Use of Predicted Behavior from Accelerometer Data Combined with GPS Data to Explore the Relationship between Dairy Cow Behavior and Pasture Characteristics.

Lucile Riaboff,Aurélien Madouasse,Nicolas Bédère,Marie Roig-Pons,Sébastien Aubin,Sébastien Couvreur,Patrick Massabie,Guy Plantier,Alain Chauvin

doi:10.3390/s20174741

Abstract

Our aim in this study was to investigate whether the behaviors of dairy cows on pasture, predicted with accelerometer data and combined with GPS data, can be used to better understand the relationship between behaviors and pasture characteristics. During spring 2018, 26 Holstein cows were equipped with a 3D-accelerometer and a GPS sensor fixed on a neck-collar for five days. The cows grazed alternatively in permanent and in temporary grasslands. The structural elements, soil moisture, slope and botanical characteristics were identified. Behaviors were predicted every 10 s from the accelerometer data and combined with the GPS data. The time-budgets expressed in each characterized zone of 8 m × 8 m were calculated. The relation between the time-budgets and pasture characteristics was explored with a linear mixed model. In the permanent grassland, dairy cows spent more time under a tree to ruminate (p < 0.001) and to rest (p < 0.001) and more time to graze in areas with Holcus lanatus (p < 0.001). In the temporary grassland, behavior was influenced by the external environment (presence of other animals on the farm; p < 0.05). Thus, this methodology seems relevant to better understand the relationship between the behaviors of dairy cows and grazing conditions to develop precision grazing.

Highlights

Agro-ecology aims to develop practices to improve animal health and welfare and reduce farming environmental impacts while increasing farm profitability [1]
We propose to investigate whether such a combination could be used to relate the expressed behaviors at grazing to the pasture characteristics
The dairy cows spent most of their time grazing, representing 56.2% and 71.3% of the time spent in the permanent grassland (PG) and temporary grassland (TG), respectively

Summary

Introduction

Agro-ecology aims to develop practices to improve animal health and welfare and reduce farming environmental impacts while increasing farm profitability [1]. A better understanding of the interactions between the behavior expressed by ruminants on pasture and their environment, including vegetation, structural characteristics, soil moisture, etc., could be a way of making progress towards these objectives. A fine knowledge of the amount of time spent in areas associated with an increased risk of disease by individual animals could help to identify animals at risk and treat them . Important amounts of cow excreta on small areas may lead to localized releases of nitrogen into the soil. Identifying such areas could help to adapt management practices [6]. Putfarken et al [8]

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Discussion

Conclusion