Factors affecting lying behavior and stall utilization of dairy cattle

Abstract

Intensive management of dairy cattle in free-stall housing during the dry period may impose unknown stresses. In this study, factors affecting laterality (side cow lies on), and stall usage under relatively uncrowded conditions by dairy animals in late pregnancy were evaluated. Fifty-nine dry Holstein cows and 18 heifers were observed during seven 24-h periods. Left laterality was observed 64.7 ± 1.1% of the time for cows and 61.8 ± 2.7% of the time for heifers. Exercise had no significant effect on laterality. When a single stall was occupied either to right or left of a cow, a significant number lay with dorsal side (backbone) toward the occupied stall. A 2% slope across the stall width had a highly significant effect on laterality. Cows preferred to lie with their dorsal side uphill. Right laterality increased with age of cows but decreased with approaching calving. Averages and standard deviations for length of resting episodes (min), stalls used, and number of resting episodes in each 24-h period were 82.5 (62.9), 4.7 (2.0) and 6.5 (2.9), respectively. There was not a significant single stall preference, but cows chose one side of the shed significantly more than the other. In designing free-stall housing for dry cow comfort, these results indicate that a downhill slope to a cow's right as she faces the stall and access to a dry lot during warm weather would be ideal.