Activity and heart rate in semi-domesticated reindeer during adaptation to emergency feeding.

Although reindeer are well adapted to limited food resources during winter, semi-domesticated reindeer are regularly fed when snow conditions are bad in order to prevent starvation. Feeding sometimes results in health problems and loss of animals. This study was made to assess if activity pattern in reindeer could be used as a tool for the reindeer herder in early detection of animals that are not adapting to feeding.

Behaviour of Zebu and crossbed cows in restricted suckling groups.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether Zebu (Bos indicus) and crossbred (Bos indicusxBos taurus) cows differ in maternal related behaviour during restricted group suckling. The behaviours of 20 Zebu and 16 crossbred cows were recorded during two 30min sessions each day after milking when their calves were present for suckling, for a time period of 2 weeks per month for 6 months postpartum. The main activity in both breeds during the 0.

Plasma oxytocin and cortisol concentrations in dairy cows in relation to feeding duration and rumen fill.

The aim of this study was to investigate if the release of oxytocin and cortisol were different depending on levels of oral manipulation with feed or rumen fill in dairy cows. Blood samples and behavior of 12 rumen-fistulated cows were analyzed in 2 consecutive years during morning and afternoon periods when the cows were subjected to either (A) long duration of oral manipulation of feed with low rumen fill or (B) short duration of oral manipulation of feed but with filled rumen. The response areas under the curve for oxytocin in both years were larger in A than in B in the afternoons.

Effects of milking frequency on lying down and getting up behaviour in dairy cows.

The objective of this study was to investigate if cows milked twice per day have more difficulty lying down and getting up and spend less time lying than cows milked three times per day. Seventeen cows of the Swedish Red and White Cattle Breed were studied, seven of which were milked twice daily (2M) and ten were milked three times (3M) daily. They were kept in individual cubicles, that were closed in the rear end with a rope.