Effects of Rubber Flooring on Feeding and Resting Behavior of Dairy Buffalo and Cows
Abstract
This experiment evaluated the effects of rubber laying surface on feeding and lying behavior kinetics of dairy buffaloes and cows. Fifty-four Anatolian dairy buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and 18 Brown Swiss dairy cows were used in the experiment. The animals group-housed in pens with concrete floor before the rubber flooring. The behavior of the animals was recorded 24 hours for 15 days before and after rubber flooring with a video camera system in the barn. Behavior data were expressed as % of observed animal in pen per hour for each species. Lying down behavior was assumed in a resting manner. The average number of buffaloes laying down increased after rubber flooring while there was no effect on resting behavior of the cows. The rubber flooring had no effect on feeding behavior of cows. Unexpectedly, the percent of buffaloes displaying feeding behavior decreased after rubber flooring. Results suggested that water buffalo may have different responses to management and housing strategies compared with the cows. However, further comparative studies with individual animal data and wide-spread behavioral observations may support a better understanding of behavioral response to modern intensive management strategies in dairy buffaloes.
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Veterinary Sciences
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Eyüp Eren Gültepe
*
This is me
0000-0002-2404-1232
Türkiye
Hesna Kandır
This is me
Ümit Özçınar
This is me
0000-0002-1143-1215
Publication Date
December 31, 2019
Submission Date
June 27, 2019
Acceptance Date
September 17, 2019
Published in Issue
Year 2019 Volume: 12 Number: 4
