B. Wechsler et al., Behaviour and leg injuries in dairy cows kept in cubicle systems with straw bedding or soft lying mats, APPL ANIM B, 69(3), 2000, pp. 189-197
In order to reduce straw input, soft lying mats are used increasingly inste
ad of straw bedding in cubicle systems for dairy cows. This study aimed at
comparing different types of soft lying mats with straw bedding regarding c
ow behaviour and leg injuries. Data were collected on five farms with straw
bedding and on 13 farms using four types of soft lying mats consisting of
different materials. On each farm, lying behaviour of 10 cows was recorded
automatically during 3 days by means of a pneumatically operated resting se
nsor fitted in a belt. In addition, standing up and lying down behaviour of
cows was quantified by direct observations, and all cows on a given farm w
ere checked once for leg injuries.
There were no significant differences between cows kept in cubicle systems
with soft lying mats and straw bedding regarding the total time spent lying
per day and the number of lying bouts per day. Standing up and lying down
behaviour also did not differ between cows with access to soft lying mats a
nd straw bedding. Leg injuries were most frequent in the carpal and tarsal
joints. Cows kept in cubicle systems with soft lying mats had a significant
ly higher incidence of both hairless patches more than 2 cm in diameter (P
< 0.001) and scabs or wounds less than 2 cm in diameter (P < 0.001) located
in the tarsal joints than cows in cubicle systems with straw bedding. With
the carpal joints, on the other hand, the incidence of leg injuries did no
t differ significantly between these two housing conditions. In conclusion,
the results of this study indicate that soft lying mats are equivalent to
straw bedding in terms of cow behaviour but less favourable with respect to
leg injuries located in the tarsal joints. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.
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