Preferences of Freestall Housed Dairy Cows to Different Bedding Materials

Year 2012, Volume: 38 Issue: 2, 135 - 140, 14.11.2012

Jurii Mıtev İvan Varlyakov Tchonka Mıteva Nasko Vasılev Jivka Gergovska Krassimira Uzunova Vania Dımova

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the behaviour of dairy cows during the rest periods and their preferences to different bedding materials with limited amount of straw as well as the hygienic score of dairy cows. Thirty-six Holstein dairy cows at the first to fourth lactation with live weight 610±58 kg and milk yield of 7364±1202 liter for 305 days of lactation were used for the experiment. Three types of bedding materials were used for the preference test – rubber mats, manure-straw bedding and sand. The hygienic score of the animal's body was made by 4 point system. The average values of the studied functional activity (FA) were determined by using a mathematical model adapted for this purpose. The installed soft rubber mats on concrete floor mitigated the adverse effects on animal behaviour at rest. The lying time (iFA-0.4133) on the rubber mats and the number of lying down (21.2) during the day showed that rubber mats are more comfortable for cows than manure-straw bedding and sand. When using a small amount of straw bedding, the cows preferred to lie longer on soft rubber mats. The hygienic score of the body of dairy cows was between 1.40 and 2.94, and depended on floor bedding and the regular cleaning of the stall.

Key Words: Cow comfort, freestall, dairy cows, behavior, bedding materials

 

ÖZET

SERBEST GEZİNMELİ SİSTEMDE BARINDIRILAN SÜTÇÜ İNEKLERİN ALTLIK MATERYALİ TERCİHLERİ

Bu araştırma sütçü ineklerin dinlenme dönemindeki davranışlarının incelenmesi, sınırlı miktarda saman kullanıldığında altlık tercihlerinin ortaya konulması ve hijyenik skorlarının belirlenmesi amacı ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırmanın hayvan materyalini 610±58 kg canlı ağırlık ortalamasına, 7364±1202 litre süt verimine sahip, 1-4. laktasyondaki 36 baş Siyah Alaca inek oluşturmuştur. Araştırmada tercih testi için üç farklı altlık materyali kullanılmıştır: a) kauçuk, b) gübre-saman karışımı ve c) kum. Hayvan vücudunun hijyenik skorlaması 4 puanlı sistem ile yapılmıştır. İncelenen fonksiyonel aktivite (FA) için ortalama değerler, bu amaç için adapte edilen bir matematik model yardımı ile belirlenmiştir. Beton zemine serilen yumuşak kauçuk, dinlenme sırasındaki hayvan davranışları üzerine olumsuz etkileri azaltmıştır. Kauçuk zemindeki yatma süresi (iFa=0,4133) ve günlük yatma sayısı (21,2) sonuçları, kauçuk zeminin gübre saman karışımı ve kum altlığa kıyasla inekler için daha konforlu olduğunu göstermektedir. Altlık materyali olarak az miktarda saman kullanıldığında, inekler kauçuk zeminde daha uzun süre yatmayı tercih etmişlerdir. Araştırmada, sütçü ineklerin hijyenik skorlarının 1,40 ile 2,94 arasında değiştiği ve zemin altlık tipi ve ahırın olağan temizlik faaliyetlerinden etkilendiği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: İnek konforu, serbest gezinmeli sistem, sütçü inekler, davranış, altlık materyali

Keywords

İnek konforu, serbest gezinmeli sistem, sütçü inekler, davranış, altlık materyali

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