The Milk Producer - April 2011 - (Page 30)

RESEARCH By Natalie Osborne Cow comfort at forefront our cows’ comfort is an ongoing concern, which is why a national study spanning three provinces is underway to help develop a tool with critical control points you can use to measure and improve cow comfort. Over the next year, producers in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta will be contacted by mail to participate in a study of 240 farms. University of Guelph professor Derek Haley, population medicine, is leading an Ontario team, along with graduate students Jess Zaffino and Clem Nash. “Improving cow comfort can help reduce health issues, veterinary bills and even increase milk yield,” says Haley. “In addition to these practical issues, most dairy producers do have a genuine concern for their animals’ quality of life. This project makes the scientific research on welfare and comfort more accessible and practical for producers.” The researchers will visit 90 farms in Ontario to determine what effect stall size, flooring material and stocking density has on cow comfort. As well, they will explore how welfare indicators such as lameness and lying time affect a cow’s longevity. “Many cow comfort problems are related to the animals’ physical environment, for example, stall design,” says Haley. “Researchers have studied how factors such as stall size and bedding quality impact lameness and lying time and to come up with some target standards for these parameters that can improve cow comfort.” The researchers are using a device called a HOBO data logger to record cows’ lying time. Commonly used by engineers, the logger can measure movement in three dimensions. Re30 | April 2011 | MilkPRODUCER National study spanning three provinces is underway to analyse a cow’s physical environment Y searchers used to have to painstakingly observe cows for many hours, around the clock to record lying and standing behaviour. Now, by strapping the data loggers to a cow’s leg for about five days, Haley and his team can get an accurate estimate of its lying behaviour. The researchers will also measure stall width, length, flooring and bedding, as well as stocking density on freestall farms. They will then compare this data with the information downloaded from the loggers. The results will help Haley and his team determine relationships between lying time and stall design, and how well the data from these experimental studies apply to real world settings. Each producer will get a report outlining their farm’s results and whether it achieved the target standards, as well as management protocols that could be changed to increase cow comfort. Another issue Haley is examining is longevity. Increasing efficiency by improving a cow’s longevity is one of Dairy Farmers of Canada’s research priorities. Haley and his team will compare farm cow comfort scores with turnover rates to determine whether any relationship exists between a cow’s comfort and her longevity. Top photo shows activity monitor wrapped to a cow’s leg. Photo below is a close-up of the HOBO data logger that will be used to record a cow’s lying time. Natalie Osborne is a student writer with the University of Guelph’s office of research. The project’s overall lead investigator is Dr. Anne-Marie de Passillé, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Other collaborators include professors David Kelton and Stephen LeBlanc, population medicine, and Trevor DeVries, animal and poultry science. Funding is provided by Dairy Farmers of Canada.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - April 2011

The Milk Producer - April 2011
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Industry Roundup
DFC Promotion
Cover Story
Producer Profile
Research
Applied Science
Ruminations
Calf Rearing
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - April 2011