TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship between metabolic status and behavior in dairy cows in week 4 of lactation
AU - van Hoeij, RJ
AU - Kok, A
AU - Bruckmaier, RM
AU - Haskell, MJ
AU - Kemp, B
AU - van Knegsel, ATM
PY - 2018/7/26
Y1 - 2018/7/26
N2 - Blood metabolite and hormone concentrations are indicative of metabolic status, but blood sampling and analysis is invasive and
time-consuming. Monitoring behavior can be done automatically, and behaviors may also be used as indicators of metabolic
status. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between metabolic status and feeding behavior, lying behavior,
motion index and steps of dairy cows in week 4 postpartum. Behavioral data from 81 Holstein-Friesian cows were collected
using computerized feeders and accelerometers, and blood samples were collected for analysis of free-fatty acid (FFA),
β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, insulin, IGF-1 and growth hormone (GH) concentrations. First, cluster analysis was performed
to categorize cows as having poor, average, good or very good metabolic status based on their plasma FFA, BHB, glucose,
insulin, IGF-1 and GH concentration. Subsequently, the performance and behavior of cows in clusters with poor, average and
good metabolic status were compared using GLM. Cows with a poor or average metabolic status tended to have greater fatand-
protein-corrected milk yield than cows with good metabolic status. Furthermore, cows with a poor metabolic status had a
lower energy balance and dry matter intake (DMI) than cows with an average or good metabolic status and had a lower number
of meals than cows with good metabolic status. Daily number of visits to the feeder and lying time tended to be positively
related with metabolic status. Feeding rate (kg/min), daily meal time (min/day), number of lying bouts per day, steps and motion
index were not related with metabolic status. In conclusion, better metabolic status in dairy cows in early lactation was
associated with a greater DMI, increased feeding activity and a tendency to more time spent lying, compared with poor
metabolic status. These results suggest that compromised metabolic status is reflected in altered cow’s behavior in week 4 of
lactation.
AB - Blood metabolite and hormone concentrations are indicative of metabolic status, but blood sampling and analysis is invasive and
time-consuming. Monitoring behavior can be done automatically, and behaviors may also be used as indicators of metabolic
status. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between metabolic status and feeding behavior, lying behavior,
motion index and steps of dairy cows in week 4 postpartum. Behavioral data from 81 Holstein-Friesian cows were collected
using computerized feeders and accelerometers, and blood samples were collected for analysis of free-fatty acid (FFA),
β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, insulin, IGF-1 and growth hormone (GH) concentrations. First, cluster analysis was performed
to categorize cows as having poor, average, good or very good metabolic status based on their plasma FFA, BHB, glucose,
insulin, IGF-1 and GH concentration. Subsequently, the performance and behavior of cows in clusters with poor, average and
good metabolic status were compared using GLM. Cows with a poor or average metabolic status tended to have greater fatand-
protein-corrected milk yield than cows with good metabolic status. Furthermore, cows with a poor metabolic status had a
lower energy balance and dry matter intake (DMI) than cows with an average or good metabolic status and had a lower number
of meals than cows with good metabolic status. Daily number of visits to the feeder and lying time tended to be positively
related with metabolic status. Feeding rate (kg/min), daily meal time (min/day), number of lying bouts per day, steps and motion
index were not related with metabolic status. In conclusion, better metabolic status in dairy cows in early lactation was
associated with a greater DMI, increased feeding activity and a tendency to more time spent lying, compared with poor
metabolic status. These results suggest that compromised metabolic status is reflected in altered cow’s behavior in week 4 of
lactation.
KW - Continuous milking
KW - Dry period length
KW - Feeding behaviour
KW - Lactogenic hormones
KW - Sensor technology
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/relationship-between-metabolic-status-behavior-dairy-cows-week-4-lactation
U2 - 10.1017/S1751731118001842
DO - 10.1017/S1751731118001842
M3 - Article
C2 - 30047359
SN - 1751-732X
VL - 13
SP - 640
EP - 648
JO - Animal
JF - Animal
IS - 3
ER -