Factors influencing cow comfort

Steve Adam agr.R&D

Valacta

Valacta Dairy Production Centre of Expertise

Dairy knowledge at your fingertips

From where ?

Temperature(Quebec)

jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec-20.0

-15.0

-10.0

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

AverageMaximumMinimum

°C

MISSION Unite industry stakeholders

in improving the efficiency and profitability of dairy farms by stimulating the

development of knowledge, facilitating its diffusion, and encouraging its adoption by

dairy producers.

Mr. Pierre Lampron, dairy producer

President of FPLQ and Valacta

Structure

• Limited partnership• Board: 14 members• Majority are producers

FPLQ 52%MCGILL 24%MAPAQ 24%

FGCAQ (Quebec Federation of Management Clubs )

CIAQ (Quebec AI Centre)

CQRL (Quebec Dairy Breeds Council)

University of Montreal, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Laval University

Representatives from the Atlantic Region

One external administrator

Major FunctionsThe development of knowledge and its transfer to dairy producers and industry partners• Advisory Services• Personalised Strategic Advice• Group training sessions and workshops• Extension and communication

Technical Services• Milk Recording• Data Collection and management• Milk Quality and CQM• Milking Equipment and Methods

Laboratory Analysis Services• Milk Recording• Milk Quality• Milk Payment• Reference Analysis

Processing of milk recording data within CDHI

PROVINCE ValactaPE NS NB NL QC Total

# Herds 209 245 225 39 6,353 7,071# Herds using MR 124 155 154 5 5,083 5,521

% using MR 59.3 63.3 68.4 12.8 80.0 78.1

# Cows on MR 9118 12,959

12,069 798 290,188 325,132

Average Herd Size 73.5 83.6 78.4 159.6 57.1 58.9

% Herds >50 64.3 71.1 65 100 47.5 49

% Milking Parlors 34.3 65.1 56.9 80 8.21 11.1

Distribution of Clientele

Field ServicesCategory Number

Regional Managers 7Strategic Advisors 10

Dairy Production Advisors 65*Business Development Coaches 4

Dairy Production Technicians 152**Milk Quality Technicians 11

* 8 organic specialists** 36 CQM support** 21 CQM auditors

The largest dairy laboratory in North America

Research & DevelopmentMultidisciplinary team

Nutrition, Genetics, Comfort and welfare, Agroeconomist, Veterinarian, Goat milk production, Organic milk production,

Data analysis and Knowledge transfer.

What do cows need?

What do cows need?• Water and feeding• Space• Rest• Air• Light

Feeding

Non-dietary factors and herd performance (Bach et al., 2008)

• 47 herds with similar genetics were fed same TMR

• Milk yield varied by ±13 kg/d– Mean milk yield = 29.5 kg/d

• Non-dietary factors accounted for 56% of variation in milk yield– Age at first calving– Feeding for refusals (29.0 vs 27.5 kg/d)– Feed push-ups (29.9 vs 25 kg/d)– Stalls:cow

Bunk space

• Reduce competition• 60 cm (Lactating)

• 75-90 cm (Dry-Transition)

Water

Water• Min 2 troughs/group• 60 cm per 15-20 cows.• 60 cm/head (exit of the parlor)

Position:External wall

Is it correct ?

Resting

Relationship between resting and milk yield (Miner Institute data base)

(Grant, 2010)Resting time (h)

Milk

yie

ld (k

g/d)

27

3236

41

45

49

7 10 13 17

y = 22.3 + 1.7 xr2 = 0.31

~1.7 kg/dmore milk foreach extra

hour

Increased resting time with greater DIM, milk yield (Bach et al., 2010)

Cows have strong behavioral need to rest …

• Cows sacrifice feeding to make up lost resting– For every 3.5 min of lost

rest, cows sacrifice 1 min of eating

• Cows spend more time waiting in alleys to lie down than eating when overstocked

• Negative effects of short periods of deprivation are cumulative

Resting: 12-14 h/d“Vitamin R”Grant, 2010

Resting time

• Minimum 12 h/d

• To promote resting time:

– Stall width – Soft surface

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_tsdimen.htm

Knee test

Source: Symposium sur les bovins laitiers 2004

Space

Stalls per cow and milk production in 47 herds fed same TMR (Bach et al., 2008)

R2=0.32

Milk yield = 20.4 + 7.5 x stall/cow

1.5 kg

Grant, 2010

Raising up

Dr Neil Anderson

Lying down

Dr Neil Anderson

Perching

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm

Source: M.F. Hutjens

Maximum 3 %

Standing or lying diagonally

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm

Lying backwards

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm

Agitation

Caudal licking behavior

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm

Comfortable walk

Dog-sitting

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm

Stall design

Maintain neck rail at 110 to 130 cm above bedding surface

C = Length from rear curb to neck rail

23 cm max

B= Divider mounting width

30 cm max from stall surface to top of lower divider rail

12 cm

20 cm high curbMinimum sand depth at Max fill: 30 cm

Minimum sand depth before fill : 15 cm

A = Length from rear curb to brisket locator

Stall length 300 cm against a side wall , 275 cm Head to head

-More milk than mattresses or straw bedding.-Less injuries-Liying time is better

But :-Manutention-GranulométrieTest de la poignée

Sand

Vortex Holsteins

Matresses/bedding

La litière est toujours obligatoire… pour réduire l’abrasion

Space allocation

http://www.wilsonagri.co.uk/polypillow.htm

« Brisket positionner »Less than 10 cm

Commodus (Lely)

Commodus (Lely)

Logistalle

Logitalle

Logistalle

Greenstall

Greenstall

Neck

Acceptable(0-1)

unacceptable(2-3)

Neck injuries

score 0 = ok , 3 = swollen with or without lesion

MAPAQ

Lesion and hair losses

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_fsdimen.htm

Gait scoring

Air

Temperature and humidity

• The best temperature for high milk producing cows is:

5°C !!

• Thermal comfort zone is:-13°C to +27°C (23°C for high milk producing cows)

Heat stress ( 24°C + 80% RH ):

-Reduction of consumption Reduction of production

- Reduction of length and expression of heats- Reduction of conception rate and embryo survival

Low Profile Cross Ventilation Barns

House, 2010

Tunnel ventilation

6 km/hNo flies !

Fans

Light

LightDairy cows: 16 hours - 200 Lux

Dry cows: 8 hours-200 Lux

6 kg/d for first 9 weeks

Auchtung, 2005

Gracias!