The effect of transition cow housing on lying and feeding behavior in Holstein dairy cows

The present study investigated the effect of straw yard housing during the dry period and 2 d of additional maternity pen housing postcalving on lying and feeding behavior and calving difficulty in Holstein dairy cows. In this study, 122 multiparous cows were moved to either a straw yard or into freestall housing 4 wk before their expected calving date. Cows that had been housed in straw yards stayed in the maternity pen for an additional 2 d after their calving day, but cows that had been housed in freestalls were moved to the general lactation group the morning after calving. Lying time, lying bouts, feeding time, number of feeder visits, feed intake, feeding rate, and assisted calvings were recorded. Observations were divided into 2 periods: precalving (the 4-wk dry period before calving) and postcalving (the day of calving and the 2 d after). During the precalving period, cows housed in straw yards showed a higher number of lying bouts but no difference in lying time compared with cows housed in freestalls. Cows that were housed longer in the straw-bedded maternity pen postcalving spent more time lying during the 2 d postcalving and had a higher number of lying bouts on the day of calving than cows moved to the freestall area on the day postcalving. Additionally, cows that were housed longer in the maternity pen had a slower feeding rate and longer total feeding time during the 2 d after calving than cows with a shorter stay in the maternity pen. We found no difference in the number of assisted calvings. This study suggests that straw yard housing during the dry period may facilitate the transition between standing and lying. Furthermore, the extended stay in the maternity pen postcalving increased lying time, the number of lying bouts, and feeding time, but decreased feeding rate compared with cows that were moved to the general lactation group on the day postcalving. These results suggest potential recovery benefits with an extended stay in a maternity pen postcalving. However, further studies are needed to separate the effects of housing in the dry period and the effects of an extended housing in individual maternity pens.     

Provision of shelter during the prepartum period: Effects on behavior,blood analytes,and health status in dairy cows in winter

This study aimed to assess the effect of shelter provision during the prepartum period on lying, ruminating, and feeding behavior in outdoor-housed dairy cows exposed to winter weather conditions in a temperate climate. We also aimed to determine whether shelter provision during the prepartum period influenced blood analytes related to energy metabolism, body cleanliness, and health status. In this study, 2 cohorts of 12 multiparous Holstein prepartum cows were tested in winter. Twenty-five days before their expected calving date, the cows in each cohort were paired and randomly assigned to an open paddock without shelter or to one with access to an artificial shelter until calving. Shelter use, lying time, number of lying bouts, duration of lying bouts, rumination time, and feeding time were continuously recorded during the 3 wk before calving. Cows were assessed weekly for body cleanliness throughout the 3-wk prepartum period. A blood sample was taken from the coccygeal vein of each cow at wk ?3, ?2, ?1, 1, 2, and 3 relative to calving date, and were assayed for nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate, and haptoglobin concentrations. Cases of clinical health disorders after calving were also recorded. The cows spent 60% of their daily time in the shelters, and for 75% of that time they were lying down. Cows with access to shelter during the prepartum period lay down around 3.2 h/d more than cows without shelter on wk ?3 and ?2 relative to calving. The cows with shelter access spent less time feeding during the morning (wk ?3: 29.7 min; wk ?2: 12.1 min; wk ?1: 17.3 min) and afternoon (wk ?3: 18.2 min; wk ?2: 21.9 min) than cows without shelter access. As well, cows with shelter access showed a higher body cleanliness score (～92 vs. ～48%) and lower NEFA concentrations (wk ?2: 0.27 vs. 0.44 mmol/L; wk ?1: 0.46 vs. 0.64 mmol/L) in the precalving period, and lower haptoglobin concentrations in the first week postpartum (0.34 vs. 0.79 mg/mL) than cows without shelter access. We observed no treatment differences in daily rumination time, β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, or postpartum health disorders. Despite the small number of dairy cows used in this study, these findings suggest that having access to a shelter during the prepartum period increases lying time, improves body cleanliness, and reduces adipose mobilization. Therefore, it is important to provide a protected area for the welfare of prepartum dairy cows exposed to winter climate conditions.     

