troubleshooting design-based cow comfort issues
TRANSCRIPT
Troubleshooting Design-BasedCow Comfort Issues
Dan F. McFarland, M.S., Agricultural Engineering Educator
• Excellent air quality
• Dry, comfortable resting area
• Good access to feed
• Good access to water
• Confident footing
• Simple cow movement & handling
• Good observation
• Simple sorting, isolation & restraint
• Easy feed delivery, management & removal
• Easy manure collection & removal
Dairy Shelter Basics
Troubleshooting Cow Comfort Issues
• What’s the problem?
– Production
– Feed intake
– Lameness
– Health
– Injury
– Reproduction
Dairy Cow Daily Time Budget Activity Time per day
Eating 3 to 5 hrs
Resting 12 to 14 hrs
Social Interactions 2 to 3 hrs
Ruminating (resting & standing) 7 to 10 hrs
Drinking 0.5 hrs
Outside pen (milking, travel) 2.5 to 3.5 hrs
Source: Grant, 2006
20.5 – 21.5 hrs/day
• Need to measure
– Space• Length, width, height
– Time
– Percentage
• Need to observe
– Takes time
– Time-lapse photograpy
Troubleshooting Cow Comfort Issues
(110 – 96)
96X 100 = 14.6%
Troubleshooting Cow Comfort Issues• Air quality
• Resting time & stall use
• Feed & water access
• Lameness
• Injury
• Cleanliness
• Time away from pen
• Stocking density
• Heat stress
Common factors that limit cow comfort & performance
• Stocking density
• Resting area
• Feed access & availability
• Time away from pen
• Heat stress
Dairy Facility Risk Factors FeedingWaterAir QualityHeat Stress Abatement StallsOvercrowding
Stocking Density
• Overcrowding
– ((Total cows – Total Stalls) / (Total Stalls) x 100
– ((144 cows– 120 stalls) / (120 stalls) x 100 = 20%
• Population
– ((Total cows) / (Total stalls))
– ((144 cows) / (120 stalls)) = 1.20 cows per stall
Stock Density & Milk Production
<80% 80 – 100% 100 – 120% >120%
Milk yield, lbs/d
68.1 64.3 64.4 52.7
Std. deviation ±3.3 ±6.4 ±8.1 ±5.1
(Bach et al., 2008)
What are the economics associated with losing 12 pounds of milk per day?
(Grant, 2014)
• Greater aggression & bunk displacements
• Faster feeding rate
• Less resting time
• Increase idle standing in alleys
• Decreased rumination
• Subordinate cows most affected
• Reduced milk yield
• Lower milk fat
• Greater SSC
• More health disorders
• Increased lameness
• Fewer cows pregnant
Summary of cow response to overcrowding
Behavior ChangePossible Economic
Losses
Source: Grant, 2014
What is Optimal?
• Lactating Cows
– 2- row groups: Don’t exceed 115 – 120%
• Mixed 1st lactation & older cows: 100%
– 3 row groups: 100% of stalls
• Close-up & Fresh Cows
– 30” feed space per cow
– Ensure stall availability
Source: Grant, 2014
Cows rest 10 to 14 hours per dayFreestalls Tie stalls
Bedded Pen / Pack “Compost” Bedded Pack
Trouble-shooting the resting area
Resting Area Design & Management
• Resting area design and installation– Encourage cows to use
– Provide comfort & a confident footing
– Promote cleanliness & udder health
• Cows will sacrifice eating time to compensate for lost resting time
• Cows will increase feeding rate to make up for reduction in eating time
– ‘slug’ feeding
Lying time takes priority over eating
Sources: Metz, 1985; Hopster et al., 2002; Munsgaard et al., 2005; Cooper et al., 2007)
Indicators of Resting Area Comfort• Locomotion scoring
– LS 1: >75% ; LS 2: < 15%
• Hock assessment
– Score 1: >95%+ ; Score 2: <5%
• Hygiene scoring
– Score 1 & 2: >90%
Stall Use Measurements
• Cow Comfort Index (CCI)
– ((Total lying in stalls) / (Total touching stall)) x 100
• Stall Use Index (SUI)
– ((Total lying in stalls) / (Total not eating)) x 100
> 85% desired
> 75% desired
“Cyclical” Cow Behavior
• Resting Behavior
– lowest % stall use one hour post-milking
• high % at feeding area
– sharp % increase during next few hours
– high % during night and early morning hours
Source: Overton, 2003
09:12 am
14:04 pm
Heat Stress also affects resting behavior
Don’t be fooled by overstocking
Physical Freestall Components
• Dimensions
• Structure
• Stall Bed
• Bedding
BODYSPACE
HEADSPACE
LUNGESPACE
Suggested Freestall Dimensions
Animal
Weight
CF Stall
Length
OF Stall
Length
BL
Length
NR
Length
Stall
Width
Partition
Height
NR
Height
900 - 1,100 90-96” 70-82” 64-66” 62-64” 41-43” 42-44” 42-44”
1,100- 1,300 96-102” 80-86” 66-68” 64-66” 43-45” 44-46” 44-46”
1,300- 1,500 102-108” 90-96” 68-70” 66-68” 45-48” 46-48” 46-48”
1,500- 1,700 108- 114” 96-102” 70-72” 68-70” 48-52” 48-52” 48-52”
Source: Graves, McFarland, Tyson & Wilson, 2005
Select dimensions for the largest cows in the group
Perching
Excessive Standing
Improper Neck Rail Position
?a
b
c
a2 + b2 = c2
Neck Rail Position
?
