Animal behavior as measured through sensors in relation to stage of lactation in dairy cattle

Abstract

Monitoring of cattle behavior is of great importance to improve livestock management since it enables us to predict future occasions by means of specific measured variables or elucidate responses to for example different social interactions, environmental conditions, reproductive state or diseases. This study investigated (1) ranges of cattle behavior from 1 month ante partum to 10 months post partum, and (2) the effect of parity and stage of lactation on these behavioral variables. Data of 1383 dairy cows on 8 commercial farms in the Netherlands was used. An accelerometer measured the following behavioral variables: eating time, eating bout length, eating number of bouts, ruminating time, ruminating bout length, ruminating number of bouts, lying time, lying bout length, lying number of bouts and leg activity from 1 month ante partum to 10 months post partum. All parities showed a drop in eating bout length and increased eating number of bouts in month 0. Parity 1 cows showed an increase in eating time and the most number of eating bouts. Parity 3+ cows spent fewest time eating, had the shortest eating bout length and fewest number of eating bouts. All parities showed a drop in ruminating time and ruminating bout length in month 0. Parity 1 cows spent fewest time ruminating, ruminated shorter periods in month -1 to 1, and ruminated more frequently in month 1. Parity 2 cows spent more time ruminating and ruminated longer periods. Parity 3+ cows showed the greatest number of ruminating bouts in month 4 to 10. Parity 1 cows spent less time lying in month -1 to 1, lay shorter periods and lay most frequently. Parity 2 cows showed a drop in lying time in month 0. Parity 3+ cows lay longer periods and lie less frequently. All parities showed an increase in leg activity in month 0. Parity 1 cows showed the most amount of steps. Parity 3+ cows showed the fewest amount of steps per day. These results presented behavioral parameters both in the transition period as in the long term and showed that parity and stage of lactation have an effect on these behavioral parameters.