Publikationsdatenbank

Analysis of effects on physiological and behavioral characteristics to detect heat load of lactating dairy cows (2020)

Art

Vortrag

Autoren

Heinicke, J.

Pinto, Severino (WE 10)

Müschner-Siemens, T.

Hoffmann, G.

Ammon, C.

Zhang, G.

Amon, Thomas (WE 10)

Kongress

Asian Conference on Precision Livestock Farming (ACPLF2020)

Peking, China, 19. – 21.10.2020

Quelle

Sprache

Englisch

Kontakt

Institut für Tier- und Umwelthygiene

Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13
14169 Berlin
+49 30 838 51845
tierhygiene@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

In the course of the predicted climate change, the problem of welfare and heat load of dairy cows has become increasingly important. The temperature-humidity index (THI) is the most common approach to identify heat load, but the index does not include animal based indicators. The objective of the present studies was to analyze physiological and behavioral characteristics of lactating dairy cows under heat load. Additionally, individual cow-related factors and several heat load effects regarding the climate conditions were considered.
The main part of the measurements was conducted continuously in a naturally ventilated dairy barn in Germany (period of two years). The barn climate was collected at eight points within the barn and the average THI was calculated every 10 min. The THI was used to define the heat load the cows were exposed to. Moreover, the respiration rate, the heart rate, the rumination time, as well as the activity and lying behavior of the cows were analyzed. In addition, a shorter measurement period was implemented on a research dairy farm in Israel.
With increasing heat load, there was an increase of the respiration rate depending on the body posture and milk yield of the individual cow. Furthermore, the lying and rumination time decreased in dependence on individual cow-related factors. The results showed that the tested characteristics are suitable to evaluate the heat load of cows individual. The respiration and heart rate reacted very sensitively and should be combined with other characteristics to determine the heat load at an early stage.