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Lameness Affects Cow Feeding But Not Rumination Behavior as Characterized from Sensor Data
Vivi M Thorup1, Birte L Nielsen2, Pierre-Emmanuel Robert1
1INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 791 Modélisation Systémique Appliquée aux Ruminants , Paris , France.
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
|June 1, 2016
Summary
Lameness in dairy cows significantly alters feeding behaviors, leading to reduced feeding time and frequency but increased feeding rate. Despite these changes, rumination and milk yield remain unaffected, highlighting feeding behavior as a key indicator in lame cows.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Dairy Cattle Behavior
- Lameness Detection
Background:
- Lameness is a significant welfare issue in dairy cows, impacting their behavior and productivity.
- Understanding the specific behavioral changes associated with lameness is crucial for early detection and intervention.
- Previous studies have focused on individual behaviors, but simultaneous characterization of feeding and rumination is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize individual cow feeding and rumination behavior simultaneously as affected by lameness.
- To quantify the impact of lameness on various feeding parameters and rumination events.
- To investigate the relationship between feeding behavior, feed intake, and milk yield in lame versus non-lame cows.
Main Methods:
- Utilized automatic sensor data from neck-mounted accelerometers on 16 lactating Holstein cows over 22 days.
- Monitored 13,908 feeding station visits and 7,697 rumination events.
- Locomotion scored cows to categorize them as lame (n=9) or not lame (n=7), analyzing daily feeding time, frequency, rate, feed intake, rumination time, and milk yield.
Main Results:
- Lameness increased inter-individual variation in feeding characteristics (26-50%) compared to non-lame cows (17-29%).
- Lame cows exhibited decreased daily feeding time and frequency, but an increased feeding rate.
- No significant effect of lameness was observed on daily rumination behaviors, fresh matter intake, or milk yield. A higher feeding rate was associated with higher feed intake, especially in lame cows.
Conclusions:
- Dairy cows can be distinctly characterized by their feeding behavior, with lameness significantly altering these patterns.
- Lame cows display fewer feed station visits, faster eating rates, reduced feeding duration, and more variable feeding behavior compared to non-lame cows.
- Further research is needed to understand the relationship between feeding rate and rumination efficiency in lame dairy cows.
