Short communicationA brief report on effects of transfer from outdoor grazing to indoor tethering and back on urinary cortisol and behaviour in dairy cattle

The present study was performed to investigate the effects of transferring cattle (n = 7) from pasture to indoor confinement and their return to pasture on their physiological and behavioural responses. On the day after the cows were moved to indoor tethering, urinary cortisol increased approximately 3.4-fold in comparison with the levels before. The cortisol levels remained elevated for the first week, then declined, and the basal levels were maintained during the last 3 weeks. The urinary cortisol levels did not change after the cows were returned to pasture. The ratio of lying down while ruminating tended to decrease and remained low after the cattle were transferred from pasture to indoor tethering. This ratio recovered to pre-tethering levels after the cattle were returned to pasture. This study suggests that indoor tethering, in comparison with pasture grazing, is stressful for cattle.