Lying behaviour of individual beef cattle during day time

Abstract

Cows in pasture farms spend more than half their life lying down. If lying down time is decreased in any sort of way, cows can suffer from stress, lameness and other welfare problems. The time a cow lies down can be restricted by high temperature and heat stress. A cow can lie down in four different lying positions; long, wide, narrow, short. Which are restricted in different ways in the modern cubicle housing systems. In Uruguay, a new kind of pasture system is gaining attention. This silvopastoral system, is characterized by large numbers of Eucalyptus trees. The trees are planted for the production of paper and pulp and by adding livestock to this system the land can be used with benefits for farmer and cattle. With the 2 by 2 by 7 m framework wherein the trees are planted, the system provides shade and forage for cattle. During this observational study different herds where observed six hours a day in three episodes of two hours, starting from 8.00 am till 6.00 pm. The herds were living on two different silvopastoral systems and two open pasture systems, without the Eucalyptus trees. By continuously scanning the herd, a behaviour pattern was observed in the different lying positions, standing and other behaviour. The main result of this study was that the cows were lying down more and longer during midday in the silvopastoral systems. On high temperature days the herd acted more homogenous in the silvopastoral system. This suggest that the silvopastoral system influences the lying behaviour of the herd in a welfare positive way. And reduces the effect on heat stress on the behaviour of the cows.