The Behavioural Manifestations of Dairy Cows in Relation to the Management System Feeding Regime
Keywords:
dairy cows, ethology, feedingAbstract
The aim of the work was to obtain data and formulate knowledge about the behavioural manifestations of dairy cows in relation to the management system of feeding regime on the farm, where Holstein cows are bred. The observations took place on the 13 and 14 August, 2014, when the cows were observed for 24 hours continuously. The ethogram records were recorded after 1 minute and physical activity of cows, periods of rest, ruminating, eating, drinking, defecation, urination and comfort and social behaviour. Cows are herded for milking 3 times a day. It was found that within 24 hours dairy cows spend on average 10 hours by lying, 8 hours by ruminating, 20 minutes by drinking, 6 hours by eating, they defecate 14 times, urinate 6 times and walk about 430 meters. They are also scratching, licking each other and tail swiping (comfort behaviour) within 24 hours. The observations of the responses to serving food indicate that cows actively react to the passage of the food vehicle, not the passage of a piling-up tractor.
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