a
b
c
b2 = c2 - a2
Neck Rail Position
Neck Rail Position Position for the largest cows in the group
Brisket Locator Position
Discourages forward movement when resting
Adequate body space for comfortable resting
Position for the largest cows in the group
‘Restless’ Posture
‘Restful’ Posture
Caregiver Responsibility
Stall Grooming Bedding Addition
Feed Access & Availability
Feeding Space
• Lactating cows
– All-at-once: 27 - 30”/ hd
– TMR: 18”/hd
• Good access & time
• Dry cows
– All-at-once: 27 - 30”/ hd
• Post-fresh cows
– All-at-once: 27 - 30”/ hd
cow alley
cow alley
feed delivery alley
21 freestalls
21 freestalls
21 freestalls
21 freestalls
cow alley
cow alley
feed delivery alley
34 freestalls
13 freestalls
13 freestalls
12 freestalls
12 freestalls
2-row vs. 3-row Freestall Shelter Comparison
2-row freestall:~ 27”to 30” per stall
3-row freestall:~ 19”to 20” per stall
cow alley
cow alley
feed delivery alley
21 freestalls
21 freestalls
21 freestalls
21 freestalls
cow alley
cow alley
feed delivery alley
34 freestalls
13 freestalls
13 freestalls
12 freestalls
12 freestalls
2-row vs. 3-row Freestall Shelter Comparison
Crossovers every60 to 80 feet
• Post & Rail
– 48” high
– 8” to 12” forward
Feed Barrier
Cows willing to exert 500 lbs. pressure to eat- 225 lbs. causes tissue damage
Feed Barrier• Headlocks
4” to 6”
Good Access to Feed
• Feed available 21 hours/day
• TMR delivered 2 times/day
• Target for 3% refusal
• Bunk density < 100%
• ½ hour push ups for 2 hours post-feeding
– Focus on when, not how often
Source: Grant, 2014
Group Housing Water Access• 2 water stations per group (minimum)
• 2” to 4” accessible trough perimeter per cow
• Allow multiple cows to drink at same time
Water Station Location
“Cows should be no further than 50 feet from water”- J. Spain, University of Missouri
W W W
Time Away From Pen
• Can limit:
– Resting time
– Feeding time
– Access to feed
Goal:Less than 3 h/d
Time Away From Pen
• 3 vs. 6 hours per day (Matzke, 2003)
– ~ 2.5 to 4 h/d change in rest
– ~ 5 to 8 lbs/d change in milk
• Lameness prevalence in productive herds highly associated with greater time outside pen (Espejo and Endres, 2007) 0
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Cows Heifers
Rest
Milk
Signs of Heat Stress in Dairy Cattle
• Rectal temperature above 102.5oF
• Respiration rates over 80 breaths per minute
• DMI & milk production drops 10%
Source: Shearer, Bray & Bucklin
“SAAWW” to Reduce Heat Stress
• Shade– Natural
– Artificial
• Air– Air exchange
– Air movement
• Water– Drinking
– Evaporative cooling
Rumination BehaviorOvercrowding
-10 to 20%
Mixedparity pens
-19%
Excessiveheadlock time
-14%8 to 9 h/d
Heat Stress-10 to 22%
Source: Grant, 2006
Thank you!
Questions?