Cattle housing and mastitis

Question 1

What are some reasons for housing cows

Answer 1

• Need continuous production and health
• Grass growth ceases
• Wet land becomes poached
• Newly growing grass easily damaged in the early spring
• Increased use of TMR and avoidance of grazed grass -> increased control of nutrition

Question 2

What is the aim of housing cows?

Answer 2

Maximise number of cows per unit area of building without compromising welfare and the five freedoms and whilst maintaining production and good health

Question 3

List the 5 freedoms

Answer 3

Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom from pain, injury or disease
Freedom from pain and discomfort
Freedom to express natural behaviour
Freedom from fear and distress

Question 4

Which type of bedding is best for cow comfort?

Answer 4

Sand

Question 5

How can housing contribute to mastitis?

Answer 5

Cows that aren’t being kept in a sufficiently clean environment -> environmental pathogens

Question 6

What are some features of a desirable cow environment?

Answer 6

Light, well ventilated, clean, spare cubicles, no blind ends

Question 7

What is the space demand a cow needs for rising?

Answer 7

0.7-1m

Question 8

List the basic features needed in cow housing

Answer 8

• Lying area: loose housed on straw or cubicles
• Loafing area: natural interactions and oestrus behaviour
• Feed space
• Safe flooring and passageways
• Water supply
• Slurry handling

Question 9

What is the required feed space for a milking cow and a dry cow?

Answer 9

60cm per milking cow
90cm per dry cow

Question 10

Loose housing is most commonly used for which cows?

Answer 10

Most commonly dry cows, calving area, transition cows

Question 11

Describe hygiene in loose housing

Answer 11

Wet warm straw (urine, slurry, trough overflow, running milk) = ‘bug food’ = bacterial stew
Increased environmental mastitis risk

Question 12

How much space does a cow require per 1000kg of milk prduction?

Answer 12

1.3m^2

Question 13

What % of housing should be bedding vs loafing space in loose housing?

Answer 13

70% bed, 30% loafing

Question 14

How can hygiene in loose housing be improved?

Answer 14

Good drainage layer under bed
Store dry bedding under cover
Spread fresh bedding evenly daily
Scare feed/loafing area daily
Total clean out every 2 weeks

Question 15

When should cleaning frequency in loose housing be increased?

Answer 15

Increase the frequency of cleaning if:
- Disease prevalence increases
- The area fails the squelch test
- The bedding is hot to touch deep inside

Question 16

What is the main impact of a cow drinking less?

Answer 16

Decreased milk yield

Question 17

Describe a suitable water supply for cows in loose housing

Answer 17

• Clean and ad lib (15-20l/min) consumption by a drinking cow
• Not in a dead end
• Large tough area: 1m2/60 cows in group
• Tilting tough
• Plugged drain hole

Question 18

Each cow cubicle is composed of which parts?

Answer 18

• Concrete base
• Top layer with bedding: mattress, sand, straw
• Division
• Brisket board
• Head rail

Question 19

How can you test is the cubicle bed is comfy enough for a cow?

Answer 19

Knee test

Question 20

What is the purpose of the head rail in a cubicle, when can it cause issues?

Answer 20

• May aid cow position, often integral part of cubicle stability, frequently a cause of discomfort/interfere with normal behaviour
• Cows vary in size, cubicles are all the same: its unlikely that every cow will fit into the cubicles perfectly

Question 21

How could cow behaviour indicate that head rails are positioned incorrectly?

Answer 21

Cows are seen standing half in/half out of a cubicle

Question 22

What are the aims of cubicle design?

Answer 22

• Comfortable lying/standing
• Slight upward incline kerb-front
• Dung passed over kerb with minimum deposited on cubicle rear
• Minimise pathogen growth

Question 23

At least what % of cows should be lying down/interacting with a cubicle (CCQ)?

Answer 23

Less than 50% = poor
More than 80% is acceptable

Question 24

How can the cow comfort quotient be calculated?

Answer 24

number of cows correctly interacting with a cubicle/number of cows interacting at all with a cubicle X100

Question 25

SUI stand for?

Answer 25

Stall use index = the proportion of cows that are in the pen, not feeding, and that are lying down in the stalls

Question 26

SSI stands for?

Answer 26

Stall standing index - the proportion of cows touching a stall that were standing with all 4 feet on the stall platform or perching with the front 2 feet in the stall and the rear 2 feet in the alley

Question 27

Which factors provide evidence of poor cubicle design/use?

Answer 27

Increased disease - Lameness - Mastitis - Lesions – neck, hock, stifles, back Behavioural

Question 28

If a cow has reversed into a cubicle, what does this indicate?

Answer 28

Too high a kerb as cows dislike reversing down a steep step, prefer to reverse upwards and descend forwards

Question 29

A cow standing with hind feet in passage and fore feet in cubicle indicates?

Answer 29

Head rail is too near the kerb causing cows to bang their head when standing up so they learn not to lie in it in the first place

Question 30

Cows lying diagonally in cubicles indicates?

Answer 30

The cubicle is too wide

Question 31

If a cow is overhanging the kerb what does this indicate?

Answer 31

Not enough room lengthways, tail in muck, udder hanging over

Question 32

If a cow is seen 'dog sitting' in the cubicle what does this indicate?

Answer 32

Not getting up properly – cubicle dimensions not right

Question 33

Lesions seen on hocks may indicate what issue?

Answer 33

Insufficient substrate/bedding or the cubicle is too short. May also occur on poor quality shavings

Question 34

Callus/hair loss on neck may indicate ..?

Answer 34

Low feed barrier

Question 35

What are the main consequences of standing half in-half out of cubicles?

Answer 35

Excessive standing on hind feet and feet increasingly stood in slurry -> sole ulcers -> heel horn erosion -> increased environmental mastitis

Question 36

Cows lying backwards or diagonally can have what consequences?

Answer 36

Dung, urine and milk deposited into cubicle -> increased risk of environmental mastitis and high SCC

Question 37

What type of bedding is unacceptable and will cause pressure sores and pain

Answer 37

Concrete with a light scattering of substrate

Question 38

Describe mattresses and a bedding choice

Answer 38

Foam Gel filled Water fille

Question 39

Describe sand as a bedding choice

Answer 39

Hygienic Requires daily raking and repositioning to avoid waste

Question 40

Which bedding choice can increase the risk of streptococcus uberis?

Answer 40

Deep straw

Question 41

Describe suitable lighting in housing to maximise yield

Answer 41

16-18hours per day (160-200 lux) -> maximum feed intake and milk production Alternate with dark periods – enough light to move around and exhibit normal behaviour

Question 42

Describe the types of floor grooving seen in housing

Answer 42

- Parallel lines 40mm apart, 6-10mm deep and each groove 10mm wide - Squares or diamonds similarly measured - The slope of the floor should be between 1.5-3% and grooving used to improve traction

Question 43

How many rows of cubicles should there be per feed barrier?

Answer 43

2

Question 44

Describe an appropriate building design for housed cattle

Answer 44

- 2.4m passage through every 20 cubicles as well as at the ends - No dead ends - 3m passage between cubicles and a 4.3m feed passage - Central and peripheral feed passages - Adequate feed rail height - Smooth surface underneath feed = eat more

Question 45

What is the stack effect essential for?

Answer 45

Air movement

Question 46

The stack effect requires which features?

Answer 46

- Inlet area in walls - Outlet above the inlets i.e. root outlets - Enough body mass and heat to move the air