Effect of pen size, group size, and stocking density on activity in freestall-housed dairy cows

The purpose was to determine the effects of the physical dimensions of the pen and group size and stocking density on cow activity. Cows (randomly assigned to 4 groups of 6 animals each) were tested in pens with 24 or 12 lying places and in groups with 12 or 6 cows. All groups were tested in each of the 4 treatments with treatment order allocated using a 4 × 4 Latin square. The distance moved and the number of movements were calculated using 5-min scan sampling of video recordings over a 48-h period. Time spent lying down, number of lying bouts, and the duration of each lying bout were recorded using activity sensors. Displacements at the feed bunk were assessed by continuous analysis of video for 3h after the delivery of the fresh feed in the afternoon. Cows moved greater distances when kept in a large versus small pens (330.2 vs. 270.1 ± 11.6 m/d; mean ± SE), irrespective of group size. Cows moved more often when kept in the larger pen (21.3 vs. 19.2 ± 0.63% of scans). The time spent lying down decreased when density increased (59.1 vs. 55.8 ± 2.3% of scans at 25% and 100% stocking, respectively). Treatment had no effect on the number of displacements at the feed bunk. Physical dimensions of the pen play an important role in how much cows move, and stocking density affects lying time.     

Reduced stocking density mitigates the negative effects of regrouping in dairy cattle

In freestall systems, cows are frequently moved among pens and regrouped. This practice involves mixing unfamiliar cows, and can result in changes in stocking density after regrouping. Both regrouping and changes in stocking density can affect cow welfare, but no study to date has assessed the combined effects. The aim of this study was to test if reductions in stocking density can mitigate the responses to regrouping. By manipulating group size (6 vs. 12 cows) and pen size (12 vs. 24 stalls), 3 different stocking densities were created (25, 50, and 100%). Four groups of Holstein cows were regrouped weekly for 4 wk and the stocking density changed at regrouping. The change in density varied as follows: a decrease by a factor of 4 (100 to 25%), a decrease by a factor of 2 (100 to 50% or 50 to 25%), no change (50 to 50%), an increase by a factor of 2 (25 to 50% or 50 to 100%), and an increase by a factor of 4 (25 to 100%). Displacements at the feeding area, feeding time, and lying time were scored. The daily means for each group were used to calculate the differences in responses from 1 d before to 1 d after each regrouping. The number of displacements at the feed bunk decreased and lying time increased when stocking density decreased at regrouping. In conclusion, increases in competitive behavior and the associated decrease in lying times can be mitigated by reducing stocking density when regrouping dairy cows.     

Effect of prepartum grouping strategy on displacements from the feed bunk and feeding behavior of dairy cows

The objective of the current study was to determine whether providing stable pen management affected displacements from the feed bunk and feeding behavior of prepartum dairy cows. Two hundred and twenty-four nonlactating Jersey primiparous and multiparous cows were enrolled in the study. The 2 treatments were all-in-all-out (AIAO; 44 cows were moved into the close-up prepartum pen as 1 group, with no additions during the 5-wk repetition) or traditional (TRD; with weekly entrance of new cows to maintain a pen density of 44 cows). Cows (253 ± 3 d of gestation) were balanced for parity and projected 305-d mature-equivalent milk yield and assigned randomly to either AIAO or TRD treatments. At enrollment, cows with a body condition score <2 or >4 (1–5 scale; 1 = emaciated and 5 = obese) or with a locomotion score >3 (1–5 scale; 1 = normal gait and 5 = severely lame) were not included. Displacements from the feed bunk were measured weekly for both treatments when TRD cows were moved into the close-up pen (d 0) and additionally on d 1, 2, 3, and 7 for 3 h after fresh feed delivery. A displacement rate was created to take into account differences in stocking density throughout the experiment. Displacement rate was calculated as the number of displacements divided by the number of cows in the pen at that time. Feeding behavior was measured using video 10-min scan sampling for 24-h periods at d 0, 1, 2, and 7. Displacements and feeding behavior were recorded for all 5 wk of each repetition. Treatment × week interactions were detected for number of displacements and displacement rate. The TRD treatment had more displacements from the feed bunk than AIAO in wk 1, 3, and 5, with no differences in wk 2 and 4. Similarly, the TRD treatment had a greater displacement rate than the AIAO treatment in wk 1 and 5, with a tendency in wk 3. No differences between the treatments were detected in wk 2 and 4. A treatment × week interaction existed for feeding time. Cows housed in the AIAO treatment had longer average feeding times in wk 2 with a tendency in wk 3, but spent 39 fewer minutes eating than those in the TRD treatment during the wk 1 of the study. Housing prepartum close-up cows with stable pen management reduced displacements from the feed bunk and altered average daily feeding times.     

