Abstract #T6
Section: Animal Behavior and Well-Being (posters)
Session: Animal Behavior and Well-Being II
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Tuesday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Exhibit Hall A
Session: Animal Behavior and Well-Being II
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Tuesday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Exhibit Hall A
# T6
Impact of freestall neck-rail position on stall and cow hygiene.
Ivelisse Robles1, David F. Kelton2, Herman W. Barkema3, Greg P. Keefe4, Jean-Philippe Roy5, Marina A. G. von Keyserlingk6, Trevor J. DeVries*1, 1Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, 2Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, 3Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, 4Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, 5Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada, 6Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Key Words: hygiene, freestall
Impact of freestall neck-rail position on stall and cow hygiene.
Ivelisse Robles1, David F. Kelton2, Herman W. Barkema3, Greg P. Keefe4, Jean-Philippe Roy5, Marina A. G. von Keyserlingk6, Trevor J. DeVries*1, 1Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, 2Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, 3Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, 4Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, 5Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada, 6Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
The objective of this study was to determine how freestall design affects stall cleanliness and dairy cow hygiene. Four pens, including 30 lactating cows/pen (182.7 ± 92.8 DIM; parity = 2.5 ± 1.2), were exposed in a crossover design, with 2, 28-d treatment periods (February–March; March–April 2017), to each of 2 treatments: 1) neck rail 175 cm from the vertical plane above the rear curb, and 2) neck rail 20 cm closer to the rear of the stall; 155 cm. Stalls were 125cm wide and 259 cm long. Cow hygiene scoring (4-point scale; 1 = clean to 4 = dirty), was done 2x/wk. Cows were categorized as clean (≤2) or dirty (≥3), and proportion of cows with dirty lower legs, udder (DU), upper-legs and flank per pen were calculated. Freestalls (n = 30/pen) were raked and bedding leveled 2×/d. Base of the stalls were mattresses covered with chopped straw (~2cm deep), with additional bedding added 1×/wk. Stall cleanliness was assessed 2×/wk using a 1-m2 metal grid, containing 88 squares (sq), centered between stall partitions of every fifth stall, and then counting the squares containing visible urine or fecal matter. Data were summarized by pen and analyzed using multivariable mixed-effect linear regression models. Treatment of stall length did not affect cow cleanliness (P = 0.46), and no associations were found between stall treatment and stall cleanliness (P = 0.62). Mean proportion of soiled sq/stall per pen was 37.8 ± 7.7 (range = 21–56%). Number of days since bedding was added (2 ± 2 d) was associated with proportion of dirty sq/stall (intercept = 33.3; β = 2.4; SE = 0.6; P < 0.001); for every 2 d since bedding was added, there was a 5 percentage point increase in mean proportion of soiled sq/stall. There was a tendency for an interaction between period and treatment (P = 0.07) for proportion of cows with DU; in the first period there were a lower proportion (P < 0.001) of cows with DU when the neck rail was closer to the rear of the stall (9.8 ± 1.9%) as compared with having the neck rail position further away (13.3 ± 2.1%). A greater proportion (P < 0.001) of cows with DU were reported in the second period (20.0 ± 1.1%) as compared with the first period (12.0 ± 1.4%), possibly due to seasonal differences. These results confirm that frequent bedding addition, as well as stall size, is important to maintain clean free-stalls and good cow hygiene.
Key Words: hygiene, freestall
