J. Dairy Sci. 99:9917–9924
http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-10548
© American Dairy Science Association®, 2016.
Short communication: Rumination and feeding behaviors differ
between healthy and sick dairy cows during the transition period
K. Schirmann,*† D. M. Weary,* W. Heuwieser,†1 N. Chapinal,* R. L. A. Cerri,‡ and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk*2
*Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
†Clinic for Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 65, 14163 Berlin, Germany
‡Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were: (1) to describe the
rumination and feeding behavior of freestall-housed
Holstein dairy cows in the weeks around parturition,
and (2) to determine the relationship between postpartum disease and precalving rumination and feeding
behavior. Eighty cows were enrolled at approximately
2 wk (18 ± 7 d, mean ± standard deviation) before
calving. Using automatic monitoring systems, rumination and feeding behavior were recorded continuously
from 10 d before until 3 wk after calving. Postpartum
health checks were performed each day, and metritis assessment was conducted 2 times/wk. Blood
β-hydroxybutyrate was measured 3 times/week, and
cows with ≥1.2 mmol/L during the first 14 d postpartum were diagnosed as having subclinical ketosis. The
final data set included 64 cows in 5 groups: healthy (n
= 20), metritis (n = 18), subclinical ketosis (SCK; n
= 9), metritis+SCK (n = 9), and >1 health problem
and not included before (MULT, n = 8). We compared
rumination and feeding data between healthy cows and
the 4 categories of ill animals in each of 4 periods relative to calving: precalving (d −7 to −2), period 1 (d
3 to 8 postpartum), period 2 (d 9 to 14 postpartum),
and period 3 (d 15 to 20 postpartum). Cows with SCK
spent less time ruminating during the precalving period. Compared with healthy cows, those with SCK and
metritis+SCK had lower dry matter intake during the
precalving period and continued to eat less until d 14
and d 20 postpartum, respectively. Cows with metritis
and MULT cows had lower dry matter intake during
the first 2 wk postpartum. Precalving feeding time was
lower for SCK, metritis+SCK, and MULT cows compared with healthy cows. The difference in feeding time
Received October 20, 2015.
Accepted August 18, 2016.
1
Current address: Department of Population Medicine and
Diagnostic Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY.
2
Corresponding author: nina@mail.ubc.ca
between healthy and metritis+SCK cows had disappeared by period 2 and between all health categories
except MULT by period 3. MULT cows visited the feed
bins less often and were less often replaced at the feed
bin throughout all 4 periods of the study. Automatic
monitoring of intake and rumination showed promise
for the detection of health problems after calving. We
observed differences in precalving rumination and feeding behavior. Further research is necessary to better
understand the onset of behavioral changes and the
relationship between rumination and disease.
Key words: rumination collar, subclinical ketosis,
metritis, automatic monitoring, disease
Short Communication
There is growing interest in how to use behavior to
identify disease early and, ideally, automatically (see
reviews: Weary et al., 2009; von Keyserlingk and Weary,
2010). In this context, feeding and rumination behavior
are of particular interest. Feeding behavior describes
the parameters involved in active feeding, such as the
time spent feeding, the amount of feed intake, and the
rate at which feed is ingested. Rumination behavior
(needed for particle breakdown and rumen pH balance)
describes the time spent ruminating previously ingested feed and consists of regurgitation, re-insalivation,
remastication, and reswallowing of feed boluses. Feeding behavior is sensitive to management situations and
health, especially during the transition period (von
Keyserlingk and Weary, 2010). For example, Huzzey
et al. (2007) and Goldhawk et al. (2009) found that
changes in DMI and time spent feeding in the days
before calving identified cows that were later diagnosed
with metritis or subclinical ketosis (SCK) postpartum,
respectively. Rumination activity has been linked to
the detection of anxiety (Bristow and Holmes, 2007),
distress (Schirmann et al., 2011), disease (Fogsgaard et
al., 2012), and metabolic disorders (Hansen et al., 2003;
DeVries et al., 2009). Recent work has also shown some
promise in the use of rumination as an indicator for dis-
9917
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SCHIRMANN ET AL.
ease during the transition period (Soriani et al., 2012;
Calamari et al., 2014; Kaufman et al., 2016). However,
none of these studies monitored feeding behavior. To
date, no information is available on how health-related
differences in time spent ruminating during the transition period are related to feeding behavior.
The objectives of this study were to use rumination
and feeding data captured using validated technologies
(1) to describe time spent ruminating and feeding behavior (consisting of DMI, time spent feeding, feeding
rate, and visits to the feed bin) of freestall-housed dairy
cows in the weeks before and after parturition, and (2)
to determine the relationship between postpartum disease and rumination behavior before and after calving.
