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A possible relationship between the flinch, step and kick response and milk yield in lactating cows
Applied Animal Ethology, 10 (1983) 287-290 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam - Printed in The Netherlands
A POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FLINCH, RESPONSE AND MILK YIELD IN LACTATING COWS
GREGORY
287
STEP AND KICK
L. WILLIS’
S.S. Cameron Research Laboratories, (Australia)
Animal Research Institute,
Werribee,
Vie.
(Accepted for publication 23 June 1982)
ABSTRACT Willis, G.L., 1983. A possible relationship between the flinch, step and kick response and milk yield in lactating cows. Appl. Anim. Ethol., 10: 287-290. Short-term increases in the milk yield of lactating dairy cows were found to be associated with increases in the occurrence of flinching, stepping and kicking which occurred during the milking process. Since the nature of the observed relationship between increased objectionable behaviours during milking and milk yield is unknown, culling dairy cows using behaviour during milking as the sole criterion may not be economically justifiable.
Dairy cows which step, kick and constantly move during different stages of machine milking require special attention, and thereby detract from the efficiency of a dairy. It has been suggested that the best way to deal with these animals is to cull them from the herd (Kilgour, 1974). Although efficiency and workman safety are the primary reasons for culling, no information is available as to the relationship between the tendency of an animal to display objectional behaviour and its ability to produce milk. We have made several observations of lactating dairy cows under both the conditions of calf suckling and machine milking, and have found that there are 3 behaviours which commonly occur at these times. Flinching of the udder or stomach muscles, continuous shifting of weight from one hind foot to the other and kicking were observed occurring together in both the natural and artificial contexts of milk withdrawal, and the behavioural complex was therefore termed the Flinch, Step and Kick (FSK) response. After frequently observing that the highest milk-producer in our experimental herd displayed an FSK response rate considerably higher than that of the lowest milk producer, we decided to examine the relationship between these 2 variables in more depth. ‘Present address: Monsah University Department Henry’s Hospital, Melbourne, Vie. 3004, Australia.
0304-3762/83/$03.00
o 1983
of Psychological
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
Medicine,
Prince
288
In the first study, 10 Friesian X Jersey cows, selected at random from a milking herd, were observed for 14 days. The total quantity of milk yield for each cow during each morning and evening milking was recorded using a proportional sampling meter (Trutest; Auckland, New Zealand). The total number of flinches, steps and kicks made by each cow during udder washing, cup placement and cup removal were recorded for the morning and evening milkings. The mean FSK response and milk yield for the 10 randomly selected cows for each day of observation are expressed in Fig. 1. The higher milk yields on Days 1-5 and 11-14 were accompanied by high rates of FSK response. On these days, the herd was milked by the same dairyman. A second milker was on duty during Days 6-10 when the milk yields were lower and the FSK response-rate was reduced. The quantity of milk obtained and the rate of FSK response were significantly higher on Days 1-5 and 11-14 than on Days 6-10 (T-test;P < 0.001 in both cases). 230-
~230
T T
-210
> ;:
I
iii s -190
E? % i!
-170
1
l-5
f $
-150
L
L
6-10
11-14
DAYS
Fig. 1. The mean daily milk yield (m) and FSK response-rate (0) of 10 cows milked twice daily. These cows were milked by the same person OJI Days l-5 and 11-14 while a second person milked on Days 6-10. (The bars represent the standard error of the mean.)
In cows visual from
a second study, changes in the FSK response were observed when dairy were conditioned to increase or decrease milk ejection in response to a stimulus presented during milking (Willis and Mein, 1983). One cow this study, coincidentally chosen as the first to drop her calf, was ob-
289
served for 9 milkings and the FSK response-rate and quantity of milk obtained for each day are expressed in Fig. 2. Regression analysis reveals a significant relationship between milk yield and FSK response-rate over the 9 consecutive days of observation (P < 0.05).
