Investigating cow-calf contact in cow-driven systems: behaviour of the dairy cow and calf

Effect of the daily duration of calf contact on the dam's ultradian and circadian activity rhythms

Cow-calf contact systems are attracting increasing interest among farmers and some are already being implemented into dairy farms. However, a comprehensive assessment of animal welfare in these systems is lacking. One reason for this is the large amount of time required for behavioral observations. However, the increased use of sensors in herd management assistance systems offers new opportunities for automated monitoring of animal welfare. For example, accelerometers can be used to collect activity data for a specific pattern analysis. In this study, ultradian and circadian rhythms of cows were analyzed. The degree of functional coupling (DFC; range of values: 0-1) expresses the extent to which the activity is cyclic to 24 h, and therefore harmonically synchronized with the periodicity of the environment. A DFC of 1 indicates complete adaptation of the cows' activity rhythm to the 24-h day. Additionally, the diurnality index (DI) is used to examine the distribution of diurnal and nocturnal activity. A DI of 1 indicates complete diurnal activity, whereas -1 indicates complete nocturnal activity. The rhythms of healthy and well-adapted animals show high adaptation to the 24-h day, whereas external or endogenous effects can interfere with these rhythms. Although contact with their calves allows cows to behave more naturally, it is possible that calves demanding their mothers' attention may affect the cows' rhythmicity, similar to other external factors. To test this hypothesis, 2 herds of German Holstein cows housed in a mirrored loose housing system were included in the study, which was conducted over 2 experimental periods. Three treatments were applied, differing in contact between cow and calf. The contact dams had either whole-day or daytime contact with their calves, and the no-contact cows were separated from their calves directly postpartum. Accelerometers were used to record and analyze the cows' activity between 59 and 83 DIM, thus excluding the calving and weaning phases. Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate the effect of treatment (no, daytime, and whole-day contact) on DFC and DI, considering the effects of estrus, deviation of milking start in the evening, and parity (primi- vs. multiparous). Finally, the harmonic period lengths of the activity patterns were extracted to analyze the distribution of the primarily expressed period lengths of the different treatments. In general, the average activity patterns of the cows did not differ between the treatments. However, dams with whole-day contact showed a lower activity peak before milking but a higher activity after evening milking. Nevertheless, the DFC and DI were similar in each group. During estrus, the chance of a maximum DFC decreased and the DI increased. Whole-day contact dams showed the most significant harmonic periods (33 per cow). Nevertheless, the primarily expressed period length (3.4 h) was equal in each treatment. In conclusion, neither contact with the calf nor its daily duration affected the ultradian and circadian rhythms of dams compared with cows separated from their calf.

Maternal behavior of dairy cows and suckling behavior of dairy calves in different cow-calf contact conditions

Cow-calf contact has been suggested as an alternative to the common practice of early separation of dairy cow and calf. Increasing cow-calf contact poses challenges by reducing the machine milk yield and increasing separation stress. Part-time cow-calf contact may prove more feasible than full-time contact for farmers but may affect the maternal behavior of the cows. Gradually reducing the daily contact could gradually wean the calf off milk, preparing it for separation. This study aims to investigate (1) how cows' maternal behaviors toward their own calf are affected by part-time contact, and (2) whether calves' suckling behavior is reduced by reducing daily cow contact. Fifty-six dairy cows and their calves were assigned to either full-time (23 h/d) or part-time (10 h/d) cow-calf contact for 7 wk (main rearing period). This was followed by 2 wk of either reduced contact (50% in wk 8, then 25% of original contact time in wk 9) or unchanged contact. First, the maternal behavior of full- and part-time cows was observed for 24 h in the third week of the main rearing period. Part-time cows spent less time nursing and grooming their own calf than full-time cows did. However, the amount of nursing in the inverse parallel position and the probability of a cow nursing a calf other than her own did not differ between the 2 treatments. Second, calf suckling behavior was observed for 24 h in both weeks of the reduced contact period. Averaged across both observations, total suckling time (i.e., time spent suckling any cow) was lower in part-time calves that experienced reduced contact compared with part-time calves with unchanged contact. In wk 9, time spent suckling only the dam was lower for full-time calves with reduced contact compared with part-time calves with unchanged contact. In conclusion, although we found a lower nursing and grooming time in part-time cows compared with full-time, we found no difference between treatments with regard to nursing in the inverse parallel position and nursing a calf other than the cow's own. The effect of gradually reducing cow-calf contact on calves' suckling time requires more research.

