Behavioural indicators of cow comfort:: activity and resting behaviour of dairy cows in two types of housing

被引:195
作者
Haley, DB [1 ]
Rushen, J [1 ]
de Passillé, AM [1 ]
机构
[1] Agr & Agri Food Canada, Dairy & Swine Res & Dev Ctr, Lennoxville, PQ J1M 1Z3, Canada
关键词
behaviour; cow comfort; housing; lying; resting;
D O I
10.4141/A99-084
中图分类号
S8 [畜牧、 动物医学、狩猎、蚕、蜂];
学科分类号
0905 ;
摘要
We explored which aspects of dairy cow behaviour provide measures of cow comfort and how housing affects resting time. Following a crossover design, we observed the behaviour of eight lactating Holstein cows kept for three weeks in stalls believed to represent a contrast in comfort. Cows individually housed in large pens with a mattress flooring lay down 4.2 h d(-1) longer than cows housed in tie-stalls on a concrete floor, while cows in tie-stalls stood idle (without eating) for longer. Cows stood up and lay down more often in the large pens and the duration of individual standing bouts was longer in tie-stalls. We found no differences in eating time and few differences in body, head or leg positions cows assumed while lying. There was little evidence of diurnal rhythm in activity. A lower frequency of standing and lying and an increase in the duration of lying bouts suggests that in tie-stalls cows are more reluctant to change position from lying to standing. The type of pen or stall in which cows are housed can have a substantial impact on resting time. The duration and frequency of lying behaviour and the time spent standing without eating appear to be probable behavioural indicators of cow comfort.
引用
收藏
页码:257 / 263
页数:7
相关论文
共 25 条
[1]  
*AGR CAN, 1990, REC COD PRACT CAR HA
[2]  
ALBRIGHT LD, 1984, T ASAE, V27, P1119
[3]  
DESCHAMPS P, 1989, APPL ANIM BEHAV SCI, V23, P99
[4]  
Feddes J, 1995, P 1995 W CAN DAIR SE
[5]   ENDOCRINE CONTROL OF ENERGY-METABOLISM IN COW - COMPARISON OF LEVELS OF HORMONES (PROLACTIN, GROWTH-HORMONE, INSULIN AND THYROXINE) AND METABOLITES IN PLASMA OF HIGH-YIELDING AND LOW-YIELDING CATTLE AT VARIOUS STAGES OF LACTATIO [J].
HART, IC ;
BINES, JA ;
MORANT, SV ;
RIDLEY, JL .
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY, 1978, 77 (03) :333-345
[6]   EFFECTS OF LAMENESS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF COWS DURING THE SUMMER [J].
HASSALL, SA ;
WARD, WR ;
MURRAY, RD .
VETERINARY RECORD, 1993, 132 (23) :578-580
[7]   THE DISTRIBUTION AND NATURE OF COLOR-VISION AMONG THE MAMMALS [J].
JACOBS, GH .
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS, 1993, 68 (03) :413-471
[8]   Adaptation to tethering in yearling dairy heifers assessed by the use of lying down behaviour [J].
Jensen, MB .
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, 1999, 62 (2-3) :115-123
[9]  
Konggaard S. P., 1983, Farm animal housing and welfare. Seminar in the CEC Programme of Coordination of Research on Animal Welfare, Aberdeen, Scotland, July 28-30, 1982., P272
[10]   BEHAVIOR OF DAIRY-COWS KEPT IN EXTENSIVE (LOOSE HOUSING PASTURE) OR INTENSIVE (TIE STALL) ENVIRONMENTS .2. LYING AND LYING-DOWN BEHAVIOR [J].
KROHN, CC ;
MUNKSGAARD, L .
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, 1993, 37 (01) :1-16