Behavioural manifestations of dairy cattle in the pasture-based system

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-80
Author(s):  
Jarmila Voříšková ◽  
Karel Beneš ◽  
Milan Kobes ◽  
Jan Pozdíšek

Abstract A pasture-based system for dairy cattle is not common due to the need for milking, despite the fact that this system provides the possibility of natural animal behaviour. Six behavioural observations were carried out during the grazing season in dairy herds bred in a mountainous area (700 m a. s. l.) The basic herd was comprised of 53 cows, mainly of the Holstein breed. From April to November the herd was located on pastures near the stables and milked twice a day in a tandem milking parlour. Feed ration was composed of pasture and concentrated feed in the stable. During the grazing season, there was a slight variation with a tendency to extend the grazing period to the autumn months. The cattle grazed the shortest time in May - 35.0% of the day or 8.4 hours. In the autumn months the grazing time increased by 2.2 and 2.6 hours respectively. Cows were resting the longest time period in May and June (8.9 and 9.1 h respectively). On the other hand, cows were resting for the shortest time in October (6.8 hours). During the grazing period the milk yield decreased from 20.4 kg in April to 14.4 kg in November.

Ruminants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Frank van Eerdenburg ◽  
Lars Ruud

Lying is an important behavior of dairy cattle. Cows should spend more than 50% of a day lying as it has a high impact on their milk yield and animal welfare. The design, size, and flooring properties of the free stalls influence the time cows spend lying, the way they lie down, and their rising movements. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the currently available information with the aim to assist farmers and advisors to come to an optimal design of the free stalls. The design of the free stalls should enable the cows to move and lie in positions as natural as possible. Cows should rest, with all parts of the body, on a clean, dry and soft bed, be able to stretch their front legs forward, lie on their sides with unobstructed space for their neck and head, and rest with their heads against their flanks without hindrance from a partition. When they stand, they should not be hindered by neck rails, partitions, or supports. A comfortable place for cows to lie down helps cows to stay healthy, improve welfare, and increase milk yield. Hence, the probability of a longer productive life for the cows increases and the number of replacements per year decreases.


2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 459
Author(s):  
A. Kara ◽  
U. Şimşek ◽  
S. Kadıoğlu ◽  
S. E. Dumlu ◽  
Ş. Çakal ◽  
...  

This study estimated the financial losses associated with lower milk yields in the relatively poor rangeland conditions of the Erzurum Province in Turkey and the factors contributing to the lower milk yields associated with the state of the rangelands, the type of grazing livestock and the demographics of the farmers. The study was conducted in 11 villages in Erzurum Province in 2006 and 2007. The following variables were considered in the study: year, number of milking days in grazing season, age and level of education of the farmers, cattle breed, supplementary feeding during the grazing period, lactation number of the cows, rangeland condition, stocking rate of the rangelands, altitude, the proportion of small ruminants in the herd and the percentage of bare ground of the rangelands. According to the least-squares regression analysis, altitude, stocking rate, the number of milking days in the grazing season and the percentage of bare ground had negative effects on milk yield, whereas all other factors significantly increased milk yield. It was estimated that a 10% deterioration in rangeland condition would result in a reduction in daily milk yield of 1.23 kg per cow, 62 kg ha–1 of rangelands and 1255 kg per farm in a 120-day grazing period. It was also found that the use of concentrate supplements during the grazing season was not cost-effective.


2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 261-269
Author(s):  
Leila de Genova Gaya ◽  
Diego de Córdova Cucco ◽  
Leandro Homrich Lorentz ◽  
Marcio Pereira Soares ◽  
Fernanda Batistel ◽  
...  