Effect of group size and health status on behavior and feed intake of multiparous dairy cows in early lactation

Dairy cows in early lactation are often housed in a large group, where they may have to compete for access to feed and space. However, a cow's ability to compete may be impaired due to production disease, and housing in a small group with minimal competition may be beneficial for cow welfare. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of group size and health on social and feeding behavior of cows during the first 3 d after introduction to a new group. Data included 54 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows that were moved from an individual maternity pen and individually joined an existing group pen for 6 (N6) or 24 cows (N24) on d 4 after calving. Cows were considered sick if they were diagnosed with and treated for milk fever, mastitis, or retained placenta, diagnosed with subclinical ketosis or metritis within 3 d of calving, or were diagnosed and treated for any other infection (n = 22; balanced across treatments). Stocking density of both pens was 100% at the feeding and lying areas. Behavioral data were collected from video recordings during the 1 d after introduction to the group pen, as well as via electronic feed bins and leg-attached accelerometers during the first 3 d after introduction to the group pen. No interactions between health status and group size were discovered. During the 1 d after introduction, N6 cows displaced other cows from feed less frequently than N24 cows (1.22 vs. 5.76 times/24 h), were less likely to access feed after a displacement (replacement; 0.29 vs. 1.67 times/24 h), and were less frequently being butted by another cow (0.42 vs. 1.69 times/24 h). Second-parity cows received more head butting than later-parity cows. Data obtained from feed bins showed that the number of replacements peaked on d 2 after introduction to the group pen. During the first 3 d we observed no effect of group size on DMI, but sick cows ate less than cows that were not sick (15.2 vs. 16.6 kg of DM/d). However, cows in N6 visited the feeder less often (42.4 vs. 55.6 times/d). Over the 3 d after introduction DMI and feeding time increased, whereas feeding rate decreased. Lying time and the number of lying bouts increased from d 1 to 2. The number of steps decreased over days, but the number of steps was higher among N24 than N6 cows on d 1 and d 2. Results suggest that cows experience less competition when moved to a smaller group after calving regardless of health status. Thus, minimizing competition by housing dairy cows in a small group for the first days after calving may improve cow welfare under commercial conditions.     

Familiarity influences social networks in dairy cows after regrouping

Regrouping is common practice when managing dairy cow groups, and it is known to have disruptive effects on behavior and production. The presence of a small group of familiar cows upon regrouping may provide social support and mitigate some of the negative effects. In this study we investigated (1) how regrouping affects social relationships among familiar cows and (2) if cows prefer familiar individuals over unfamiliar ones as social partners after regrouping. We used 3 established groups of cows to create 2 new groups, each containing 14 cows, using subgroups of familiar animals (i.e., 4, 6, and 4 cows) from the original groups. The new groups were similar in respect to the age, parity, and sire of cows. The frequencies of grooming and displacements were determined in the walking alley, lying stalls, and feed bunk by observing 48 h of continuous video before regrouping, directly after regrouping, and 1 wk later. First, social network analysis was applied to investigate the effects of regrouping on the relationships within the subgroups of familiar cows. Second, we determined if familiar cows were more or less connected than would be expected by chance (i.e., assortment), considering displacement, grooming, and feed bunk neighbor networks (derived from electronic feeder data) after regrouping. Regrouping increased the number of displacements, especially in the walking alley. Within the subgroups of familiar cows, regrouping resulted in slightly more displacements, but the network structure did not change. The frequency of grooming among familiar cows remained stable across all observation periods, and the network structure was not affected by regrouping. We found positive assortment in grooming and feed bunk neighbor networks, thereby suggesting that cows preferred familiar individuals as grooming partners and feeding neighbors directly after regrouping and, to a smaller extent, 1 wk later. The effect of familiarity on displacements depended on the pen area. The weak assortment directly after regrouping at the feed bunk indicated that familiar cows displaced each other more than unfamiliar ones, possibly because they were neighbors more often. Our results indicated that a small group of familiar cows may provide ongoing social buffering after regrouping. Further research with multiple groups and larger group sizes is needed to determine whether similar effects are consistently present when groups of familiar cows are subjected to regrouping.     

