The effect of some common management practices on the ease of handling of dairy cows

• Published in: Applied animal behaviour science 1998-07, Vol.58 (3), p.213-220
• Main Authors: Lewis, N.J, Hurnik, J.F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; Behavior; BEHAVIOUR; COMPORTAMIENTO; COMPORTEMENT; DAIRY COWS; ELEVAGE; GANADERIA; Handling ease; Management; REARING TECHNIQUES; TECHNIQUE D'ELEVAGE; TECNICAS DE CRIANZA; Temperament; VACAS LECHERAS; VACHE LAITIERE
• ISSN: 0168-1591; 1872-9045
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-1591(97)00150-0

Cows which are fearful of humans can be difficult and, in some cases, dangerous to handle (Hemsworth et al., 1989; Boivin et al., 1992; De Passille et al., 1996). Since fear is evoked by painful or otherwise aversive situations, and since many procedures commonly utilized in a dairy barn can be assumed to be aversive, it is possible that these procedures affect handling ease. This hypothesis was tested using 40 multiparous and 40 primiparous dairy cows. Ease of handling was scored and then analysed for effects related to recent (6 months) management procedures. Ease of handling was determined in 5 tests: halter placement, leading, entering the squeeze, entering the headgate, and exiting the squeeze. The order of difficulty of these tests, as indicated by the herd average scores, was (1) exiting the squeeze, (2) entering the headgate, (3) halter placement, (4) entering the squeeze, and (5) leading. The scores for these tests were 1.5, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3 and 2.8, respectively, on a 5-point scale, where 1=easy to handle and 5=difficult to handle. Four categories of ease of handling were distinguished in the observed herd: (1) consistent ease (33%), (2) predominant ease (1 adverse response) (40%), (3) unpredictable (equal adverse and positive responses) (25%), and (4) consistent difficulty (1%). Although the ease of handling was relatively good in this herd, 24% of the cows were difficult to handle in more than one test. Ease of handling while being led was correlated with the score for squeeze entry ( r=0.23) and entering the squeeze and entering the headgate were also correlated ( r=0.47). Correlations between these variables were presumed to be related to previous hoof trimming in the squeeze. Both aversive experiences and inexperience in a squeeze were shown to negatively impact on the subsequent ease with which a cow could be led to the squeeze and confined in the headgate. However, squeeze experience was the only variable in which significant correlations were apparent. Aversive management procedures, applied only when necessary, and therefore on a random basis, did not appear to adversely affect the ease of handling of dairy cows in the squeeze or in the milking parlour.