Abstract
Simple SummaryAs few studies have examined the most common housing systems in terms of cow behavior and welfare, we designed this study to compare three loose housing systems for lactating cows: compost bedded pack, conventional bedded pack, and freestalls. Cows kept in bedded pack barns were dirtier yet had fewer hairless patches and lesions or swellings on the body and spent more time lying down in the resting area than cows housed in freestalls. All housing systems show benefits and inconveniences in terms of welfare and comfort at resting. Other factors, such as management practices and proper barn design, should be considered when comparing housing systems in terms of animal welfare. Three loose housing systems for lactating cows (compost bedded pack, CBP; conventional bedded pack, BP; and freestalls, FS) were assessed on one farm in terms of cow behavior and welfare. An on-farm welfare assessment based on the Welfare Quality protocols was used four times every three months on 757 cows. Video recordings taken twice over four days were used to assess behavior patterns at resting areas. Cows in CBP and BP were dirtier than those in FS (p < 0.0001). Fewer integument alterations were recorded for CBP and BP than FS (p < 0.001). Cows in BP were quicker to lie down and stand up compared to those in CBP or FS (p < 0.001). Percentages of cows needing more attempts before rising were higher for FS (p < 0.01). However, a higher frequency of kneeling was observed in CBP (p = 0.033). A lower percentage of cows lying in the resting area was recorded for FS (56%) than CBP or BP (97 or 84%, respectively, p < 0.05). Overall, in this study, cows kept in bedded pack barns were dirtier but had fewer integument alterations and spent more time lying down in the resting area than cows housed in freestalls.
Highlights
The assessment of cow comfort on dairy farms is essential for strategies aimed at maintaining welfare, health, and production rates, or even to increase these rates
Intra-observer Spearman correlations for behavior patterns assessed by scan sampling ranged from 0.96 to 1 (p < 0.001 in all cases), except for behavior categories involving head position which ranged from 0.70 (p = 0.036) to 0.95 (p < 0.001)
When considering the percentage of cows lying in the resting area we found that more cows did this in compost bedded pack (CBP) and bedded pack (BP) than FS (p = 0.012 and p < 0.001, respectively)
Summary
The assessment of cow comfort on dairy farms is essential for strategies aimed at maintaining welfare, health, and production rates, or even to increase these rates. To properly assess animal welfare, Fraser [1] and Webster [2] stressed the need for measures based on both the environment and the animal. Studies have shown that housing and management have a major impact on the overall welfare of dairy cows [3]. Loose housing systems allow dairy cows to move freely around the barn and to adopt natural behavior patterns. Haley et al [4] emphasized the potential impact of housing facilities on lying behavior. Reduced lying time because of Animals 2020, 10, 431; doi:10.3390/ani10030431 www.mdpi.com/journal/animals
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