Behavioral changes before metritis diagnosis in dairy cows.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Behavior
• Dairy Science

Background:

• Metritis is a prevalent postpartum uterine infection in dairy cows.
• It significantly impacts milk production and reproductive efficiency.
• Early identification of at-risk cows is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify pre-diagnosis changes in feeding and social behavior at the feed bunk.
• To detect alterations in lying behavior preceding metritis diagnosis.
• To assess the potential of behavioral monitoring for early metritis risk identification.

Main Methods:

• Monitoring Holstein cows from 3 weeks pre-calving to 3 weeks post-calving.
• Utilizing electronic feeding systems to record feed bunk behavior.
• Employing data loggers to track lying behavior.
• Diagnosing metritis based on vaginal discharge characteristics.

Main Results:

• Cows later diagnosed with metritis exhibited reduced lying time and fewer lying bouts pre-calving.
• In the 3 days before diagnosis, these cows ate less, had fewer meals, and experienced more feed bunk displacement.
• Fewer, but longer, lying bouts were observed in cows that developed metritis.

Conclusions:

• Alterations in feeding behavior, social interactions at the feed bunk, and lying patterns precede metritis diagnosis.
• Behavioral changes offer a non-invasive method for identifying cows at risk of metritis.
• Monitoring these behaviors can aid in proactive herd health management.