Calf performance in a cow-driven cow-calf contact system: Effect of 2 methods to gradually reduce cows' access to their calf

Knowledge is lacking on separation strategies that can best prepare calves to final separation from the dam in cow-calf contact (CCC) systems. This controlled trial compared the effects of 2 different methods to gradually reduce cows' access to their calf termed "debonding" on calf growth in a cow-driven CCC system. Initially, cows (Norwegian Red breed) had 24 h/d computer-controlled access to their calves. In the long debonding (LDB) treatment (n = 16), a gradual reduction of cows' access to their calves was initiated 28 d after calving over a total duration of 28 d; first to 12 h/d (14 d), and then to 6 h/d (14 d). In the short debonding (SDB) treatment (n = 14), reduction was initiated 45 d after calving over a total duration of 10 d; first to 12 h/d (5 d), and then to 6 h/d (5 d). From 6 h/d, access was finally reduced to 0 h/d for 4 d for both treatments, resulting in a study period of 60 d in total. Calves had ad libitum access to concentrate, hay and water throughout the study. Independent of treatment, ad libitum access to whole milk from an automatic feeder was granted once cow access was reduced. Cows and calves had the possibility for fence line contact at all times. The primary outcome variable calf weight gain was registered biweekly. Calf ADG was analyzed with a linear mixed model. The ADG was similar across treatments during 24 h/d access (1.04 ± 0.07 kg). Debonding treatment affected calf growth differently with each gradual reduction in cow access (12 h/d, 6 h/d and 0 h/d); however, no main effect of treatment was detected. The SDB calves had a pattern of increased ADG with the first reduction in access (+0.39 ± 0.18kg), followed by significant growth checks as access was reduced further to 6 h/d and 0 h/d (-0.41 ± 0.20 kg and -1.15 ± 0.31 kg, respectively). The LDB calves only showed significant weight checks at the final reduction in access (0 h/d access), yet at a lower degree (-0.46 ± 0.21 kg) than SDB calves. As expected, ADG was negatively associated with health events but positively associated with intake of concentrate and supplemental milk. Collectively, the results from the present study might point toward a long adaptation to separation which is initiated at a younger age being more favorable for calf performance.

Behavioral responses of dairy cows and their calves to gradual or abrupt weaning and separation when managed in full- or part-time cow-calf contact systems

There is growing interest in managing cow and calf together for a prolonged period, but concerns remain about how best to wean and separate the cow and calf to minimize stress. One approach is to progressively reduce suckling opportunity over time, as in nature. There is also interest in part-time contact (suckling for part of the day) to improve milk yield for the farmer and potentially reduce stress at weaning and separation. The primary objective of this study was to compare the behavioral responses of dairy cows to gradual or abrupt weaning and separation, when managed either full or part time with their calves; a secondary focus was the vocal responses of calves under these management conditions. In a 3 × 2 factorial design (n = 14/ treatment), dairy cows and their calves (n = 84 in 7 blocks of 12 cow-calf pairs) were assigned to one of 3 dam-contact treatments at birth: (1) full-time contact between the dam and calf, apart from milking times (total 23 h/d) (2) part-time contact between the dam and calf, between morning and afternoon milking only (total 10 h/d); (3) no contact, where the dam and calf were separated after leaving the maternity pen and had no further contact. At wk 8, one of 2 weaning treatments was assigned: (1) gradual weaning by reduced contact time (50%, then 25% of original dam-contact time in wk 8 and 9, respectively), or gradually reduced milk allowance for no-contact calves (50%, then 25% of estimated 12-L milk intake in wk 8 and 9, respectively) until complete milk removal and dam-calf separation at wk 10; (2) abrupt weaning where milk removal occurred simultaneously with dam-calf separation at wk 10, or only milk removal for no-contact calves. Overall, part-time contact did not reduce weaning and separation distress for cows or calves for either weaning method. Part-time cows showed reduced behavioral responses to separation (greater lying time and less searching behavior), especially on the day of and 24 h after separation, but they showed a similarly strong vocal response to separation as full-time cows. Part-time calves made substantially more high-pitched vocalizations than full-time calves at 24 h after separation. Furthermore, gradual weaning by reducing contact time did not seem to better prepare cows or calves for complete milk removal and separation; most behavioral and vocal responses occurred on the day of separation for gradual-weaning cows and calves, but 24 h later, the reverse occurred for abrupt-weaning cows and there was no difference between gradual- and abrupt-weaning calves. Our results suggest that part-time contact and gradual-weaning conditions likely resulted in hunger and expectation for reunion, which together may have exaggerated behavioral responses at separation. Temporary daily separations may not have increased independence of cow and calf, and the gradual-weaning method here may not have reduced milk intake by calves. These elements are important criteria to facilitate the weaning process, so future work should explore ways to gradually reduce milk intake and promote social independence of cow and calf to minimize weaning distress.