This study was conducted at the University of British Columbia’s Dairy Education and Research Centre
(Agassiz, BC, Canada). Animals were managed and
cared for according to the guidelines set by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (2009). A total of 80
multiparous Holstein cows (parity 3.3 ± 1.6, mean ±
SD) were enrolled. Primiparous cows were excluded,
because research has shown differences in behavior
compared with multiparous animals (Hasegawa et
al., 1997; González et al., 2003). Cows were enrolled
at 18 ± 7 d (mean ± SD) before calving. Behavior
and health status were recorded for 5 wk (2 wk before
calving to 3 wk after calving). Cows were kept in a
freestall barn: 1 pen housed 12 prepartum cows, and 2
pens (each containing 12 cows) housed the postpartum
animals. Cows were assigned in an alternating fashion
to the postpartum pens. All pens were equipped with
12 lying stalls fitted with a mattress (Pasture Mat;
Promat Inc., Woodstock, ON, Canada) and covered
with approximately 5 cm of sand bedding; 6 Insentec
feed bins (Insentec BV, Marknesse, the Netherlands)
and 1 Insentec water bin. The cow-to-stall ratio was
1:1 throughout the study. Group composition was dynamic, with cows entering and leaving the pre- and
postpartum pens, depending on expected and actual
calving dates and duration spent in the pen. Prepartum cows were checked multiple times daily for signs of
imminent calving. Cows showing signs such as vaginal
discharge, milk letdown, or relaxation of the pelvic ligaments were moved to 1 of the 2 individual maternity
pens. The maternity pens were deep-bedded with sand
and covered with fresh straw; cows stayed here until
their first milking. Milking took place twice each day at
approximately 0700 h and 1700 h.
Pre- and postpartum diets were formulated according to NRC (2001) recommendations. Prepartum cows
were fed at approximately 0800 h, and postpartum
cows were fed twice daily at approximately 0700 and
1600 h. Fresh TMR samples were collected and frozen
weekly. Samples were thawed and dried at 60°C for 48
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 99 No. 12, 2016
h to determine DM content. Samples were then ground,
pooled monthly, and sent to Cumberland Valley Analytical Services Inc. (Maugansville, MD) for analysis
(AOAC International, 2005) to determine average
CP, ADF, NDF, and NEL content. Prepartum TMR
consisted of 43.9% corn silage, 34.7% alfalfa hay, and
21.4% prelactation concentrate and mineral mix on
a DM basis (DM: 44.5 ± 3.4%; CP: 15.4 ± 0.9% of
DM; ADF: 32.4 ± 1.7% of DM; NDF: 44.1 ± 2.5% of
DM; NEL: 1.4 Mcal/kg). Postpartum TMR consisted
of 39.7% mineral and concentrate mix, 32.9% grass
silage, 19.2% corn silage, and 8.2% alfalfa hay on a
DM basis (DM: 51.4 ± 3.2%; CP: 18.1 ± 0.9% of DM;
ADF: 21.1 ± 1.6% of DM; NDF: 33.4 ± 0.9% of DM;
NEL: 1.6 Mcal/kg). Thawed TMR samples were used to
determine particle size distribution with the Penn State
Particle Separator (Kononoff et al., 2003), consisting of
3 sieves and the bottom pan. The pore sizes of the 3
sieves were 19 mm (upper), 8 mm (middle), and 1.18
mm (lower). The prepartum TMR was composed of
28.3% of particles >19 mm, 37.1% of particles >8 mm,
24.4% of particles >1.18 mm, and 10.2% of particles
<1.18 mm. The postpartum TMR was composed of
20.8% particles >19 mm, 36.1% of particles >8 mm,
30.3% of particles >1.18 mm, and 12.8% of particles
<1.18 mm.
The Insentec system, validated by Chapinal et al.
(2007), was used to monitor time spent feeding, duration of feeding, and amount of feed consumed during
each visit to a bin. We used a previously validated replacement criterion (Huzzey et al., 2014) to automatically assess social behavior in the form of replacements
at the feed bunk using data collected from the Insentec
system. A replacement was defined as 1 cow (the actor)
replacing another cow (the reactor) at the same feed
bin.
Cows were fitted with rumination loggers (HR-Tag;
SCR, Netanya, Israel) for continuous recording of rumination activity (for a full description and validation, see
Schirmann et al., 2009). Infrared identification units,
installed above water bins and at the entrance to the
milking parlor, were used to transmit data from the
logger to the computer.