The Holstein and Jersey dairy cattle breeds are among the most prevalent in Brazil. To evaluate differences among the PTAs (predicted transmitting abilities) of these breeds and their lines, data were collected on 385 Holstein bulls and 82 Jersey sires with semen commercially available from nine Brazilian companies. Three different sire lines for each breed were found. The general linear models method was used for the comparison among lines and between breeds. The two most prevalent lines of Holstein breed presented higher average PTAs for milk yield (1,061.04 pounds and 975.32 pounds) and lower PTAs for percentage of milk solids (from -0.05% to -0.0003%) (P<0.05). These results indicate the supply of sires that mostly increase the milk yield in the Brazilian market. The Jersey breed presented a higher inbreeding coefficient (6.62%) than the Holstein breed (5.14%) (P<0.05). Although the Holstein breed presented higher PTAs for milk yield and lower PTAs for percentage of milk solids (P<0.05), the productive life of the Jersey breed (1.17 months) was longer than it was in the Holstein breed (0.40 months) (P<0.05). We identified the existence of an important variability of the available genetic profiles, what allows the Brazilian producers to choose the most adequate semen for their production system. It is necessary to consider the genetic profiles of sires' lines offered for artificial insemination in Brazil to understand and direct the genetic pattern of Brazilian dairy cattle.


1964 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Nay ◽  
D. McEwan Jenkinson

SummaryThe possibility of using a skin measurement as an index of potential milkproducing capacity in cattle was re-examined. Skin specimens were obtained by biopsy from 7 dairy herds, and each of 5 anatomical measurements was correlated with (1) milk yield and (2) butterfat percentage.Only one of the pooled within-herd relationships was statistically significant. This relationship indicated that within the breeds studied, cows with the least hair follicle depth would be expected to give the highest milk yield. It is suggested that a more extensive investigation of this relationship might yield results of practical value in assessing milk-producing capacity and in progeny testing.


Author(s):  
Т. В. Підпала ◽  
Є. М. Зайцев ◽  
А. О. Правда

Мета статті – оцінити прояв господарсько корисних ознак у корів-дочок різних бугаїв-плідників голштинської породи. Методика дослідження. У процесі дослідження використані загальноприйняті зоотехнічні методи (індивідуальний облік молочної продуктивності, відтворювальної здатності), лабораторні (визначення якісного складу молока), ретроспективний аналіз (показники за весь період використання тварин), варіаційно-статистичний метод (визначення параметрів ознак). Результати дослідження. У результаті вивчення використання бугаїв-плідників голштинської породи при створенні високопродуктивного стада молочної худоби з’ясовано, що на рівень розвитку продуктивних, відтворювальних і адаптивних властивостей корів-дочок впливає походження за батьком. Встановлено взаємозв’язок між господарсько корисними ознаками корів первісток голштинської породи німецької та української селекції, які походять від різних бугаїв. Незалежно від походження піддослідних тварин зберігається позитивна високого ступеня кореляція між надоєм і кількістю молочного жиру та білка. Загальною закономірністю для потомства бугаїв голштинської породи є наявність позитивної кореляції низького, середнього і високого ступенів між надоєм і тривалістю сервіс-періоду. Визначено відмінності за напрямом і ступенем кореляційної залежності між продуктивними і відтворювальними ознаками у корів-первісток, які й характеризують різноманітність впливу бугаїв на їхніх дочок. Елементи наукової новизни. Набули подальшого розвитку теоретичні та практичні положення щодо підвищення продуктивності тварин та створення високопродуктивних стад молочної худоби за використання генофонду голштинської породи. Практична значущість. Одержані результати потрібно враховувати у процесі поліпшуючої селекції під час формування високопродуктивного стада молочної худоби голштинської породи. The purpose of the article is to evaluate the manifestation of economically useful signs of cow-daughters of Holstein breed different servicing bulls. Methods of the research. In the course of the study, commonly used zoo-technical methods (individual accounting of milk productivity, reproductive capacity), laboratory (determining the qualitative milk composition), retrospective analysis (indicators for the entire period of using animals), variation-statistical method (determining sign parameters) were used. The research results. As a result of using bulls for service of Holstein breed in creating a highly productive herd of dairy cattle it has been established that the level of developing productive, reproductive and adaptive properties of cow-daughters is influenced by the origin of the father-parent.  The correlation has been established between economically useful signs of cows-firstlings of the Holstein breed of German and Ukrainian selection from various bulls. Regardless of the experimental animals’ origin, there is a high-level positive correlation between the milk yield and the amount of milk fat and protein. The common peculiarity for the offspring of the Holstein breed is the presence of a positive correlation of the low, middle and high levels between the milk yield and the duration of the service period. The differences as to the direction and the degree of correlation dependence between productive and reproductive features of cows-firstlings have been determined, which characterize the diversity of bulls’ influence on their daughters. The elements of scientific novelty. The theoretical and practical propositions for raising the productivity of animals and creating highly productive herds of dairy cattle by using the gene pool of Holstein breed have been further developed. Practical significance. The obtained results should be taken into account in the process of improving the selection during the formation of a highly productive herd of the Holstein breed dairy cattle.