Behavioral changes in dairy cows with metritis in seasonal calving pasture-based dairy system

The aims of this study were to determine changes in lying and rumination behavior of transition dairy cows that were healthy or affected by metritis during the autumn and spring calving season in a temperate climate and determine the effect of some weather variables (precipitation and heat stress) on these behaviors. A total of 103 multiparous cows were monitored during the autumn (February to April) and spring calving season (July to October) from 10 d before to 10 d after calving. Cows were chosen retrospectively by diagnosis of metritis [autumn season, (n = 11); spring season, (n = 13)] or as healthy [autumn season, (n = 25); spring season, (n = 25)] based on vaginal discharge characteristics evaluated during the first 10 days in milk. In all animals, electronic data loggers recorded lying (Hobo Pendant G Acceleration, Onset Computer Corp.) and rumination behavior (Hi-Tag rumination monitoring system, SCR Engineers Ltd.) during the study period. We included precipitation level (>1 mm/d = with rain, and ≤1 mm/d = without rain) and heat stress [no heat stress = temperature-humidity index (THI) < 68 vs. heat stress = THI ≥ 68] as weather factors that may have affected lying and rumination behavior during the spring and autumn season in a temperate climate, respectively. Metritis during the spring calving season was associated only with longer lying times (≥1.3 h/d) after calving. During the autumn calving season cows with metritis lay down longer the day of calving (~2.1 h/d) and had fewer lying bouts of longer duration during the prepartum period compared with healthy cows. Rumination time did not differ by health status during the spring calving season, whereas cows with metritis during autumn ruminated 30, 21, and 24 min/d less than healthy cows during the prepartum, calving, and postpartum period, respectively. Precipitation and heat stress were associated with decreased daily lying and rumination time in sick cows. Our results indicate that differences in lying and rumination behavior depended on the metritis status, and support the idea that weather factors such as rainfall or heat stress requires to be considered in analyses of transition cow behavior in seasonal calving pasture-based dairy systems.     

Dairy cows seek isolation at calving and when ill

Dairy cows are typically gregarious, but isolate themselves in the hours before calving when kept on pasture. Self-isolation is also a common behavior of ill animals. The objectives of this study were to determine if dairy cows would (1) isolate to calve when housed indoors in an individual maternity pen and (2) continue to isolate when ill after calving. We selected individuals from a pool of 79 multiparous Holstein dairy cows based on inclusion criteria created to address each objective. Cows were moved from a group pen to 1 of 10 adjacent maternity pens. Half of these individual pens were partially covered with plywood, creating a secluded corner as well as a window that provided visual access to the group pen. The other individual pens were uncovered on all sides. For our first objective, we selected 39 cows that were moved into the maternity pens >8 h before calving (partially covered: n = 19; uncovered: n = 20). For our second objective, we selected 18 cows housed in the partially covered pens: 9 cows with high rectal temperature after calving and signs of an infectious disease (mastitis, metritis, pneumonia, or some combination), and 9 healthy cows paired with ill cows based on the amount of time they spent in the maternity pen before calving. Ten-minute scan sampling was used to record the location and lying time from 6 h before to 72 h after calving. Individual feed intake was measured after calving. Binomial tests were used to determine if cows in both pen types were more likely to calve in the corner or window side of the pen. Repeated-measures ANOVA were used to determine if cows used the corner more as calving approached and if ill cows spent more time lying or more time in the corner compared with healthy cows in the 72 h after calving. Cows in the uncovered pens were equally likely to calve on both sides of the pen (10 vs. 10), but 79% of cows in the partially covered pens calved on the corner side of the pen (15 vs. 4). Cows in the partially covered pens used the corner side of the pen more in the 1 h before and after calving compared with those housed in the uncovered pens. Ill cows housed in the partially covered pens ate less, tended to spend more time lying down, and spent more time in the corner of the pen compared with healthy cows. These results indicate that periparturient dairy cows seek seclusion to calve and when ill, which suggests that adding a secluded area to maternity and hospital pens may be beneficial.     