Every morning, cows in the prepartum pen had their
rectal temperatures taken and were checked for signs
of calving, injuries, and visible signs of illness, such
as dehydration or lameness. Blood BHB was measured
weekly (Iwersen et al., 2009). Body condition was
scored weekly using a 5-point scale in 0.25 increments
(adapted from Ferguson et al., 1994).
Postpartum health checks were performed daily after
morning milking and consisted of rectal temperature,
rumen auscultation (healthy cattle have 1 or 2 primary
rumen contractions per min; Divers and Peek, 2008),
SHORT COMMUNICATION: RUMINATION AND FEEDING BEHAVIOR IN DAIRY COWS
percussion for displaced abomasum (listening for abdominal pings; Radostits et al., 2007), dehydration
(skin test, dry mucosal tissue, sunken eyes), and retained placenta (placenta still attached >24 h following
parturition). Blood BHB was determined 3 times/week
(Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Cows were classified as having SCK when BHB was ≥1.2 mmol/L during the first 14 d postpartum (Oetzel, 2004; Duffield et
al., 2009; McArt et al., 2012a). Metritis diagnosis was
based on vaginal discharge, scored twice per week using
the evaluated Metricheck (Metricheck, Simpro, New
Zealand; Pleticha et al., 2009). Discharge was assessed
visually and scored (0 to 4; adapted from Sheldon et
al., 2006). Cows with at least 1 score of 3 (clear or
cloudy mucus with >50% pus) or 4 (watery, red-brown)
during the first 21 d postpartum were classified as having puerperal metritis. Given diurnal variations in fever
(Vickers et al., 2010) and the high subjectivity of vaginal discharge odor assessment (Sannmann et al., 2013),
fever and odor were not considered. A trained milker
assessed cows for clinical mastitis at every milking by
checking udders and visually inspecting the milk.
Of the 80 cows enrolled, 7 did not finish the study
(sold, severe milk fever, persistent mastitis, or split
legs) and 9 cows were removed from the final data
set because they were diagnosed with a single health
problem that was not metritis or SCK (milk fever, fever, mastitis). Data were grouped according to cows’
postpartum health status. Cows that presented no
symptoms of health problems were classified as healthy
(n = 20). Cows with health problems were classified as
having metritis (n = 18), SCK (n = 9), both diseases
(metritis+SCK, n = 9), or >1 health problem and not
included before (e.g., mastitis and SCK; MULT, n =
8). Cows with retained placenta and metritis were classified as having metritis, given that a retained placenta
is a major risk factor for metritis (Paisley et al., 1986).
The mean BCS across all sick cows at parturition was
3.29 ± 0.25 (mean ± SD); the mean BCS for healthy
cows was 3.33 ± 0.22.
Data loss of one or more 2-h intervals of rumination
data led to the exclusion of the entire day for that
animal and resulted in a total loss of 4% of the data.
We performed statistical analyses using SAS software
(version 9.3; SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC), with cow
as the experimental unit. We summarized DMI, feeding time, rumination, and social behavior data by 2-h
interval, cow, and day to obtain individual daily values.
Feeding rates were calculated by dividing DMI by time
spent feeding. Days −1, 0, 1, and 2 relative to calving
were excluded, because research has shown that calving
and regrouping affect rumination and feeding behavior
(Schirmann et al., 2011, 2013). Data were initially plotted to identify differences in behaviors between health
9919
categories over time and were then divided into 4 periods: precalving (d −7 to d −2), period 1 (d 3 to 8 postpartum), period 2 (d 9 to 14 postpartum), and period
3 (d 15 to 20 postpartum). These periods essentially
referred to the weeks relative to calving, but because
we excluded the days around calving we preferred the
term period rather than week. To test for differences
between health categories in each of the periods we
used a mixed model (PROC MIXED) with cow as a
repeated measure and health status as a fixed effect.
Parity and the interaction day × health status were
not significant. Day was significant and retained in the
model. We used Dunnett’s adjustment as a post hoc
test to evaluate differences between healthy and sick
cows and control for the experimental wise error rate.
Residuals were plotted and visually examined to assess
normality and homogeneity of variances. Significance
was declared at P ≤ 0.05 and tendency at P ≤ 0.1.
On average, precalving healthy cows spent 14% more
time ruminating than precalving SCK cows (Figure
1A). We observed no differences in times spent ruminating postpartum. The DMI of precalving healthy
cows was 12 and 15% higher than that of precalving
metritis+SCK and SCK cows, respectively (Figure 1B).
