640 likes | 902 Views
F actors influencing cow comfort. Steve Adam agr . R&D Valacta. Valacta Dairy Production Centre of Expertise Dairy knowledge at your fingertips. From where ?. Temperature (Quebec). °C. MISSION.
E N D
Factors influencingcowcomfort Steve Adam agr. R&D Valacta
Valacta Dairy Production Centre of Expertise Dairy knowledge at your fingertips
MISSION Unite industry stakeholdersin improving the efficiency and profitability of dairy farms by stimulating the development of knowledge, facilitating its diffusion, and encouraging its adoption by dairy producers. Mr. Pierre Lampron, dairy producer President of FPLQ and Valacta
Structure • Limited partnership • Board: 14 members • Majority are producers
Field Services * 8 organicspecialists ** 36 CQM support ** 21 CQM auditors
Research & Development Multidisciplinary team Nutrition, Genetics, Comfort and welfare, Agroeconomist, Veterinarian, Goat milk production, Organic milk production, Data analysis and Knowledge transfer.
Whatdo cowsneed? • Water and feeding • Space • Rest • Air • Light
Non-dietary factors and herd performance (Bach et al., 2008) • 47 herds with similar genetics were fed same TMR • Milk yield varied by ±13 kg/d • Mean milk yield = 29.5 kg/d • Non-dietary factors accounted for 56% of variation in milk yield • Age at first calving • Feeding for refusals (29.0 vs 27.5 kg/d) • Feed push-ups (29.9 vs25 kg/d) • Stalls:cow
Bunkspace • Reducecompetition • 60 cm (Lactating) • 75-90 cm (Dry-Transition)
Water • Min 2 troughs/group • 60 cm per 15-20 cows. • 60 cm/head (exit of the parlor) Position: Externalwall
Relationship between resting and milk yield(Miner Institute data base) • Increased resting time with greater DIM, milk yield (Bach et al., 2010) 49 45 Milk yield (kg/d) 41 ~1.7 kg/d more milk for each extra hour 36 32 y = 22.3 + 1.7 x r2 = 0.31 27 7 10 13 17 Resting time (h) (Grant, 2010)
Cows have strong behavioral need to rest … • Cows sacrifice feeding to make up lost resting • For every 3.5 min of lost rest, cows sacrifice 1 min of eating • Cows spend more time waiting in alleys to lie down than eating when overstocked • Negative effects of short periods of deprivation are cumulative Resting: 12-14 h/d “Vitamin R” Grant, 2010
Resting time • Minimum 12 h/d • To promoteresting time: • Stallwidth • Soft surface
http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_tsdimen.htmhttp://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_tsdimen.htm
Knee test Source: Symposium sur les bovins laitiers 2004
Stalls per cow and milk production in 47 herds fed same TMR (Bach et al., 2008) Milk yield = 20.4 + 7.5 x stall/cow R2=0.32 1.5 kg Grant, 2010
Raising up Dr Neil Anderson
Lying down Dr Neil Anderson
Perching Source: M.F. Hutjens Maximum 3 % http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm
Standing or lyingdiagonally http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm
Lyingbackwards http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm
Caudal lickingbehavior http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm
Dog-sitting http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/livestock/dairy/facts/info_cowbehave.htm
Stall design C = Length from rear curb to neck rail 23 cm max Maintain neck rail at 110 to 130 cm above bedding surface B= Divider mounting width 30 cm max from stall surface to top of lower divider rail 12 cm Minimum sand depth at Max fill: 30 cm Minimum sand depth before fill : 15 cm 20 cm high curb A = Length from rear curb to brisket locator Stall length 300 cm against a side wall , 275 cm Head to head
Sand -More milkthanmattresses or strawbedding. -Less injuries -Liying time isbetter But : -Manutention -Granulométrie Test de la poignée Vortex Holsteins
Matresses/bedding La litière est toujours obligatoire… pour réduire l’abrasion
Space allocation http://www.wilsonagri.co.uk/polypillow.htm « Brisket positionner» Lessthan 10 cm