Short communication: The effects of regrouping in relation to fresh feed delivery in lactating Holstein cows

This study tested whether separating regrouping from the time of fresh feed delivery mitigated the effects of regrouping on cow behavior and milk production. Cows (n = 26) were individually introduced into a stable group of 11 animals/pen fed twice daily. Animals were randomly assigned to early regrouping (at 0300 h, approximately 10.5 h after fresh feed delivery and 3.5 h before the next fresh feed delivery) and late regrouping (between 0630 and 0730 h, coinciding with access to fresh feed). For 3 d, starting immediately after regrouping, video recordings continuously monitored feeding and perching (i.e., standing with the 2 front feet in the lying stall) behavior and displacements at the feed bunk. Data loggers were used to quantify lying time and the number of standing bouts; milk production was automatically recorded at each milking. Daily feeding and lying times and the number of standing bouts per day did not differ between treatments or experimental days. Daily perching time and the number of displacements at the feed bunk did not differ between treatments but decreased with experimental day. Average milk production on d 2 and 3 after regrouping (30.6 ± 1.5 kg/d) was lower than during the 3 d before regrouping (32.3 ± 1.5 kg/d), but we observed no effect of treatment on this decline. We conclude that regrouping at a time not associated with fresh feed delivery does not mitigate the negative effects of regrouping.     

Technical note: Mining data from on-farm electronic equipment to identify the time dairy cows spend away from the pen

The electronic equipment used on farms can be creatively co-opted to collect data for which it was not originally designed. In the current study, we describe 2 novel algorithms that harvest data from electronic feeding equipment and data loggers used to record standing and lying behavior, to estimate the time that dairy cows spend away from their pen to be milked. Our 2 objectives were to (1) measure the ability of the first algorithm to estimate the time cows spend away from the pen as a group and (2) determine the capability of a second algorithm to estimate the time it takes for individual cows to return to their pen after being milked. To achieve these objectives, we conducted 2 separate experiments: first, to estimate group time away, the feeding behavior of 1 pen of 20 Holstein cows was monitored electronically for 1 mo; second, to measure individual latency to return to the pen, feeding and lying behavior of 12 healthy Holstein cows was monitored electronically from parturition to 21 d in milk. For both experiments, we monitored the time each individual cow exited the pen before each milking and when she returned to the pen after milking using video recordings. Estimates generated by our algorithms were then compared with the times captured from the video recordings. Our first algorithm provided reliable pen-based estimates for the minimum time cows spent away from the pen to be milked in the morning [coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.92] and afternoon (R² = 0.96). The second algorithm was able to estimate of the time it took for individual cows to return to the pen after being milked in the morning (R² = 0.98), but less so in the afternoon (R² = 0.67). This study illustrates how data from electronic systems used to assess feeding and lying behavior can be mined to estimate novel measures. New work is now required to improve the estimates of our algorithm for individuals, for example by adding data from other electronic monitoring systems on the farm.     

Acute behavioral effects of regrouping dairy cows

Regrouping is a common management practice on commercial dairy farms. The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of regrouping on feeding behavior, social behavior, and milk production. Eleven mid-lactation Holstein cows were individually introduced into previously established social groups. Behavior and milk production were monitored from 3 d before until 3 d after regrouping. Cows were fed a total mixed ration ad libitum twice daily. Time-lapse video was used to quantify feeding and social behavior. Cows spent approximately 15 min less time eating in the first hour following regrouping compared with the 3 d before regrouping. Cows were displaced from the feeding area on average 10 times/d before regrouping, but this value increased to more than 25 times ( ± 2.6) on the day of mixing and gradually declined on the days following. The number of lying bouts declined from 12.2 ± 0.9 to 10.5 ± 0.9 on the day of regrouping; lying time showed a similar tendency. Cows initiated, on average, 7.5 ± 1.3 allogrooming events/d over the 3 d before regrouping but this declined to 1.3 ± 1.3 events on the day of mixing and remained lower than baseline for the following 3 d. Milk production declined from 43.4 ± 1.5 kg/d to 39.7 ± 1.5 kg/d on the day of regrouping, but did not differ from premixing levels on subsequent days. This study shows that regrouping can disrupt behavior and production in the hours and days following regrouping and suggests the need for future research to identify management changes that reduce these effects.     