Author(s):  
Jesús Mellado ◽  
Jessica Flores ◽  
Francisco G. Véliz ◽  
Ángeles de Santiago ◽  
José E. García ◽  
...  

The objective of this observational study was to determine the effect of two (2x) compared to three (3x) times a day milking in Holstein cows undergoing lactations ≥600 d on milk production and reproductive performance. Two large adjacent commercial dairy herds with similar size, facilities, and management in a hot area of northern Mexico (25° N) were used. Cows in one herd (n= 214) were milked two times a day (2x), the other herd was milked three times a day (3x; n=245) and both groups were milked for at least 600 days. For cows in first lactation, total milk yield did not differ between 3x and 2x cows (19796 ± 3354 vs. 19269 ± 3652 kg; p > 0.10) in lactations with an average of 696 and 650 days in milk (DIM), respectively. Multiparous 3x cows produced more total milk days than 2x cows (20942 ± 3920 vs. 18910 ± 2632 kg; p < 0.01) with greater (p < 0.01) DIM for 3x (685 ± 117 days) than 2x (631 ± 88 days) cows. Lactation persistence was greater (p < 0.05) in 2x (62 ± 9%) than 3x (60 ± 10%) cows. Overall conception rate (CR) did not differ between 2x and 3x cows (53.3% vs. 49.8%) but 3x cows required one more service (p < 0.01) to get pregnant than 2x animals.  Given that average milk yield throughout the complete lactation did not differ between 2x (29.8 ± 2.0 kg) and 3x (29.3 ± 2.9 kg) cows, it was concluded that two-times-a-day milking is equally effective as three-times-a-day milking to attain acceptable milk yield in lactations over 600 days. However, reproductive performance based on first-service CR and services per pregnancy was negatively affected by three-times-a-day milking.


2021 ◽  
Vol 282 ◽  
pp. 03010
Author(s):  
M.B. Rebezov ◽  
А.S. Gorelik ◽  
Y.S. Pavlova ◽  
E.V. Khorobrykh ◽  
P.V. Sharavyev

A related Holstein breed has recently been used to improve domestic dairy cattle and create highly productive herds by purchasing semen from breeding bulls, as well as a large number of heifers and calves of foreign breeding. The purpose of the work is a comparative assessment of the productive qualities of Black Pied and Holstein cows of foreign breeding. Purebred Holstein cows differ from animals of Black Pied breed in milk yield per lactation. Cows of both breeds have fairly high suitability for machine milking. The priority remains with the animals of the Holstein breed of foreign selection. In terms of milking intensity and udder volume, they reliably surpass Black Pied cows at P≤0.05 - P≤0.01, respectively, in terms of indicators. Holstein cows were also the best in the udder index. Correlation coefficients between the productive qualities, as well as between the quantitative indicator of productivity and the qualitative indicators of the suitability of cows for machine milking, were the same or did not differ significantly. A positive correlation was established between milk yield and the duration of the service period from 0.1 to 0.05, depending on the breed.


