Short communication: Is it better to calve alone or in groups? A pilot study

Abstract

In this pilot study, 35 multiparous Holstein cows (3.2 ± 1.16 lactations) were allocated to either a treatment consisting of cows calving in isolation or to a treatment consisting of cows calving in groups. Cows were moved 5–7 d before expected calving date to a maternity barn with two individual 25-m2 pens (SINGLE; n = 15) or to a maternity barn with 2 pens (250 m2) holding 8–10 cows (GROUP; n = 20). All cows were fed the same dry-cow and lactating-cow ration before and after calving, respectively. Incidence of retained placenta (RP), metritis (MTR), and clinical mastitis (MAST) was recorded for each cow. Cows were video-recorded and calving duration and time interacting with the newborn calf was assessed during the first 4 h after parturition. Individual milk production was recorded daily during the first 60 DIM. The proportion of cows that reached 250 DIM was also recorded. Lastly, a blood sample was obtained from the coccygeal vessels at 12 ± 2 h after calving to determine serum cortisol, insulin, and glucose concentrations. There was no difference in calving duration (94.2 ± 14.6 min) or time interacting with the calf (70.4 ± 7.1 min) between treatments. Serum cortisol concentrations were greater in SINGLE (2.25 ± 0.30 ng/ml) than in GROUP (1.20 ± 0.30 ng/ml) cows. Milk production during the first 60 DIM (2,751± 109 kg) did not differ between treatments. Cows on SINGLE tended to have a greater risk (odds ratio = 5.0) of incurring RP and had a greater risk (odds ratio = 10.6) of suffering from MTR than GROUP cows. Only 73% of the SINGLE cows reached 250 DIM, whereas 95% of the GROUP cows reached 250 DIM; thus, GROUP cows had 38 greater odds of reaching 250 DIM than SINGLE cows. It is concluded that cows kept in isolation for about 1 week before calving tend to have more RP, have greater serum cortisol concentration after calving, experience a greater incidence of MTR, and are less likely to reach 250 DIM compared with cows moved to groups about 1 week before calving.