Rumination and its relationship to feeding and lying behavior in Holstein dairy cows

The objective of this study was to describe the relationship between rumination and feeding and lying behavior in dairy cows. Rumination time was monitored electronically using HR-Tags (SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel). Feeding time and dry matter intake (DMI) were monitored using Insentec feed bins (Insentec BV, Marknesse, the Netherlands). All measures were collected in 2-h periods for 42 mature Holstein cows for a minimum of 9 d in the early dry period. Pearson correlation was used to describe associations, among 2-h periods within cow, first examining the relationship within a single period, and then modeling how this relationship changes when a lag of 2, 4, or 6h was imposed. Periods when cows spent more time ruminating were associated with lower feeding times and lower DMI (r = -0.71 and r = -0.72, respectively), likely because cows were unable to feed and ruminate simultaneously. The correlations with rumination time changed from negative to positive when lags of 2, 4, and 6h were modeled (r = -0.09, 0.24, and 0.15, and r = -0.16, 0.23, and 0.17 for feeding time and DMI at lags of 2, 4, and 6h, respectively). These results indicate that following periods of high feeding times and intakes, cows spent more time ruminating. This relationship peaks at approximately 4h after feeding. Periods of rumination were also associated with time spent lying down. Cows that spent more time ruminating per day, spent less time feeding (r = -0.34) and rumination times did not relate to DMI (r = 0.11). These data indicate that rumination time can be used to estimate within-cow variation in feeding behavior and intake, but daily summaries of rumination behavior are a poor indicator of DMI.     

Parity differences in the behavior of transition dairy cows

During the transition period, around the time of calving, cows experience a suite of stressful events, including regrouping, diet changes, parturition, and the onset of lactation. These changes may be more difficult for primiparous cows that have not had these experiences previously. The objective of this study was to compare feeding, social, exploratory, and lying behaviors of primiparous and multiparous cows during the transition period. Thirty-eight healthy primiparous and 62 healthy multiparous dairy cows were housed in mixed-parity groups of 20 with access to 12 electronic feed bins from 3 wk before to 3 wk after calving. Primiparous cows had lower dry matter intake, spent more time feeding, ate more slowly, visited the feeder more frequently, and explored their feeding environment more compared with multiparous cows. Primiparous cows also lay down more frequently, but for shorter periods, such that total lying time did not differ between these parity classes. Primiparous cows were also replaced at the feeder more often than multiparous cows. These results show how the behavior of primiparous and multiparous cows differs during the transition period, and support the idea that primiparous cows may benefit from different management during this period.     

Short communication: Flooring preferences of dairy cows at calving

The present study investigated the flooring preference during the 30 h before parturition in Holstein dairy cows housed individually in a maternity pen. Seventeen multiparous cows were moved, on average, 2 d before expected calving date into an individual maternity pen with 3 different flooring surfaces: 10 cm of sand, pebble-top rubber mats, or concrete flooring, each covered with 15 cm of straw. Calving location, lying time, and total time and number of lying bouts on each of the floor types were recorded during 2 periods: precalving (24 to 29 h before calving) and at calving (0 to 5 h before calving). Ten cows calved on sand, 6 on concrete, and 1 on the rubber mat. Lying bouts increased during the hours closest to calving, regardless of flooring. The number of lying bouts did not differ between flooring types precalving but cows had more lying bouts on sand and concrete compared with rubber at calving. Cows spent more time lying down on sand and concrete compared with rubber precalving, but lying times did not differ between treatments at calving. Cows that calved on sand spent more time lying on sand at calving compared with the other 2 flooring types. Cows that calved on concrete did not show a flooring preference at calving. These results indicate that rubber mats are the least preferred by dairy cows in the maternity pens, even when covered with a deep layer of straw.     

