Tip of the Month – January 2023

Cow behavior in the barn.

A little reflection in the new year. We all know this, but checking whether it really works is sometimes good. Grab 4 moments of the day for this check.

If 14 hours a day lying down is optimal for a cow, then at least half and preferably 60% of the cows should lie down. And also important: 60% have to ruminate.

So 60% of the cows have to lie down, 10% walk near or around the VMS and 30% are at the feed fence or walk with a goal.
Pay particular attention to whether cows hang around, stand in the layingboxes for a long time and, for example, seem reluctant to lie down or go to a certain part of the barn or avoid to go along a narrow path or walking past a dominant cow .

How much influence do the feeding moments or “cow control” moments, walking between the cows, have on this distribution? Does it remain quiet in the stable !
And of course box comfort, sprinkle (sawdust) moments, walkways, ….
Then you have already measured a large number of Cow Signals!