The motivation of dairy cows for access to pasture

Charlton, G.L.; Rutter, S. M.; East, Martyn; Sinclair, L.A.

doi:10.3168/jds.2012-6421

Cited by 66 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Cows pushed harder to access pasture after the evening milking; this result is consistent with earlier results showing that preference for access to pasture is stronger at night113, likely because solar heating can make cows uncomfortably hot if they are outdoors during the heat of the day14. We expect that this greater motivation for evening access would be less pronounced if cows were tested in the winter when radiant heating is less likely to cause discomfort.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Dairy cows value access to pasture as highly as fresh feed

Keyserlingk

Cestari

Franks

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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Many dairy cows in the developed world are now housed exclusively indoors with fewer than 5% of the 10 million lactating cows in the United States having access to pasture during the grazing season. Indoor housing systems are designed to meet biological needs for food, water, hygiene, and shelter, but surveys of public and farmer opinion suggest that people think that pasture access is also important for the well-being of dairy cows. To determine if pasture access is important to the cows themselves, we investigated to what extent cows will work to access pasture (by pushing on a weighted gate), and compared it to the motivation to access fresh feed. Cows worked at least as hard to access pasture as they did to access the fresh feed and worked hardest for outdoor access in the evening hours. Echoing public views on what allows for a good life for cattle, these results show that cows are highly motivated for outdoor access.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Dairy cows value access to pasture as highly as fresh feed

Keyserlingk

Cestari

Franks

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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“…The motivation of cows to graze when given a free choice is dependent on different factors (Charlton et al, 2013;Lyons et al, 2014). In a Canadian preference study, dairy cows in a conventional freestall system chose being out at night but to a lesser extent in rainy weather and chose to be inside during the day and to a greater extent with increased outdoor temperature and humidity (Legrand et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of grazing management on claw disorders in Swedish freestall dairies with mandatory grazing

Bergsten

Carlsson

Mörk

2015

Journal of Dairy Science

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Our hypothesis was that grazing time, the number of days (duration) and number of hours per day, affected claw health. From Swedish freestall herds that fulfilled our criteria of claw-trimming routines, 201 herds were randomly selected for a telephone interview regarding grazing management. Herd data were retrieved from the Swedish Official Milk Recording Scheme. Claw disorders to be analyzed were recorded at maintenance claw trimming before and after the grazing period and included mild and severe dermatitis, severe heel-horn erosion, and sole ulcer (including severe sole hemorrhage). Any remark included one or more of these recorded disorders. The odds for having a recorded claw disorder at the autumn trimming in relation to grazing management, as well as to herd- and cow-related parameters, was tested using multilevel logistic regression models. The final statistical analysis included 17,600 cows in 174 herds, which were distributed from the south to the north of Sweden with decreasing length of mandatory grazing period because of climate. Grazing duration was statistically associated with the risk of sole ulcer, but it was not linear. However, grazing duration was not statistically associated with the odds for any remark, dermatitis, or heel-horn erosion. The odds for dermatitis were lower with access to pasture for 24 h compared with either day or night access. Otherwise, the number of hours that the animals had access to grazing per day was not significantly associated with any of the other analyzed claw disorders. Higher pasture stocking density (number of cow hours per day per hectare) was associated with a higher odds for dermatitis and sole ulcer. For all recorded claw disorders, the highest odds for having a disorder after the grazing period were consistently when the cow had the same claw disorder before the release to pasture. The positive effects of grazing on claw health were less than expected, and the previous known effects of breed, days in milk, parity, production system, housing environment, and management were verified for most claw disorders. If cows in today's loose housing systems have a more restrictive grazing than cows in tie-stall herds previously experienced, one cannot expect as strong an effect even if grazing is mandatory in all Swedish dairy cattle. Despite some positive effects of grazing, good stall environment and management during the housing period seem to be more important to obtain good claw health.

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“…In this sense, total mixed ration (TMR) has been strategically incorporated to increase total dry matter (DMI) and energy intake to ensure an adequate balanced supply of nutrients in quality and quantity throughout the year. In this way, it is easier to meet the nutritional requirements of dairy cows and therefore achieve a better productive level (Bargo, Muller, Kolver, & Delahoy, 2003;Cajarville, Mendoza, Santana, & Repetto, 2012;Charlton, Rutter, East, & Sinclair, 2011;Fajardo et al, 2015;Soriano, Polan, & Miller, 2001). Then, the use of confinement system as strategies of management could be an alternative to mitigate the climatic conditions in summer and minimize the negative effects on milk yield.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet change from a system combining total mixed ration and pasture to confinement system (total mixed ration) on milk production and composition, blood biochemistry and behavior of dairy cows

Grille

Adrien

Olmos

et al. 2019

Animal Science Journal

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This study aimed to determine if a diet change from a mixed system to a confinement system affects the milk production and composition, behavior and blood biochemistry of dairy cows. Cows were assigned randomly to one of the two treatments: cows fed with TMR (total‐mixed‐ration) (confined) throughout the period group fed TMR (GTMR, n = 15) and cows that changed their diet from pasture plus TMR to exclusive TMR at 70 ± 14 DIM (GCHD, n = 15). GTMR cows produced more milk and greater lactose and protein yield before the change of diet than GCHD cows (p ≤ .01), but these differences disappeared after the change. GCHD cows decreased the frequency of rumination and lying from before to after the change (p ≤ .03), but in GTMR cows no changes were observed. After diet change, GCHD cows had lower frequency of rumination and lying than GTMR cows (p ≤ .02). Before the change, GCHD cows had greater NEFA (non esterified fatty acids) concentrations than GTMR cows (p = .002). Abrupt change from a mixed system to a confined system was favorable on blood biochemical and milk variables of dairy cows. However, in relation to behavior, the cows expressed difficulties to adapt quickly to the abrupt change of system.

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The motivation of dairy cows for access to pasture

Cited by 66 publications

References 17 publications

Dairy cows value access to pasture as highly as fresh feed

Dairy cows value access to pasture as highly as fresh feed

Influence of grazing management on claw disorders in Swedish freestall dairies with mandatory grazing

Diet change from a system combining total mixed ration and pasture to confinement system (total mixed ration) on milk production and composition, blood biochemistry and behavior of dairy cows

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