Effects of metritis on stall use and social behavior at the lying stall

Metritis in dairy cows has been associated with changes in behavior at the feed bunk, but little is known about the effects on behavior at the lying stall. The aim of this study was to investigate stall use by primiparous dairy cows diagnosed with metritis, specifically time spent in the stall, social interactions at the stall, and lying-related behaviors. After parturition, primiparous cows were housed in a mixed-parity pen with a constant group size of 20. Cows had access to 12 electronic feed bins, 2 electronic water bins, and 24 lying stalls. Four cameras installed above the experimental pen allowed for observation of cows in the feeding and lying area. Every 3 d after parturition, cows were examined for metritis by evaluation of the visual appearance and olfactory character of vaginal discharge. Cows diagnosed with metritis (n = 16) were compared with healthy individuals (i.e., cows without metritis or other clinical disease, n = 16). Healthy individuals were selected based on data availability, body weight, and calving date and, based on these criteria, paired with metritic cows. Video of the 3 d before diagnosis (d ?3 to d ?1) in the metritic animals (and video from the corresponding days in milk for paired healthy cows) were used to measure behavior. Behaviors assessed included those in the stall (lying, perching, and standing fully in the stall), social behaviors (when a cow either displaced or was displaced by another cow; i.e., actor and reactor replacements), and lying-related behaviors (including visits when the cow entered and left the stall without lying down, aborted lying events when behaviors indicative of the onset of a lying bout were not followed by the cow lying down, and latency to lie down, defined as the time between an aborted lying event and the first lying bout). Cows with metritis spent more time standing fully in the stall on all 3 d, resulting in more time spent standing on d ?2 and ?1. Cows with metritis tended to have more aborted lying events on d ?2, and significantly more on d ?1. Cows with metritis tended to be replaced more often at the lying stall on d ?3 and tended to have a longer latency to lie down on d ?2. We observed no differences between health groups in the number of actor replacements or the number of visits to the stall. In summary, cows with metritis spent more time standing fully in the lying stall and had more aborted lying events. These results suggest that primiparous cows with metritis may be identified by altered behavior at the lying stall.     

Short communication: Effects of mammary biopsy in the dry period on activity and feeding behavior of dairy cows

In dairy cattle, mammary biopsies are commonly used to study development and function of the mammary gland. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in activity and feeding patterns following the mammary biopsy procedure. Pregnant, nonlactating Holstein dairy cows (20 d before expected calving date) were exposed to either (1) a biopsy procedure, in which a mammary tissue sample (60 × 4 mm in diameter) was obtained from cows (n = 9) using a biopsy tool from the rear left quarter, following administration of a sedative (xylazine, 20 µg/kg of body weight) and local anesthetic (3 mL of lidocaine), or (2) a sham procedure, in which cows (n = 8) were removed from the pen and restrained for a similar duration of time as for the biopsy procedure. Behavior of cows was monitored for 5 d, beginning on the day following biopsy (approximately 14 h after the procedure). Cows were fitted with accelerometers to record daily lying time, lying bout frequency, and lying side. Daily individual feed intake was recorded using the Calan Broadbent feeding system, and feeding time and meal characteristics were determined from a subset of cows (n = 6 per treatment) using a change-of-state data logger to record the times the cows were accessing the feed bunk. Total daily lying time did not differ between treatments [13.9 h/d; standard error (SE) = 0.56], but biopsied cows had more frequent, shorter lying bouts on the biopsied side on d 1 following the procedure (6.67 vs. 4.25 bouts/d, SE = 1.03, and 70.0 vs. 97.0 min/bout, SE = 8.6; left vs. right side), whereas control cows had no side preference. We found no effects of treatment on feed intake and feeding time but, on the first day after treatment, biopsied cows had meals that were more frequent (7.2 vs. 4.6 meals/d; SE = 0.93) and tended to be shorter (28.2 vs. 60.9 min/meal; SE = 11.8) than control cows. In conclusion, we did not detect effects of mammary biopsy on feed intake or lying time during our time frame of observation, but activity patterns were altered, which could be indicative of increased overall restlessness and specific pain in the biopsied quarter.     

Two- or four-hour lying deprivation on the behavior of lactating dairy cows

Cows are often temporarily deprived of the opportunity to lie down while waiting for veterinary or reproductive procedures. Sixty cows were deprived of the opportunity to lie down for 0, 2, or 4 h by confining them in pairs in a small indoor pen. Behavior was recorded during deprivation and for 40 h afterwards. In the first 2 and 4 h of the experiment, cows that were not deprived chose to lie down for 70 and 142 min, respectively. When cows were discouraged from lying, they regularly stomped their legs, repositioned themselves, but never lay down. In the 4-h treatment, both stomping and repositioning increased after the first hour. Butting and weight shifting (displacing weight from one side of the body to the other) increased during deprivation, indicating restlessness. Cows deprived for 4 h sniffed and rubbed their heads against the housing more than cows deprived for 0 or 2 h. Time spent feeding and standing without ruminating increased with the duration of deprivation, especially during the early stages; standing ruminating also increased in the final stages. After deprivation, feeding time decreased, which compensated for the increase during deprivation. By 40 h after deprivation, the lying-deprived cows had recovered approximately 40% of their lost lying time. Milk yield was not affected by lying deprivation. It is concluded that cows experience discomfort during short periods of lying deprivation, after which they recover some, but not all, of the lost lying time by rescheduling feeding and standing time.     

