Behaviour at calving and choice of calving place in cattle kept in different environments

Abstract

Isolation seeking behaviour, choice of calving place, characteristics of the chosen place, pre-partum behaviour and social interactions during calving were recorded in three studies on free-ranging cattle. The first study was done on beef cattle kept in an open grazing area with 30 ha for multiparous cows ( n = 380) and 7 ha for primiparous cows ( n = 70). The second study was done on dairy Finn cattle kept in a 20 ha forest area ( n = 12). The third study was done on dairy cattle kept in a 170 m 2 uninsulated loose housing with deep litter ( n = 98). In study one, most cows calved in the area where shelters, water, minerals and hay were provided. During calving the cows had significantly fewer adult neighbours than did pregnant cows, but there were no significant differences in the number of calves in the vicinity. In study two, six of the seven cows during the first year and three of the seven cows during the second year isolated themselves before calving. The cows calved on dry and high altitude places with tree cover and branches overhead, or in the shelter. There were no significant changes in lying, standing, walking, feeding and ruminating during 5 days pre-partum. Only during the actual day of calving did cows increase nearest neighbour distance substantially. There were significant differences between primiparous and multiparous cows in walking and distance to nearest neighbour during 1 and 4 days prepartum and in ruminating during 2 and 3 days pre-partum. The total amount for the 5 days pre-partum of ruminating, walking and distance to nearest neighbour increased significantly from the first to the second year. In study three, the pre-parturient cows mainly sniffed and licked alien calves, while other cows sniffed the calving cow. After birth the mother mainly directed licking and sniffing towards her own calf. The other cows in the group directed relatively much sniffing and some pushing, butting and licking towards the newborn calf. Teat-seeking was directed towards both the mother and other cows. Only four of 11 observed calves suckled successfully within 3 h after birth. The conclusion from this study is that there are large individual differences in calving behaviour and that parturient cows seem able to cope with different environmental and social problems at calving.