DAILY
MILK YIELDS
IN ASCENDING
ORDER
Fig. 2. The daily milk yield (m) and FSK response-rate (0) of a cow milked once daily. For illustration purposes, the 9 days of observation were arranged in ascending order, according to the magnitude of FSK response.
The observed association between an increased milk yield and frequency of FSK response, if it occurs commonly in all dairy herds, is hard to reconcile in view of our current understanding of the factors which influence milk ejection. Stepping, kicking and constant movement during milking are considered to be indicative of a stressful situation, and would consequently be expected to accompany inhibition of milk ejection and decreased milk yield (Seabrook, 1972; Willett and Erb, 1972; Sibaja and Schmidt, 1974). This, in addition to workman safety, has been the main reason for eliminating these poorly behaved cows from the dairy herd. However, our results may suggest that removal of these animals may not be justified without first considering each animal’s potential for productivity. The decision to cull an animal purely on the basis of its behaviour during milking (Kilgour, 1974) may be hasty and not economically justifiable. We therefore suggest that additional research is necessary in an attempt to clarify the relationship between behaviours such as the FSK response and milk production in lactating dairy cows. Furthermore, work of this nature is essential before guidelines for culling cows, based on behavioural criteria, are established. REFERENCES Kilgour, R., 1974. Cow behaviour during yarding and milking. Proc. 5th Aust. Milking Congr., pp. 3467.
290 Seabrook, M.F., 1972. A study to determine the influence of the herdsman’s on milk yield. J. Agric. Labour Sci., 1: 45-59. Sibaja, R.A. and Schmidt, G.H., 1974. Epinephrine inhibiting milk ejection cows. J. Dairy Sci., 58: 344-348. Willett, L.B. and Erb, R.D., 1972. Short-term changes in plasma corticoids in J. Anim. Sci., 34: 103-105. Willis, G.L. and Mein, G., 1983. Classical conditioning of milk ejection using ditioned stimulus. Appl. Anim. Ethol., 9: 231-237.
personality in lactating dairy cattle. a novel con-
A POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FLINCH, RESPONSE AND MILK YIELD IN LACTATING COWS
GREGORY
287
STEP AND KICK
L. WILLIS’
S.S. Cameron Research Laboratories, (Australia)
Animal Research Institute,
Werribee,
Vie.
(Accepted for publication 23 June 1982)
ABSTRACT Willis, G.L., 1983. A possible relationship between the flinch, step and kick response and milk yield in lactating cows. Appl. Anim. Ethol., 10: 287-290. Short-term increases in the milk yield of lactating dairy cows were found to be associated with increases in the occurrence of flinching, stepping and kicking which occurred during the milking process. Since the nature of the observed relationship between increased objectionable behaviours during milking and milk yield is unknown, culling dairy cows using behaviour during milking as the sole criterion may not be economically justifiable.
Dairy cows which step, kick and constantly move during different stages of machine milking require special attention, and thereby detract from the efficiency of a dairy. It has been suggested that the best way to deal with these animals is to cull them from the herd (Kilgour, 1974). Although efficiency and workman safety are the primary reasons for culling, no information is available as to the relationship between the tendency of an animal to display objectional behaviour and its ability to produce milk. We have made several observations of lactating dairy cows under both the conditions of calf suckling and machine milking, and have found that there are 3 behaviours which commonly occur at these times. Flinching of the udder or stomach muscles, continuous shifting of weight from one hind foot to the other and kicking were observed occurring together in both the natural and artificial contexts of milk withdrawal, and the behavioural complex was therefore termed the Flinch, Step and Kick (FSK) response. After frequently observing that the highest milk-producer in our experimental herd displayed an FSK response rate considerably higher than that of the lowest milk producer, we decided to examine the relationship between these 2 variables in more depth. ‘Present address: Monsah University Department Henry’s Hospital, Melbourne, Vie. 3004, Australia.
