Variation in physical activity as an indication of estrus in dairy cows

Pedometers were used to measure daily physical activity of cows to determine if variation related to estrus was great enough to be useful in estrus detection. Forty cows in free stalls and 28 cows in comfort stalls were studied during the breeding period after calving. Pedometers were enclosed in specially designed cases and attached to a cow's lower rear leg with a plastic ankle strap. Readings were taken twice daily when the cows were milked in a milking parlor. Data from free stalls were available for 5163 intervals between milkings, 87 of which were periods of estrus. Activity definitely increased at the time of estrus; cows were about four times as active during estrus as they were when not in estrus. Data from comfort stalls were available for 2433 intervals between milkings, 39 of which were periods of estrus. Cows in comfort stalls were about 2.75 times as active during estrus as when not in estrus. There was relatively little variation within cow in activity from day to day among cows not in estrus. Activity monitoring appears to have potential as an aid in estrus detection.