Dairy Cattle Behaviour Flashcards
Types of dairy facility designs
Tie-stall
Free-stall
Robotic farm
What affects the order of what cow is milked first
Dominant cows enter parlour first
Highest yielding cows milked first because there is a higher reward to relieve pressure
Cow behaviour before and during milking
Before = restless due to weight, fullness and udder pressure
After = settle and stand calmly, new cows more restless, may kick machine off
What affects machine-on time
Manual stimulation = shorter machine-on time (higher milking efficiency), higher peak and average milk flow rates
Rough management increases machine-on time
Day in the life of a dairy cow
12.5 hrs/day laying down and resting (milk production)
10 hrs/day eating, drinking, chewing cud, exercising and socializing
1.5 hrs/day in milking parlour
Recommended time for a cow to spend walking
1 hr/day or at least 3 km/day prevents health problems
How do cows lay down and stand up
Lay down = kneels down with one foreleg then other, tucks one hind limb under abdomen, lowers rear end
Stand up = pendulum (lunge forward)
Why is rest important
Rumination
Hooves rest and dry off
Submissive cows can get resources when dominants resting
Blood circulation through udder increases up to 30%
Movement of the bolus
Once chewed, moved by tongue to the esophagus and delivered to the rumen
Why is saliva important
Mix saliva with feed to increase lubrication, chemical buffers, pre-digestive enzymes which help maintain rumen health
how long do cows spent ruminating
6-8 hours per day (eight 45 minute bouts)
What is sorting behaviour in cows
Using its nose, a cow will sort through its feed selecting for higher concentrated particles from a total mixed ration
What is throwing food
Scoops feed into mouth then shovels the feed over its back
Could be due to restricting the normal head swinging, grazing motion
How much water does a lactating cow drink per day. When does this peak
50 - 100 L/day
Peaks to 40% of intake one hour after milking
Optimal water temperature
15-17 C
