A system to assess fitness of dairy cows responding to exercise training

Objectives were to develop a system to administer exercise training to dairy cows, to measure potential physiological indicators of fitness, and to assess physical fitness. Nonlactating, nonpregnant multiparous Holstein cows (n = 19) were in one of three exercise training treatments: no exercise; 1-h exercise; or 2-h exercise by walking 3 km/h every other day for 60 d in a mechanical walker. Treadmill tests on d 15, 30, 45, and 60 consisted of walking (5 km/h) with 1.6% increases in slope at 3-min intervals until heart rates reached 180 beats per minute (experimentally specified maximum) or until cows refused to walk. Fitness indices analyzed in tests as single datum points at maximal heart rates were length of time of test, heart rate, and plasma L-lactate concentration at end of the test, and change in heart rate and lactate concentration during the test. Exercised (1 or 2 h) cows had longer times to end of tests than nonexercised cows. Maximal and change in heart rates or plasma lactate during tests did not indicate improved physical fitness. However, when all data were evaluated as repeated measures of day and minute of tests, reductions of heart rates and plasma lactate concentrations were greatest on d 60 between exercised and nonexercised cows indicating improved fitness. Acid-base measurements were not found useful in this study. Changes of heart rates and plasma lactate concentrations over time (repeated measures) of treadmill tests quantified the physical fitness of dairy cows and can be used to compare potential responses to different exercise training treatments in this system.