Effects of feeding synthetic zeolite A during the prepartum period on serum mineral concentration,oxidant status,and performance of multiparous Holstein cows

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding synthetic zeolite A for 3 wk before expected calving on peripartal serum mineral concentrations, hypocalcemia, oxidant status, and performance. Holstein cows (n = 55) entering their second or greater lactations were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 dietary treatments starting 21 d before expected calving: control (CON: 40% corn silage, 33% wheat straw, and 27% concentrate; n = 29) or experimental [EXP: CON plus zeolite A (X-Zelit, Protekta Inc., Lucknow, ON, Canada/Vilofoss, Graasten, Denmark; n = 26) at an inclusion rate of 3.3% of dry matter, targeting 500 g/d as-fed]. Cows were fed the same postpartum diet and housed in individual tiestalls through 28 d in milk. Cows fed EXP had higher serum Ca concentrations as parturition approached and during the immediate postpartum period. Serum P concentrations were lower for the EXP-fed cows during the prepartum period and the first 2 d of lactation, whereas serum Mg concentrations were lower than those of the CON-fed cows only during the immediate periparturient period. Cows fed EXP had decreased prevalence of subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH) from d −1 through 3 relative to day of parturition, with the largest difference occurring within the first day postpartum. Prepartum dry matter intake tended to be decreased and rumination was decreased in cows fed EXP; however; postpartum dry matter intake, rumination, milk yield, milk component yield, and colostrum measurements did not differ between treatments. Cows fed EXP tended to have increased hazard of pregnancy by 150 d in milk when controlling for parity compared with CON-fed cows; potential reproductive benefits merit further study. This study demonstrated that zeolite A supplementation during the prepartum period results in markedly improved serum Ca concentrations around parturition and similar postpartum performance compared with controls and is effective at decreasing hypocalcemia in multiparous Holstein cows.     

Effect of prepartum exercise on lying behavior,labor length,and cortisol concentrations

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of exercise and pasture turnout on lying behavior, labor length, and cortisol concentrations around the time of parturition in dairy cows. Twenty-nine primiparous and 31 multiparous, pregnant, nonlactating Holstein (n = 58) and Jersey × Holstein cross (n = 2) dairy cows were assigned to control (n = 20), exercise (n = 20), or pasture (n = 20) treatments at dry-off using rolling enrollment. Control cows remained in the dry cow group pen. Exercise cows were removed from the dry cow group pen 5 times per week and walked for 1.4 ± 0.1 h at 1.88 ± 0.58 km/h. Pasture cows were moved to an outdoor paddock 5 times per week for 1.8 ± 0.3 h/d. Cows were housed in deep-bedded sand freestalls in a naturally ventilated, 4-row freestall barn. Cows were moved into maternity pens on the day of projected calving or when cows displayed signs that calving was imminent (restlessness, raised or lifted tail, ruptured amniotic sac, or swollen vulva), and treatments were discontinued. Cameras continuously recorded cows from entry into the pen until farm staff noted a calf, and one observer continuously watched video for two visually observable periods throughout the calving process: time from initial observation of amniotic sac to initial observation of calf's feet, and time from initial observation of calf's feet to full expulsion of calf. Assisted calvings were excluded. Accelerometers were attached to the rear fetlocks of cows 3 d before dry-off and removed 14 d postpartum. Activity was summarized by day for the 7 d before and after delivery time recorded from video observation into lying time (hours per day), lying bout frequency (bouts per day), lying bout duration (minutes per bout), and steps (number per day). Plasma total cortisol concentration was measured on d 0 and 3 postpartum and determined by a radioimmunoassay procedure using a commercially available kit. Data were analyzed using mixed linear model. During calving, time from appearance of the amniotic sac to appearance of the calf's feet was longer for pasture cows compared with control. Control cows engaged in fewer lying bouts and less overall lying time compared with pasture and exercise cows. Cortisol concentrations were higher on the day of calving compared with 3 d later, regardless of treatment. Understanding the effects of lying alterations around calving and increases in labor period length may allow for physical activity recommendations for late-gestation dairy cows.