Eriksson, Hanna
- University of British Columbia
Sammanfattning
The primary aim of this prospective experimental study was to evaluate how the social environment after calving influenced standing behavior in primiparous cows. At calving, primiparous cows were mixed with familiar peers in a low-stocked pen (= 3 (scale 1 to 5) for each lesion type and assessment. Prolonged standing after regrouping was not observed, and we found no differences in standing time and time spent perching between treatments. Agonistic behaviors directed toward the focal cows occurred less frequently in the low-stocked pen compared with the control. The number and severity of sole and white line lesions increased after calving. At wk 6 postpartum there was a numeric (but riot statistically significant) difference between treatments in the proportion of primiparous cows that had white line hemorrhages of severity score >= 3 (low-stress social environment: 20% vs. control: 50%). In conclusion, under the conditions of this study the social environment did riot influence standing behavior, but did affect agonistic interactions and may have influenced the risk of claw horn lesions in the weeks following calving. Further studies should evaluate the relationship between the social environment and claw health.
Nyckelord
animal welfare; periparturient management; social competition; hoof pathology
Publicerad i
Journal of Dairy Science
2021, volym: 104, nummer: 2, sidor: 2195-2211
SLU författare
UKÄ forskningsämne
Husdjursvetenskap
Publikationens identifierare
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18918
Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109599