Effects of 2 gradual debonding strategies on machine milk yield, flow, and composition in a cow-driven cow-calf contact system

This controlled study compared the effects of 2 different gradual debonding strategies on machine milk yield, flow, and composition in a cow-driven cow-calf contact (CCC) system with automatic milking. Cows had 24 h/d access to their calves during the first weeks of lactation. In the long debonding (LDB) treatment (n = 16), a gradual reduction of cows' access to their calves was initiated 4 wk after calving over a total period of 28 d; first to 12 h/d (14 d), and then to 6 h/d (14 d). In the short debonding (SDB) treatment (n = 14), gradual reduction was initiated 6.5 wk after calving over a total period of 10 d; first to 12 h/d (5 d), and then to 6 h/d (5 d). From 6 h/d, access was finally reduced to 0 h/d for 7 d for both treatments. Machine milk yield, somatic cell count, and peak and average milk flow were automatically registered at milking. During the 9-wk study period, composite samples were analyzed for milk composition. Data were analyzed with linear mixed effect models. Results showed that machine milk yield during 24 h/d access varied between cows (range 1.2-49.9 kg/d, average ± standard deviation 13.2 ± 7.82 kg/d). The LDB cows had a higher daily machine milk yield than SDB cows at the end of and after access reduction was completed (+5.0 ± 1.63 and +5.1 ± 1.55 kg during the last 5 d of 6 h/d access, and 0 h/d access, respectively). Somatic cell count was on a healthy level, with no difference between treatments. Milk fat content increased with reduction in access, regardless of treatment. Short debonding cows tended to show higher milk protein content and lower milk lactose content than cows with a longer debonding. This study has shown that a longer debonding initiated earlier may give a higher milk yield in the short term. The variation in machine milk yield may indicate differences in milk ejection, suckling, and visiting patterns and preferences among cows.

Time budgets of dairy cows in a cow-calf contact system with automatic milking

Daily time budgets can be used to determine the amount of time cows allocate to different behaviors throughout the day and can be useful when evaluating housing and management systems. There is a growing interest in keeping dairy cows and calves together during the first months of lactation; however, it is not known how their time budgets are affected by the calf contact. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in time budgets between 2 groups of dairy cows housed in the same pen within a freestall system with automatic milking. One group of cows had access to their calves until 4 mo of lactation, whereas the other group had no direct contact with the calves. Using focal animal sampling by video analysis and sensor data available from the milking unit we determined the 24-h time budgets of 37 dairy cows. The sample consisted of 20 primi- and 17 multiparous cows of the breeds Swedish Red and Swedish Holstein. The cows were randomly assigned either cow-calf contact or no contact, with separation from the calf within 24 h postparturition. Data were collected when cows were on average 43, 75, and 107 d in milk. The results showed that the cow-calf cows spent less time eating silage, without reduced dry matter intake, less time socializing with other cows, and less time standing in cubicles. However, the duration spent in the waiting area in front of the milking unit was greater among the cow-calf cows. In conclusion, neither cow-calf contact nor no-contact cows seemed to be constrained in any of the included behaviors to a point of reduced welfare; hence, a cow-calf contact system in combination with automatic milking may be possible to set up on farms with maintained or improved animal welfare.

