BEHAVIOR OF DAIRY-COWS KEPT IN EXTENSIVE (LOOSE HOUSING PASTURE) OR INTENSIVE (TIE STALL) ENVIRONMENTS .3. GROOMING, EXPLORATION AND ABNORMAL-BEHAVIOR

Twenty-four pairs of monozygotic twin dairy cows (Danish Friesian and Red Danish) were assigned to four groups of 12 in a balanced incomplet e block design. Group E: loose housing, free access to feeding table, deep bedding, a yard and pasture, milking twice a day. Group N: tie st all, concrete floor plus 1 kg straw, milking twice a day, no exercise. Group I: tie stall, rubber mats plus 2 kg straw, milking four times a day, no exercise. Group IE: as group I, except for 1 h daily exercise . The aim of this experiment was to compare allo- and self-grooming, e xploration and abnormal behaviour (bar-biting, tongue-rolling, leaning ) in an extensive environment and in tie-stalls, and to compare the be haviour in tie-stalls with and without the possibility of daily exerci se. The total frequencies of social sniffing and licking were lower in group E compared with the tethered groups. Within the tethered groups , the frequencies of sniffing and licking were significantly lower in group IE. The frequency of self-grooming was lower in group E than in the three tethered groups. In cows of all groups, licking of the back and sides of the body constituted 40-45% of all grooming behaviour. Wh en tethered, the cows directed only 30-32% of all licking behaviour ag ainst the hindquarters, whereas this behaviour pattern increased to 56 % in the yard (group IE). The frequencies of all types of exploratory behaviours (sniffing and licking the equipment or the ground) were 2-3 times higher in the tie-stall than in loose housing systems. In group IE, sniffing the equipment and the ground was twice as high per hour in the yard than in the stable, while the frequency of licking the equ ipment was more than five times higher in the yard. The frequency of l eaning against equipment was higher in the tie-stall than in group E a nd performed by 57-64% of the cows in the tie-stall. Permanent tetheri ng of dairy cows seems to change the normal activity pattern and incre ase leaning behaviour. Daily exercise in a yard increased the frequenc ies of normal social behaviour, self-grooming and investigative behavi our, and decreased bar-biting, and therefore indicates some deprivatio n in permanently tethered cows.