‘Looking up’ behavior in the holding area of the milking parlor: its relationship with step‐kick, flight responses and productivity of commercial dairy cows

Abstract

Commercial dairy cows milked in a parlor system are packed close together in the holding area before milking. The present study examined the relationships of ‘looking up’ behavior with some other behaviors and the productivity of 1116–1153 cows from five farms. The individual identities of the cows looking up in the holding area were recorded at 5 min intervals during six intermittent afternoon milking sessions. Entrance into the milking parlor and the numbers of steps and kicks by cows while the milking person was attaching the milking cups, were recorded in six milking sessions. Flight responses in the pasture after milking were recorded over four days intermittently. The frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior weakly, but significantly correlated with flight starting distance (r = 0.10, P < 0.05), while the correlation with the number of step‐kicks during milking was not significant. As for productivity, lactation number (r = −0.18, P < 0.001), milk yield (r = −0.15, P < 0.001) and fat content (r = −0.15, P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior. Age of cows was correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior as well as lactation number (r = −0.21, P < 0.001). Entrance order was positively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior (r = 0.15, P < 0.001). The ‘looking up’ behavior was observed more frequently in cows in their third or less lactation compared with cows which were in their fourth or greater lactation (P < 0.05). The lactation number of cows was correlated with their milk yield (r = 0.36, P < 0.001) and flight starting distance (r = −0.21, P < 0.001). In conclusion, ‘looking up’ behavior shown by cows in the holding area before milking might be an indicator of low motivation for milking, mainly because of fear of humans, and an aversion to milking caused by insufficient experience in being milked.

Relationship between stepping and kicking behavior and milking management in dairy cattle herds

“…We did not find any association between stepping and kicking during milking. This is in agreement with other studies (Rousing et al, 2004;Ishiwata et al, 2005). The kicking prevalence was higher in primiparous than older cows.…”

“…Kicking demonstrates a defensive behavior to a new situation (Waiblinger et al, 2004;van Reenen et al, 2013). This apparently means, therefore, that primiparous were more agitated and exhibited more kicks and trying to escape from humans earlier (Ishiwata et al, 2005); however, handling after first calving in a special gentle manner led to a reduction in kicking (Hemsworth et al, 1989). In the farms of our study, farmers likely did not handle calving.…”

The effect of approach direction and pace on flight distance of beef breeding cows

“…2004), in other studies, the observer approached animal from its side (Uetake et al . 2004; Ishiwata et al . 2005).…”

“…Previous studies ambiguously described the approach pace as ‘two (small) steps per second’ (Uetake et al . 2004; Ishiwata et al . 2005) or ‘one (moderate) step per second’ (Waiblinger et al .…”

“…The flight distance of FRONT (1.92 m) was significantly shorter than that of SIDE (2.45 m). In some studies, the observer approached the animal from its front (Waiblinger et al 2003;Rousing et al 2004), in other studies, the observer approached animal from its side (Uetake et al 2004;Ishiwata et al 2005). For another study, the direction of approach was not reported (Hemsworth et al 2000).…”