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- Title
The Effect of an Exercise Paddock on Dairy Cow Behavior, Health, and Nutrient Digestion during the Transition from Pregnancy to Lactation.
- Authors
Cai, Amin; Wang, Shiwei; Li, Pengtao; Descovich, Kris; Fu, Tong; Lian, Hongxia; Gao, Tengyun; Phillips, Clive J. C.
- Abstract
Simple Summary: In China, dairy cow production has intensified in response to strong demand for milk products. Modern farms house their cows continuously without providing access to pasture, even though there are likely to be health and welfare benefits from the additional exercise. It is most feasible to provide access to an exercise paddock during the time between lactation periods when cows do not need to be brought to a milking parlor each day. We investigated the effects of providing an exercise paddock on the behavior and health of cows during this 'dry period'. All cows had access to conserved feed indoors, but half were also given access to the exercise paddock. Cows in the group with paddock access spent less time lying down and more time drinking and allogrooming, compared with those in the shed-only group. Lying bouts were shorter in the exercise paddock group. Non-esterified fatty acids, an indicator of a negative nutritional state, increased in cows with the exercise paddock, which may reflect the demands of the increased activity. Fiber and protein digestibility increased with the exercise yard. Overall, our results suggest that providing an exercise paddock was beneficial by increasing physical activity and allogrooming activity during the dry period, with less time spent lying, and increased feed digestibility. Providing an exercise paddock may improve the behavior and health of cows in their dry period. We compared a control group of cows in a shed with no exercise paddock and an experimental group in the same shed but with access to an exercise paddock. Both groups had ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR) indoors combined with access to a paddock (Group EX). The other group was just offered TMR indoors (Group IN). Total lying time was longer for cows without the exercise paddock (859 min/d) than for those with the paddock (733 min/d) (p = 0.012). Lying bouts were shorter, there were more allogrooming bouts, and drinking time was longer if an exercise paddock was provided. Cows with the paddock spent on average 76 min/d in paddock activity. Non-esterified fatty acids in the blood were increased by providing the exercise paddock. No significant differences in postpartum milk yield and calf weight of dry cows with or without access to exercise paddock were observed. However, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility were increased by providing the exercise paddock. The results suggest that providing an exercise paddock for cows in their dry period increased activity, including allogrooming, reduced lying, and improved digestibility of some major nutrients in the feed.
- Subjects
FEED analysis; EXERCISE physiology; HEALTH behavior; DRY farming; MILK yield; LACTATION in cattle
- Publication
Animals (2076-2615), 2024, Vol 14, Issue 16, p2353
- ISSN
2076-2615
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/ani14162353