (Creutzinger et al, 2021a). However, it is also unclear whether the focal cows initiated this change in distance from other cows, as the focal animals reduced their locomotor behavior in the few hours before calving.…”

The Transition Period Updated: A Review of the New Insights into the Adaptation of Dairy Cows to the New Lactation

“…Maternity pens should be designed to ensure adequate space (>13 m 2 per cow), a soft and clean surface (deep straw bedding is preferred), easy access, proximity to prefresh area, and options for hiding (i.e., a plywood barrier covering half of the pen) [99,100]. A series of papers [30,32,101] demonstrated that providing the maternity pen with additional space and a physical blind (created using plastic road barriers and plywood, a steel gate, and shade cloth) may benefit periparturient cows and heifers, facilitating natural calving behaviors and reducing inflammation before calving.…”

A first time for everything: The influence of parity on the behavior of transition dairy cows

“…When behavior was recorded in relation to signs of labor, Schuenemann et al (2011) found that multiparous animals laid down at the onset of abdominal contractions and remained recumbent until birth, whereas primiparous animals showed restless behavior characterized by increased lying bouts at the beginning of labor. Although the same authors ( Schuenemann et al, 2011 ) found no difference in the overall length of labor for primiparous and multiparous animals, other have found that primiparous animals have longer labors (e.g., 25 min longer for Creutzinger et al, 2021b and 21 min for Miedema et al, 2011 ).…”

“…However, we also recommend that special care be given so that primiparous cows have the space needed to separate from other cows when they are expected to give birth. For example, producers are recommended to either move primiparous animals to individual calving pens in advance of calving or provide space and visual separation if kept in group calving pens (e.g., Creutzinger et al, 2021a , b ).…”