Two Hours of Separation Prior to Milking: Is This Strategy Stressful for Jennies and Their Foals?

Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess whether or not a separation period of 2 h is stressful for jennies and foals, as measured by changes in behaviour, salivary cortisol, and milk production. This study was reviewed and approved by the Committee for the Use and Care of Animals in Research (CEUA) of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo. Fourteen multiparous Pêga jennies (245 kg average body weight) and their foals were assessed from day 45 to 135 of lactation. Dams and foals were separated for 2 h prior to milking. Behavioural assessments and saliva samples were collected before and after separation, every 15 days, resulting in 14 samples per individual animal. Behavioural states (affiliative and inactivity) and events (agonistic, abnormal, eliminative and vocalisations) of the jennies were observed during 6 min in both periods. Moreover, milk yield was measured. Few significant behavioural and salivary cortisol changes were observed, and milk yield was not affected by cortisol levels in response to the separation. The 2-h separation period, on the basis of the collected variables, did not appear to be stressful for the assessed group of Pêga jennies or foals; however, their ability to adapt to milking routine stress remains to be investigated.

Mammary gland physiology and farm management of dairy mares and jennies

“…The introduction of a partly artificial suckling technique can improve foals' growth and productive performance (De Palo et al, 2016), including meat quality (De Palo et al, 2017), while ensuring their welfare (De Palo et al, 2018b). de Souza Farias et al (2021) reported that separating foals from their mothers to milk them during lactation did not greatly affect foals' behavior. In fact, although vocalization and abnormal behaviors did not change, some agonistic behaviors may appear initially due to socialization and hierarchy development with other foals.…”