Winter dairy grazing systems: management practices and cow
comfort
M. STEWART, A.D. FISHER, G.A. VERKERK AND L.R. MATTHEWS
Nutrition and Behaviour, AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre,
Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand.
NZSAP 2002 Abstract No. 13
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 62:
44-48
During winter, it is common practice to move dairy cows to a
stand-off area. This project aimed to identify off-pasture management
systems on farms and compare cow comfort on a variety of stand-off
surfaces. A questionnaire was distributed in several dairying regions.
The most common types of stand-off surfaces were concrete, or concrete
in combination with another type of system. More farmers using woodchip
surfaces reported that their cows laid down than those using concrete.
The major health problem identified was lameness, and the majority of
farmers believed that a woodchip pad worked best. Lying behaviours of
216 pregnant, non-lactating Friesian cows, on 18 farms in Waikato and
Southland were recorded. Waikato cows were stood-off on woodchip pads,
concrete and farm races. In Southland, covered and uncovered sawdust
pads and crops were used. Cows spent longer (P<0.05) lying per day on
woodchips (11.3 hrs) than on concrete (2.4 hrs) and races (4.1 hrs).
Lying times for cows on covered sawdust pads (10.2 hrs) were not
different from those on uncovered pads (11.5 hrs) or crops (11.2 hrs). A
properly managed woodchip surface may cause less lameness and provide
better opportunities for cows to rest than concrete surfaces or races.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
dairy cow; winter management; stand-off; lying behaviour;
comfort
Last Updated 30/07/2002
