A Case Study of Behaviour and Performance of Confined or Pastured Cows During the Dry Period

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of the dry cow management system (pasture or confined) on: (1) lying behaviour and activity; (2) feeding and heat stress behaviours; (3) intramammary infections, postpartum. Non-lactating Holstein cows were assigned to either deep-bedded, sand freestalls ( n = 14) or pasture ( n = 14) using rolling enrollment. At dry-off, cows were equipped with an accelerometer to determine daily lying time (h/d), lying bouts (bouts/d), steps (steps/d) and divided into periods: far-off (60 to 15 d prepartum), close-up (14 to 1 d prepartum), calving (calving date) and postpartum (1 to 14 d postpartum). Respiration rates were recorded once weekly from dry off to calving from 1300 to 1500 h. Feeding displacements were defined as one cow successfully displacing another from the feed bunk and were recorded once per week during the 2 h period, immediately after feeding at 800 h. Pastured cows were fed a commercial dry cow pellet during far-off and total mixed ration during close-up, with free access to hay and grazing. Freestall housed cows were fed a total mixed ration at far-off and close-up. Cows housed in freestalls were moved to a maternity pen with a mattress at commencement of labour. Pastured cows calved in pasture. After calving, all cows were commingled in a pen identical to the freestall housing treatment. Cows housed in freestalls laid down for longer during far-off and close-up periods, had fewer lying bouts during the calving period and took fewer steps throughout the study period when compared to pastured cows. Freestall housed cows experienced more displacements after feeding than did pastured cows. Respiration rates increased with an increasing temperature humidity index, more in pastured cows than in freestall housed cows. Pastured cows altered their lying behaviour and activity, suggesting a shift in time budget priorities between pastured and confined dry cows. Pastured cows also experienced less aggression around feeding but may be more susceptible to heat stress.

Keywords: behaviour; dairy cattle; dry cow management.

Figure 1

Diagram of University of Tennessee’s Little River Animal and Environmental Unit freestall dairy barn. Study cows were managed in pen 12 due to the close proximity to the maternity stalls.

Figure 2

Aerial view of paddocks at University of Tennessee’s Little River Research and Environmental Unit. Cows were managed in Pasture A from August to September 2013 and Pastures B and C from September 2013 to January 2014. Water locations are denoted by a dashed circle and feedbunk locations are denoted by dotted lines. Aerial images obtained through Google Maps (Google, Moutain View, CA, USA).

Figure 3

Lying time of Holstein cows managed in freestalls (solid bars; n = 14) or on pasture (striped bars; n = 14) during the dry period and early postpartum. Far-off: 60 to 15 d prepartum; close-up: 14 to 1 d prepartum; calving: calving date; postpartum: 1 to 14 d postpartum. ^a,b,c Different superscripts denote tendencies for differences between and within treatments (p < 0.10).

Figure 4

Lying bouts of Holstein cows managed in freestalls (solid bars; n = 14) or on pasture (striped bars; n = 14) during the dry period and early postpartum. Far-off: 60 to 15 d prepartum; close-up: 14 to 1 d prepartum; calving: calving date; postpartum: 1 to 14 d postpartum. ^a,b,c,d Different superscripts denote differences between and within treatments (p < 0.05).

Figure 5

Lying bout duration of Holstein cows managed in freestalls (solid bars; n = 14) or on pasture (striped bars; n = 14) during the dry period and early postpartum. Far-off: 60 to 15 d prepartum; close-up: 14 to 1 d prepartum; calving: calving date; postpartum: 1 to 14 d postpartum.

Figure 6

Daily steps of Holstein cows managed in freestalls (solid bars; n = 14) or on pasture (striped bars; n = 14) during the dry period and early postpartum. Far-off: 60 to 15 d prepartum; close-up: 14 to 1 d prepartum; calving: calving date; postpartum: 1 to 14 d postpartum.

Figure 7

Predicted respiration rate by temperature-humidity index (THI) from respiration rates collected at 10 min intervals between 1300 and 1500 h for freestall (solid line and closed circles; n = 14) and pasture (dashed line and open circles; n = 14) treatments (p < 0.01).

Figure 8

Model for number of feed bunk displacements during the 2 h period immediately after fresh feed delivery for freestall (solid line and closed circles; n = 14) and pasture (dashed line and open circles; n = 14) treatments (p = 0.01) by stocking density (SD).