Increasing cow comfort pays dividends

Poor cow mobility can have detrimental effects on a herd’s fertility, production and performance. According to the National Animal Disease Information Service, in the UK it is estimated that there are 55 cases of lameness per 100 cows per year, with the average case costing £178, and the average herd losing approximately £10,000 per 100 cows every year.

I’ve talked about planned foot care programmes, foot bathing, the environment as well as several other factors which can impact on lameness but one area I haven’t covered is cow comfort. This is fundamental to cow health and fertility, which in turn will strongly influence the efficiency of milk production and the longevity of a cow in the herd.

Cubicle design and lying surface are key factors influencing lying times and consequently cow performance.

Poor cow comfort has long been associated with increased rates of lameness in dairy cattle. Excessive time spent standing on concrete walking surfaces appears to predispose cows to claw-horn lesion development. Poor lying times have also been identified as a significant risk factor for lameness. The increased time spent standing, when the cow would rather be lying down and the surface that she must stand on, are the major factors driving differences in lameness prevalence at the herd level.

Cow comfort has a direct impact on behaviour. As a guide, a study by Grant & Albright indicates that cows spend five hours per day feeding, consuming nine to 14 meals per day. In addition, they ruminate seven to 10 hours per day, spend approximately 30 minutes per day drinking, two to three hours per day outside the pen for milking and other management practices and require approximately 10 to 12 hours per day of lying time. If cow comfort is not maximised then natural behaviour patterns could be hampered.

Cubicle designs which fail to provide for the movements of lying and rising, adequate resting space, or a cushioned surface will tend to reduce lying behavior to less than 10 hours per day and increase standing time in the stall. Increased periods spent perching or standing are likely to result in a correlation between reduced lying behaviour and worsening claw health.

Bedding is a key consideration and while sand is considered the gold standard, it will not suit every system. Whatever you choose, cushioning is key. Cows need a soft surface for lying but something that also provides traction and support as she gets up and down. Lying down is important for the cow to rest and ruminate, blood to circulate through the udder and increase milk production.

Generally, the longer the cows spend lying rather than standing, the lower the incidences of lameness. Their hooves rest and dry off and more space is created for other cows to walk around the shed.

Lame cows are a useful barometer of cow comfort. In less comfortable cubicles, lying times of lame cows will be significantly reduced. Increased lying times will aid the speedy recovery of lame cows, as well as contribute to lameness prevention.

Nick Challenor is the owner of ND Challenor Professional Livestock Services.