Survey of husbandry, management, housing, leg lesions, hygiene, production, economics, and cow behavior, on 113 commercial U.S. dairies
Date
2007
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Abstract
Dairy cattle should be kept clean, dry and comfortable. There are economic and welfare advantages for providing housing for dairy cows during the winter months instead of leaving them outside in harsh climates. To improve overall health and well-being, cows should be moved from indoor stalls into the barnyard, where they can groom themselves and one another. Cows should be able to stretch, sun themselves, exhibit estrus behavior, and exercise. To decrease the incidence of leg problems, mastitis, bloat, and calving-related disorders cows should be allowed generous access to outdoor pastures or exercise yards. In the first essay, dairy cow behavior, needs, and preferences for housing and milking centers is discussed. Current recommendations for stall size and management practices are reviewed. The social needs of dairy cattle and the benefits of positive human-animal interactions were reported. Recommendations for transport were also included. In the second essay, dairy cow hygiene, leg lesion incidence and location for cows on 113 dairies were recorded and analyzed. Stall bed types reviewed included compost pack, rubber filled mattresses, sand, and waterbeds. Results indicated that stall bed type was a good predictor for leg lesion incidence and location of wound, as well as level of hygiene. The numbers of mature cows present on a dairy were also related to bed type, as well as bed length in sand stalls. Severe lesions were associated with higher somatic cell counts. There were correlations between high somatic cell counts and the percentage of cows reported lame by the producer and the neck rail height. High leg lesion rates were correlated with somatic cell count, death loss, and percentage of herd reported lame. The third essay evaluates diiferent stall bed types for culling rate, percentage of mature cows in herd, bedding cost and frequency. Producer satisfaction for cow comfort, manure management, and cow longevity, by base type were reported. This data indicated that waterbeds were a viable option for cows and producers when good quality sand is unavailable or handling sand-laden manure is not feasible.
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Subject
cow behavior
dairies
dairy cows
hygiene
leg lesions
physiology
animal sciences