Cow Lying Behaviour and Bedding Quality Changes during Five Weeks on a Stand-Off Pad.

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Dairy Cattle Welfare
• Environmental Management in Agriculture

Background:

• Dairy cows housed in off-paddock systems require adequate bedding for comfort and welfare.
• Bedding quality can degrade over time, particularly without regular refreshment, impacting animal behavior.
• Understanding the effects of prolonged use of bedding in stand-off pads is essential for dairy farm management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of bedding quality on dairy cow lying time in a normal farm practice (NFP) off-paddock system over five weeks.
• To compare the effects of non-refreshed bedding versus fresh bedding (FB) on cow behavior and bedding conditions.
• To assess potential welfare implications associated with deteriorating bedding quality.

Main Methods:

• Two groups of 100 non-lactating dairy cows in an NFP system with woodchip bedding were compared to control groups (8 cows) with fresh bedding (FB).
• Cows spent 18 h/d on the pad and 6 h/d on pasture for five weeks.
• Cow lying times were continuously recorded using accelerometers, and bedding moisture content was measured weekly.

Main Results:

• Cow lying time significantly declined from 11.6 hours/day in week 1 to 5.6 hours/day in week 5.
• Bedding moisture content increased significantly over the five weeks in NFP groups compared to FB groups.
• The percentage of time spent lying down in the paddock increased for NFP groups, indicating reduced comfort on the pad.

Conclusions:

• Bedding quality in NFP off-paddock systems deteriorates significantly over a five-week period without refreshment.
• Deteriorating bedding leads to reduced lying times in dairy cows, suggesting compromised welfare.
• Regular bedding refreshment is critical for maintaining dairy cow comfort and welfare in stand-off pad systems.