Comparing weaning methods in dairy calves with different dam contact levels

Allowing the dam to rear her calf is an alternative practice in the dairy industry where cow and calf may gain welfare benefits from performing natural and highly motivated behaviors. However, this system has been linked to an increased separation and weaning response. Reducing the daily dam-calf contact time may be a way to prepare the calf for weaning and separation. The first aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 8 wk of half-day dam-calf contact on calf response to weaning and separation, compared with calves reared with whole-day dam-calf contact and an artificially reared, group-housed control with unrestricted access to milk for 20 min twice daily. Weaning off milk and separation from the dam can be viewed as 2 independent stressors. By introducing each stressor separately, it may be possible to reduce the overall behavioral response. The second aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 1-wk fence-line weaning before permanent separation. The study was conducted with a 3 × 2 factorial design with dam contact treatments (whole-day, half-day, and control) and weaning treatments (simultaneous, and stepwise). Whole-day calves were separated twice daily from their dams during milking, whereas half-day calves were separated daily from the afternoon milking and until next morning milking. Simultaneous weaning and separation were done in wk 9, and stepwise weaning and separation started in wk 8 with calves being fence-line weaned before permanent separation in wk 9. Data were collected on 69 dairy calves in wk 8 and wk 9, and data were summarized over the 2 weeks for analysis. Stepwise weaning and separation reduced the number of high-pitched vocalizations and activity of dam-reared dairy calves but had little effect on control calves. There was no difference between whole-day and half-day calves in their response to separation, but as expected, dam-reared calves reacted more strongly than the control group. This was also reflected in the average daily BW gain the week after weaning, with control calves having higher average daily gains than whole-day, while half-day calves were intermediate. However, the behavioral response did not fully wane within the observation period (0-48 h of interventions). In conclusion, 1-wk fence-line weaning reduced the summed weaning and separation response in dam-reared calves. However, no difference between half-day dam-calf contact and whole-day dam contact was detected in the behavioral response to weaning and separation.

Behavior of calves reared with half-day contact with their dams

Dam-calf contact has been suggested to improve animal welfare in dairy calves, but practical and economical concerns have led to interest in half-day contact between cows and their calves. However, little is known about the behavioral effects of half-day contact compared with whole-day contact. The present study investigated the behavior of 45 dairy calves housed with their dams in either a whole-day system (cows only away twice daily for milking) or a half-day system (cows away from afternoon milking until after morning milking the next day). Data were video recorded during 24 h when calves were on average 3, 5, and 7 wk old. Half-day calves spent less time suckling and received less grooming compared with whole-day calves, indicating that they received less maternal care. Half-day calves were quicker to reunite with their dam when the cows returned from morning milking compared with whole-day calves. Half-day calves also suckled alien cows more often, although mainly shortly after the cows returned to the pen in the morning. This may indicate that they were hungrier than whole-day calves at this time of day. Half-day calves spent more time eating solid feeds, which may prepare them better for separation from the dam and weaning off milk. In conclusion, half-day dam-calf contact may affect calf welfare both positively and negatively, and further research focusing more directly on assessing affective states is encouraged.

Shaping cow-calf contact systems: Farmers' motivations and considerations behind a range of different cow-calf contact systems