Author(s):  
N.L. Ignatieva ◽  
◽  
I.V. Voronova ◽  
E.Yu. Nemtseva ◽  
◽  
...  

The aim of the research was to evaluate the compatibility of lines and improve on this basis the traditional selection methods for creating breeding herds in dairy cattle breeding. The results of the analysis showed that the best milk yield among the other lines were the first-born heifers (n=39) of the Holstein line Vis Back Idial (6441 kg of milk). The analysis of the results of the intra-linear selection showed that the best milk yield was also distinguished by the first-born heifers of the Vis Back Idial line – 6721 kg of milk. Analyzing the cross-line of the Vis Back Idial with other lines of the Holstein breed (MCH, RS, and PG), it should be noted that they are superior to their first-calf peers by 253-530 kg of milk. The first-calf cows, derived from the cross of the Montwick Miftaine line and the Reflection Sovering and Pabst Governer lines, also have some superiority over their peers. Thus, when improving breeding herds of dairy cattle, it is necessary to use both intra-linear selection and cross-lines, taking into account their compatibility.


Author(s):  
T. L. Leshchuk ◽  
G. E. Uskov ◽  
A. V. Tsopanova

The purpose of the work was to analyze the state of dairy cattle breeding in the Kurgan region. In the region measures are systematically taken to improve the efficiency of the organization of selection and breeding work, improve reproduction traits, introduce advanced feeding methods, and organize artificial insemination of farm animals. Breeding work with dairy cattle in the region is aimed at creating animals that combine the adaptive properties and valuable features of Black-and-White cattle of the Trans-Urals with high productivity and suitability for intensive technology. It has been established that the average milk yield for 305 days of lactation for the controlled livestock in the region in 2019 was 6558 kg of milk. This was less than in the previous year by 0,73 % or 48 kg. According to the results of 2019 the average milk yield of cows in stud farms was 8098 kg, which was by 6,6 % less than in 2018. Pedigree breeding units worked more successfully where the average milk yield of cows increased by 1,54 % and amounted to 6777 kg. The productivity of cows in stud farms was by 19,5 % higher than in pedigree breeding units. Average age of cow culling in all categories of farms in the region in 2019 amounted to 3,4 calving, which was at the level of previous years. This indicator was slightly higher for pedigree breeding units in 2019, it was 3,9 calving. The main reason for the culling of animals is gynecological diseases for this reason 22,56 % of the cows in the farms in the region were culled, and in pedigree breeding units 30,34 % of cows. Recently, the main focus in the Kurgan region is on obtaining animals with a high proportion of genes for Holstein breed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. e0503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Eiras ◽  
Manuel Cerviño ◽  
Eduardo Yus ◽  
Ignacio Arnaiz ◽  
Francisco J. Diéguez

Aim of study: To examine the frequency and diversity of bovine viral diarrhea viruses infecting dairy cattleArea of study: The study was carried out in Galicia (NW Spain), the main dairy cattle area of SpainMaterial and methods: A total of 157 BVDV isolates (from 140 dairy herds) were typed. Typing was based on a 288-bp sequence from the 5′ untranslated region of viral RNA genome. Subsequently, to investigate whether the presence of herds diagnosed with a particular strain was higher in some areas or during some specific time period, data were tested using a Bernouille approachMain results: Of the 157 isolates, 137 (87.3%) were typed as BVDV-1b, 10 (6.4%%) as 1d, 7 (4.4%) as 1e and 2 (1.3%) as 1f. One isolate was assigned to type 1p. Three of the strains found in the study (the three belonging to type 1b) showed significant spatial clustering.Research highlights: This report indicates that BVDV-1b was the predominant species, although there was an important genetic diversity in the study population. Spatial analysis indicated important drawbacks in the application of biosecurity measures, especially as regards purchase of cattle or after the reintroduction of animals from cattle concentration points.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document