Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2453960 | The Professional Animal Scientist | 2014 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
Lying times of 10 lactating Holstein cows were monitored using an activity monitor to assess lying times. Changes were recorded while transitioning from a freestall barn with pasture access to a newly constructed compost bedded pack barn in a private dairy herd. An IceTag (IceRobotics Ltd., Roslin, Scotland, UK) animal activity-monitoring sensor measuring posture (lying vs. standing) and steps was attached to a hind leg of each cow above the fetlock. The MIXED procedure of SAS version 9.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) was used to fit a model describing the differences in lying time between the 2 housing systems. More cow days were recorded (n = 495) for the freestall barn than the compost bedded pack barn (n = 132). Overall, lying times were longer for sound cows (locomotion category â¤Â 2, 11.6 ± 0.5 h/d) than lame cows (locomotion category â¥Â 3, 10.5 ± 0.5 h/d) (P < 0.01). In the freestall and pasture system, sound cows lay down more than lame cows (10.1 ± 0.5 and 8.0 ± 0.5 h/d, respectively, P < 0.05); however, after transition to the compost bedded pack barn, there was no difference in lying time between lame and sound cows (13.1 ± 0.5 h/d, respectively, P < 0.05). Overall, hours of lying per day were longer (P < 0.01) after the cows transitioned into the compost barn from the freestall barn with pasture access (least squares means 13.1 ± 0.5 and 9.6 ± 0.5 h/d, respectively).
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Animal Science and Zoology
Authors
E.A. Eckelkamp, C.N. Gravatte, C.O. Coombs, J.M. Bewley,