Most dairy farms rear calves artificially by separating the newly born calf from the dam and feeding the calf milk from a bucket. However, the general public and scientific community have begun to question the effects of artificial rearing on animal welfare. Research so far has focused mainly on dam-calf contact, where each cow takes care of her own calf. However, previous studies show that Danish and other European farmers are using and showing interest in a variety of different cow-calf contact (CCC) systems. In the present study, we used qualitative research methods to explore the perspectives of Danish farmers who either had or had tried to establish a version of a CCC system. Farmers were asked about their motivation for establishing the system, what had shaped the system to its current form, and how they perceived the calves to benefit from the system. Practical considerations was the theme most commonly brought up and related to both why farmers chose to have CCC in the first place and in what way they had chosen to organize their CCC system. Practical considerations included a sense of ease, flexibility, and a more natural and therefore rational approach. The economy was also a repeated theme, but although the economy to a large degree shapes the type of CCC chosen (dam-calf contact or foster cow contact), it was rarely mentioned in relation to choosing a CCC system in the first place. Ethical considerations were a strong motivator for farmers with dam-calf contact systems, although less so for farmers with foster cow contact. The farm's image as seen by the consumer was an important motivation for farmers with many on-farm visitors, and with the farm's image in the eyes of the farming community potentially also influencing farmers. Farmers generally perceived the calves to benefit from the care of the cow and no difference was seen in the importance attributed to care, between farmers choosing dam-calf contact and foster cow systems.

Do cows see the forest or the trees? A preliminary investigation of attentional scope as a potential indicator of emotional state in dairy cows housed with their calves

A positive mood in humans tends to broaden attentional scope while negative mood narrows it. A similar effect may be present in non-human animals; therefore, attentional scope may be a novel method to assess emotional states in livestock. In this proof-of-concept exploratory study, we examined the attentional scope of dairy cows housed with their calves either full-time, part-time (during daytime only), or with no calf contact (enrolled n = 10 each). Housing conditions were previously verified to induce differences in positive and negative emotional state, where part-time was considered more negative. Cows were trained to approach or avoid hierarchical images on a screen that were consistent in local and global elements (i.e., 13 small circles or crosses arranged in an overall circle or cross). After discrimination learning (>80% correct, over two consecutive days), 14 cows proceeded to test (n = 6 each full-and part-time; n = 2 no-contact, not analyzed). Test images showed inconsistent combinations of global and local elements (i.e., the overall global shape differs from the smaller local elements, such as a global circle composed of smaller local crosses and vice versa). Over two test days, approach responses to global and local images (each presented four times) were recorded. All cows were more likely to approach the local than the global image, especially part-time cows who never approached the global image; this may reflect a narrowed attentional scope in these cows. Full-time cows approached images more often than part-time cows, but overall response rates to global and local images were low, making specific conclusions regarding attentional scope difficult. Different housing conditions have potential to affect attentional scope, and possibly emotional state, of dairy cows, but statistical comparison to no-contact treatment was not possible. Cortisol concentration did not affect responses to images; thus arousal due to treatment or test conditions could not explain test performance. Further work with refined methodology and a larger sample size is required to validate the reliability of attentional scope as an assessment method of emotional state in cattle. Beyond this, the attentional scope test revealed how cattle may process, learn and respond to different visual hierarchical images, which further our understanding of cognitive and visual processes in cattle.

Dairy farmers' perspectives on providing cow-calf contact in the pasture-based systems of New Zealand

Separation of the cow and calf shortly after birth is a common practice on commercial dairy farms around the world, but there are emerging concerns about this practice among citizens and other stakeholders. Continuous improvement of on-farm management practices in collaboration with dairy sector stakeholders increases the likelihood that farming systems evolve in a way that is consistent with societal expectations. Few commercial dairy farms provide extended cow-calf contact, and there is little understanding of how dairy farmers view this practice. This study examined the views of New Zealand dairy farmers toward providing cow-calf contact, particularly the barriers to adopting such a system in a seasonal-calving pasture-based dairy system. Standard farm practice in New Zealand is to remove the calf from the cow around 24 h (but could be up to 48 h) after birth. These conventional farmers (n = 63) were randomly selected from the database of all dairy farmers in New Zealand and telephone-interviewed using a semistructured interview format. Their responses to questions about providing cow-calf contact (defined as contact beyond the standard practice of 48 h) were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three major themes of concern were identified by these farmers about providing cow-calf contact as follows: (1) poor animal welfare, especially the risk of mastitis in the dam, inadequate colostrum for the calf, increased stress from delayed separation, and lack of shelter for calves while outdoors with the cow; (2) increased labor and stress on staff; and (3) system-level changes required, including infrastructure and herd management. Many of these concerns stemmed from challenges related to the nature of large-scale seasonal-calving pasture-based dairy systems, where a large number of calves are born in a short period of time and may be exposed to inclement weather in late winter in some areas. Several small-scale farmers (n = 4) providing cow-calf contact for longer than standard practice of 48 h were also interviewed; all permitted contact for at least 4 wk. These farmers also felt that animal welfare and health were important, and that this was promoted in their cow-calf contact systems. Concerns about colostrum and mastitis, for example, were not raised by these farmers, but they did agree that additional infrastructure and shelter were important considerations for cow-calf contact systems. Some conventional farmers expressed cognitive dissonance in that they theoretically preferred cow-calf contact but could not see it being realistic or practical to implement. Farmers currently providing longer cow-calf contact may be a useful resource for better understanding of how practical and economical cow-calf contact systems could be adopted on commercial pastoral dairy farms.