0304-3762/83/$03.00
o 1983
of Psychological
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.
Medicine,
Prince
288
In the first study, 10 Friesian X Jersey cows, selected at random from a milking herd, were observed for 14 days. The total quantity of milk yield for each cow during each morning and evening milking was recorded using a proportional sampling meter (Trutest; Auckland, New Zealand). The total number of flinches, steps and kicks made by each cow during udder washing, cup placement and cup removal were recorded for the morning and evening milkings. The mean FSK response and milk yield for the 10 randomly selected cows for each day of observation are expressed in Fig. 1. The higher milk yields on Days 1-5 and 11-14 were accompanied by high rates of FSK response. On these days, the herd was milked by the same dairyman. A second milker was on duty during Days 6-10 when the milk yields were lower and the FSK response-rate was reduced. The quantity of milk obtained and the rate of FSK response were significantly higher on Days 1-5 and 11-14 than on Days 6-10 (T-test;P < 0.001 in both cases). 230-
~230
T T
-210
> ;:
I
iii s -190
E? % i!
-170
1
l-5
f $
-150
L
L
6-10
11-14
DAYS
Fig. 1. The mean daily milk yield (m) and FSK response-rate (0) of 10 cows milked twice daily. These cows were milked by the same person OJI Days l-5 and 11-14 while a second person milked on Days 6-10. (The bars represent the standard error of the mean.)
In cows visual from
a second study, changes in the FSK response were observed when dairy were conditioned to increase or decrease milk ejection in response to a stimulus presented during milking (Willis and Mein, 1983). One cow this study, coincidentally chosen as the first to drop her calf, was ob-
289
served for 9 milkings and the FSK response-rate and quantity of milk obtained for each day are expressed in Fig. 2. Regression analysis reveals a significant relationship between milk yield and FSK response-rate over the 9 consecutive days of observation (P < 0.05).
DAILY
MILK YIELDS
IN ASCENDING
ORDER
Fig. 2. The daily milk yield (m) and FSK response-rate (0) of a cow milked once daily. For illustration purposes, the 9 days of observation were arranged in ascending order, according to the magnitude of FSK response.
The observed association between an increased milk yield and frequency of FSK response, if it occurs commonly in all dairy herds, is hard to reconcile in view of our current understanding of the factors which influence milk ejection. Stepping, kicking and constant movement during milking are considered to be indicative of a stressful situation, and would consequently be expected to accompany inhibition of milk ejection and decreased milk yield (Seabrook, 1972; Willett and Erb, 1972; Sibaja and Schmidt, 1974). This, in addition to workman safety, has been the main reason for eliminating these poorly behaved cows from the dairy herd. However, our results may suggest that removal of these animals may not be justified without first considering each animal’s potential for productivity. The decision to cull an animal purely on the basis of its behaviour during milking (Kilgour, 1974) may be hasty and not economically justifiable. We therefore suggest that additional research is necessary in an attempt to clarify the relationship between behaviours such as the FSK response and milk production in lactating dairy cows. Furthermore, work of this nature is essential before guidelines for culling cows, based on behavioural criteria, are established. REFERENCES Kilgour, R., 1974. Cow behaviour during yarding and milking. Proc. 5th Aust. Milking Congr., pp. 3467.
290 Seabrook, M.F., 1972. A study to determine the influence of the herdsman’s on milk yield. J. Agric. Labour Sci., 1: 45-59. Sibaja, R.A. and Schmidt, G.H., 1974. Epinephrine inhibiting milk ejection cows. J. Dairy Sci., 58: 344-348. Willett, L.B. and Erb, R.D., 1972. Short-term changes in plasma corticoids in J. Anim. Sci., 34: 103-105. Willis, G.L. and Mein, G., 1983. Classical conditioning of milk ejection using ditioned stimulus. Appl. Anim. Ethol., 9: 231-237.
personality in lactating dairy cattle. a novel con-