Frequency of free-stall occupancy by dairy cows
Daiane Cecchin, Alessandro Torres Campos, Tadayuki Yanagi Junior, Maria de Fátima Ávila Pires, Dian Lourençoni, Francine Aparecida Sousa, Diego Cecchin
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the behavior of dairy cows confined in free-stall systems. Eighteen Holstein cows were evaluated in this research. The following frequencies were evaluated at 10-min intervals: stall occupancy, corridor occupancy, feeding, moving and being milked. The free-stalls were covered with rubber mattresses. Thermal variables such as dry bulb temperature, humid bulb temperature, black globe temperature and air velocity were recorded hourly. The data collections were made for 13 days in May, during autumn. Dynamics of social hierarchy was observed for 18 animals. The animals preferred to occupy the stalls located in quadrant 1, between the north and east axis, where there was less movement of people, tractors and vehicles. The cows occupied the free-stalls during the early morning and feeding occupancy was higher during the morning. Higher temperatures in the afternoon caused the longer occupation of the corridors by the cows during this period. Some dairy cows housed in a free-stall barn expressed dominant and/or hierarchical behaviors.
Keywords
References
Bewley JM, Boyce RE, Hockin J, Munksgaard L, Eicher SD, Einstein ME, Schutz MM (2009) Influence of milk yield, stage of lactation, and body condition on dairy cattle lying behaviour measured using an automated activity monitoring sensor. Journal of Dairy Science 76:1-6.
Bond GB, Almeida R, Ostrensky A, Molento CFM (2012) Métodos de diagnóstico e pontos críticos de bem-estar de bovinos leiteiros. Ciência Rural 42:1286-1293.
Boone R, Bucklin R, Bray D (2009) Comparison of freestall bedding materials and their effect on cow behavior and cow health. American Society of Agricultural Engineers – ASAE 2:739-757.
Buffington DE, Collazo Arocho A, Canton GH, Pitt D (1981) Black globe humidity index (BGHI) as a comfort equation for dairy cows. Trans. ASAE 24:711-714.
Camerini NL, Nascimento JWB (2012) Análise da influência do revestimento de resíduo de EVA no conforto térmico de instalações agropecuárias. Revista Eletrônica de Materiais e Processos 7:48-51.
Carreira XC, Fernández ME, Mariño RA (2009) Indices for estimation of dairy free-stall occupancy. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 119:23-31.
Castro JO, Campos AT, Ferreira RA, Yanagi Júnior T, Tadeu HC (2011) Uso de ardósia na construção de celas de maternidade: I - efeito sobre o ambiente e comportamento de suínos. Engenharia Agrícola 31:458-467.
Castro JO, Ferreira RA, Campos AT, Ferreira RA, Yanagi Júnior T, TADEU HC (2013) Uso de ardósia na construção de celas de maternidade para suínos: II - ambiente térmico e avaliação dos ruídos. Engenharia Agrícola 33:37-45.
Cerqueira JL, Araújo JP, Sorensen, JT, Ribeiro, JN (2011) Alguns indicadores de avaliação de bem-estar em vacas leiteiras – revisão. Revista Portuguesa de Ciências Veterinárias 110:577-580.
Devries TJ, Von Keyserlingk MAG (2006) Feed stalls affect the social and feeding behavior of lactating dairy cows. Journal Dairy Science 89:3522– 3531.
Faria LAN, Barbosa OR, Zeoula LM, Aguiar SC, Prado RM, Bertolini DA (2011) Produto à base de própolis (LLOS) na dieta de bovinos inteiros confinados: comportamento animal e respostas sanguíneas. ActaScientiarum. Animal Sciences 33:79-85.
Fraser AF, Broom DM (1990) Farm animal behaviour and welfare. 3rd ed. London: BailliereTindall. 437 p.
Jesus RS (2009) Comportamento de novilhas gir e girolandas leiteiras em sistema silvipastoril no semi-árido sergipano. São Cristóvão: UFS. Dissertação Mestrado.
Mitev J, Varlyakov I, Miteva T, Vasilev N, Gergovska J, Uzunova K, Dimova V (2012) Preferences of freestall housed dairy cows to different bedding materials. Journal of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine 38:135-140.
Munksgaard L, Jensen MB, Pedersen LJ, Hansen ST, Matthews L (2005) Quantifying behavioural priorities: effects of time constraints on behaviour of dairy cows, Bos taurus. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 92:3-14.
Naticonal Weather Service. Heat stress index, AKA apparent temperature Techical Attachament, p. 84-11, 1984.
Paranhos da Costa M & Costa-e-Silva EV (2007) Aspectos básicos do comportamento social de bovinos. Revista Brasileira Reprodução Animal 31:172-176.
Passini, R, Ferreira FA, Borgatti LMOP, Terêncio H, Souza RTYB, Rodrigues PHM (2009) Estresse térmico sobre a seleção da dieta por bovinos. Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences 31:303-309.
Pereira ES, Pimentel PG, Carneiro MSS, Mizubuti IY, Ribeiro ELA, Junior JNR, Costa MRGF (2011) Comportamento ingestivo de vacas em lactação alimentadas com rações a base de torta de girassol. Semina: Ciências Agrárias 32:1201-1210.
Perissinotto M, Moura DJ, Cruz VF, Souza SL, Lima KAO, Mendes AS (2009) Conforto térmico de bovinos leiteiros confinados em clima subtropical e mediterrâneo pela análise de parâmetros fisiológicos utilizando a teoria dos conjuntos fuzzy. Ciência Rural 39:1492-1498.
Pinto AP, Marques JA, Abrahão JJS, Nascimento WG, Costa MAT, Lugão SMB (2010) Comportamento e eficiência ingestiva de tourinhos mestiços confinados com três dietas diferentes. Archivos de Zootecnia 59:427-434.
Shultz TA (1984) Weather and shade effects on cow corral activities. Journal of Dairy Science 67:868-873.
Silva EVCE, Katayama KA, Mace GG, Rueda PM, Abreu UGP, Ari CESNZ (2010) Efeito do manejo e de variáveis bioclimáticas sobre a taxa de gestação em vacas receptoras de embriões. Ciência Animal Brasileira 11:280-291.
Submitted date:
08/19/2015
Reviewed date:
09/22/2015
Accepted date:
09/28/2015
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
LinkedIn
Mendeley
StumbleUpon
CiteULike
Reddit
Email