The potential factors causing responsiveness of dairy cows to humans in free stall barns
2007
Uetake, K.(Azabu Univ., Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Veterinary Medicine) | Kaneko, S. | Morita, S. | Yuasa, Y. | Hoshiba, S. | Tanaka, T.
The major factors that potentially cause responsiveness of Holstein cows in free stall barns were determined. Behavioral observations were conducted on five separate occasions in a commercial dairy farm that had approximately 150 lactating cows in three free stall barns. A total of 78 cows were randomly selected as subjects. Twelve behavioral measurements related to responsiveness to humans in the contexts of milking, inspecting and capturing were analyzed by a factor analysis. Factor scores were estimated for each subject. Correlation coefficients were calculated between factor scores and milk yield. Analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of calving number, lactation stage and lameness on each factor score. The scree plot that bent at the fifth eigenvalue showed four factors present. The measurements concerning flight response to humans and entry into the parlor had large loadings on the first factor. Time required to return from the parlor to the free stall barn had large loadings on the second factor. The milking temperament score and staying area in the free stall barns at about two hours after morning milking had large loadings on the third factor. Stop frequency in the return alley from the milking parlor and response to an inspector had large loadings on the fourth factor. Thus the first to fourth factors were interpreted as 'fearfulness of the human', 'sluggishness', 'aversion to milking' and 'sensitivity to surrounding', respectively. The factor scores of fearfulness of the human (r=-0.20, n=71, P=0.10) and illness (r=-0.22, n=71, P=0.07) were weakly correlated with milk yield. The scores of sluggishness and sensitivity were significantly different across the calving number (Fsub(3,63)=3.56, P0.05) and lameness (Fsub(1,63)
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