Investigating cow-calf contact in a cow-driven system: performance of cow and calf

In this research communication we describe the performance of dairy cow-calf pairs in two cow-driven CCC-systems differing in cows' access to the calves through computer-controlled access gates (smart gates, SG). We investigated cows' machine milk yield in the automatic milking system (AMS), calf growth, and intake of supplemental milk and concentrate. Two groups each with four cow-calf pairs were housed in a system with a cow area, a calf creep and a meeting area. SG's controlled cow traffic between the meeting area and the cow area where cows could obtain feed, cubicles and the AMS. Calves had ad libitum access to supplemental milk and concentrate. During the suckling phase of 31 d, cow access to the meeting area was free 24 h/d (group 1) or restricted (group 2) based on milking permission. Following the suckling phase, cow access was gradually decreased over 9 d (separation phase). During the suckling phase, cows' machine milk yield (mean ± sd) in the AMS was 11.4 ± 6.38 kg/d. In the separation phase, the yield increased to 25.0 ± 10.37 kg/d. Calf average daily gain (ADG) was high during the suckling phase: 1.2 ± 0.74 kg. During the separation phase, ADG decreased to 0.4 ± 0.72 kg which may be related to a low intake of supplemental milk. Calves' concentrate intake increased with age, and all calves consumed >1 kg/d after separation. We conclude that cows nurse the calf in a cow-directed CCC system well resulting in high ADG, and AMS milk yields were, at least, partially maintained during the suckling phase. Although the AMS yields increased in response to separation, calf ADG was decreased. A low sample size limits interpretation beyond description but provides a basis for hypotheses regarding future research into CCC-systems.

Investigating cow-calf contact in cow-driven systems: behaviour of the dairy cow and calf

Research is needed on how technology can facilitate cow-calf contact (CCC). This research communication describes the behaviour of dairy cow-calf pairs in two cow-driven CCC-systems differing in cows' access to the calves through computer-controlled access gates (smart gates, SG). Specifically, cow traffic through SG when visiting their calves, allogrooming, suckling and cross-suckling, cows' eating and resting behaviour and finally vocal response to separation were assessed. After 3 d in an individual calving pen, pairs (n = 8) were moved to the CCC compartment with a cow area, a calf creep and a meeting area. During the next 31 d calves could suckle the cows whenever they visited the meeting area (suckling phase). Cows had free (group 1, n = 4 pairs) or restricted access to the calves based on previous activity in the automatic milking system (group 2, n = 4 pairs). SG's controlled cow traffic between the meeting area and the cow area, in which the cows could access resources such as feed, cubicles, and the automatic milking system. Following the suckling phase cow access into the meeting area was gradually decreased over 9 d (separation phase). During the suckling phase, cows paid frequent and short visits to their calves. Pairs spent in total approximately one h/d suckling and allogrooming. However, the duration and frequencies of these events varied among pairs and groups, as did the vocal response to separation. Restricted access - cows performed more (unrewarded) attempts to visit the calves who cross-suckled more. Collectively, free access to the calves may have been more intuitive and welfare friendly. Although a low sample size limits interpretation beyond description and enabling hypothesis formulation for future research, the results indicate that the cow is motivated to visit her calf, albeit through a SG, thus facilitating particular behaviours for which cow-calf pairs are highly motivated.