Perceptions of dairy cow-handling situations: A comparison of public and industry samples.

Inappropriate cattle handling poses a reputational threat to the dairy industry. To enhance social sustainability, handling practices must resonate with societal values about animal care. However, it has yet to be determined to what extent industry and public stakeholders differ in their perception of common cattle handling situations.

Influence of milk feeding levels and calf housing on subsequent performance of Holstein heifers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of increased milk feeding levels or social housing during the preweaning stage of Holstein dairy heifers on subsequent weight gain, health, and reproductive parameters over time. A total of 210 heifers were grouped by calving date in groups of 10 and randomly assigned to one of 3 treatments: low-milk individual housing (LMI; 4 L of milk/d), high-milk individual housing (HMI; 8 L of milk/d), or low-milk social housing (LMS; 4 L of milk/d). Data collected included passive transfer status, disease events, weight gain at different time periods, age at first calving, calving intervals, and milk yield over the first 3 lactations.

The effect of stocking density and a blind on the behavior of Holstein dairy cattle in group maternity pens. Part I: Calving location, locomotion, and separation behavior.

In a more natural setting, dairy cows separate from herdmates and seek a secluded area to give birth. However, on many dairy facilities, cows calve in barren group pens with limited space, which may limit their ability to perform these behaviors. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of stocking density and provision of a blind (a single-sided solid partition) in group bedded pack maternity pens on the behavior of dairy cattle.

The effect of stocking density and a blind on the behavior of Holstein dairy cows in group maternity pens. Part II: Labor length, lying behavior, and social behavior.

In natural settings, dairy cows separate from the herd to give birth. When kept indoors, seeking isolation before calving may be restricted and may depend on space and resources provided in maternity housing. The effect of group maternity pens on behavior around calving and labor progress is unknown.

Effects of acute lying and sleep deprivation on metabolic and inflammatory responses of lactating dairy cows.

Dairy cows that are restricted from lying down have a reduced ability to sleep. In other species, sleep loss is a key risk factor for disease, mediated by changes in metabolic and inflammatory responses. The cumulative effect of lying and sleep deprivation on cow health is unknown.