Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a delay (at 09:30 instead of 07:30 h) in Total Mixed Ration (TMR) delivery on the behaviour, milk yield, and haematological parameters in dairy cows. Twelve healthy Italian Holstein cows, divided into two homogeneous groups of six each, were involved. The...

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Main Authors: Simona Normando, Roberto Mantovani, Lieta Marinelli, Gianfranco Gabai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2013-04-01
Series:Italian Journal of Animal Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/2647
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author Simona Normando
Roberto Mantovani
Lieta Marinelli
Gianfranco Gabai
author_facet Simona Normando
Roberto Mantovani
Lieta Marinelli
Gianfranco Gabai
author_sort Simona Normando
collection DOAJ
description This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a delay (at 09:30 instead of 07:30 h) in Total Mixed Ration (TMR) delivery on the behaviour, milk yield, and haematological parameters in dairy cows. Twelve healthy Italian Holstein cows, divided into two homogeneous groups of six each, were involved. The TMR delay was applied either for one (on Tuesday; single delay, SD) or for three consecutive days (Tuesday to Thursday; repeated delay, RD) to one group at a time while the other acted as control. A week of pause was interposed between treatments and the order of the treatment was randomised. Behaviour was observed by instantaneous scan sampling every 2 min during seven half-hour periods on Tuesday and Thursday and blood samples were taken at 14:30 h on these days. Milk yield was recorded daily. Data were analysed by a mixed models for repeated measurements. The delay caused a marked increase in activities towards the feeding rack prior to feeding on day 1 when delay was applied both as SD (P<0.01) and RD (P<0.05). On the third day of delay, pre- and post-meal agonistic behaviour increased in delayed cows (P<0.01). Milk yield and blood parameters were not affected by the delay. Results suggest that a two hours delay in feeding can affect behaviour in cows, increasing behavioural patterns, which may be a sign of mild frustration.
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spelling doaj.art-61672f66ac9e4382a5e75f84f5ae69722022-12-21T19:50:28ZengTaylor & Francis GroupItalian Journal of Animal Science1594-40771828-051X2013-04-01122e24e2410.4081/ijas.2013.e242110Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cowsSimona Normando0Roberto Mantovani1Lieta Marinelli2Gianfranco Gabai3Università di PadovaUniversità di PadovaUniversità di PadovaUniversità di PadovaThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of a delay (at 09:30 instead of 07:30 h) in Total Mixed Ration (TMR) delivery on the behaviour, milk yield, and haematological parameters in dairy cows. Twelve healthy Italian Holstein cows, divided into two homogeneous groups of six each, were involved. The TMR delay was applied either for one (on Tuesday; single delay, SD) or for three consecutive days (Tuesday to Thursday; repeated delay, RD) to one group at a time while the other acted as control. A week of pause was interposed between treatments and the order of the treatment was randomised. Behaviour was observed by instantaneous scan sampling every 2 min during seven half-hour periods on Tuesday and Thursday and blood samples were taken at 14:30 h on these days. Milk yield was recorded daily. Data were analysed by a mixed models for repeated measurements. The delay caused a marked increase in activities towards the feeding rack prior to feeding on day 1 when delay was applied both as SD (P<0.01) and RD (P<0.05). On the third day of delay, pre- and post-meal agonistic behaviour increased in delayed cows (P<0.01). Milk yield and blood parameters were not affected by the delay. Results suggest that a two hours delay in feeding can affect behaviour in cows, increasing behavioural patterns, which may be a sign of mild frustration.http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/2647Behaviour, Dairy cow, Feeding delay, Haematological parameter, Milk yield
spellingShingle Simona Normando
Roberto Mantovani
Lieta Marinelli
Gianfranco Gabai
Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows
Italian Journal of Animal Science
Behaviour, Dairy cow, Feeding delay, Haematological parameter, Milk yield
title Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows
title_full Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows
title_fullStr Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows
title_full_unstemmed Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows
title_short Effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour, milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows
title_sort effects of a delay in feed delivery on behaviour milk yield and heamatological parameters of dairy cows
topic Behaviour, Dairy cow, Feeding delay, Haematological parameter, Milk yield
url http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/2647
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AT robertomantovani effectsofadelayinfeeddeliveryonbehaviourmilkyieldandheamatologicalparametersofdairycows
AT lietamarinelli effectsofadelayinfeeddeliveryonbehaviourmilkyieldandheamatologicalparametersofdairycows
AT gianfrancogabai effectsofadelayinfeeddeliveryonbehaviourmilkyieldandheamatologicalparametersofdairycows