During period 1, healthy cows consumed on average
15% more (range 11 to 18%) than cows in the other
health categories. Healthy cows consumed 8 to 13%
more during period 2. During period 3, healthy cows
had a higher DMI than cows with metritis+SCK, but
cows with SCK and cows with metritis only tended to
differ.
Precalving healthy cows spent on average 18 to 29%
more time feeding than cows with SCK, metritis+SCK,
and MULT (Table 1). In period 1, healthy cows spent
13 to 25% more time feeding than cows in the other
health categories. During period 2, healthy cows spent
up to 24% more time feeding than cows with metritis,
SCK, and MULT. In period 3, only MULT cows differed from healthy cows and spent close to an hour less
feeding (22%).
Precalving SCK and MULT cows had a higher feeding
rate than healthy cows. Only MULT cows had a higher
feeding rate than healthy cows throughout periods 1 to
3. Precalving healthy cows visited the feed bin 18, 24,
and 40% more often than cows in the metritis+SCK,
SCK, and MULT groups, respectively. Healthy cows
visited the feed bins 14% more often than SCK cows
in period 1 and 36, 35, and 28% more frequently than
MULT cows in periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively.
In the precalving period and period 1, healthy cows
were 31 and 33% more often successful at replacing
another cow at the feed bin than MULT cows (Table
1). Compared with healthy cows, metritis+SCK cows
were more often successful at replacing another cow
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 99 No. 12, 2016
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SCHIRMANN ET AL.
Figure 1. Average daily time spent ruminating (LSM ± SE; A) and average daily DMI (LSM ± SE; B) for the 5 health categories: healthy
(n = 20), metritis (n = 18), subclinical ketosis (SCK; n = 9), metritis+SCK (n = 9), and MULT (>1 health problem and not included before; n
= 8) within each period relative to calving (precalving, and periods 1, 2, and 3). †P < 0.1, *P < 0.05: significance levels for differences between
healthy cows and each of the other health categories within a period relative to calving.
during period 3. During the precalving period, metritis cows were replaced 33% more often than healthy
cows. At the same time, cows with SCK and MULT
were replaced less often than healthy cows. In period
1, SCK and MULT cows were both replaced 42% less
often at the feed bin than healthy cows. MULT cows
were also replaced less often during periods 2 (43%)
and 3 (33%) than healthy cows. In periods 2 and 3 only,
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 99 No. 12, 2016
metritis+SCK cows were replaced 36 and 47% more
often at the feed bin than healthy cows.
This study shows differences in rumination and
feeding behavior between healthy cows and cows with
health problems in the weeks following parturition. The
percentage of cows with metritis reported in the current study (28%) was within the range of previous work
(Machado et al., 2014, 12%; Patbandha et al., 2012,
9921
SHORT COMMUNICATION: RUMINATION AND FEEDING BEHAVIOR IN DAIRY COWS
40%). The percentage of cows with SCK reported here
(14%) was also within the range of previous work: for
example, McArt et al. (2012a) reported a prevalence of
43%, and Liboreiro et al. (2015) described a prevalence
of 13%. However, the prevalence of SCK reported in
the literature varies, depending on threshold applied
(Borchardt and Staufenbiel, 2012), region (Suthar et
al., 2013), and management (Heuwieser et al., 2010;
Berge and Vertenten, 2014). In our study, excluding
metritis+SCK cows, 13% of animals experienced multiple unrelated health problems. Combined, the percentage of animals with multiple health problems in the
present study (27%) was slightly higher than the 20%
reported by Ospina et al. (2010).
The average precalving and postpartum rumination
times for healthy cows of 7.5 and 9 h/d were similar
to those reported elsewhere (Adin et al., 2009; Soriani
et al., 2012; Calamari et al., 2014). We observed no
differences between health categories in time spent
ruminating during periods 1 to 3. However, the ob-
served precalving difference in rumination activity
between healthy animals and animals with SCK was
in agreement with Kaufman et al. (2016). Interestingly,
Kaufman et al. (2016) reported a tendency toward a decrease in rumination for cows with SCK during wk −1
and +1 relative to calving. Also, Liboreiro et al. (2015)
noted a reduction in daily rumination time from calving to d 8 postpartum for cows with SCK. A decrease
in rumination time, combined with the onset of clinical disease, has previously been described for lameness
(Miguel-Pacheco et al., 2014), mastitis (Siivonen et al.,
2011; Fogsgaard et al., 2012), and metabolic changes
(Hansen et al., 2003; DeVries et al., 2009). In agreement
with these results, our work suggests that monitoring
rumination precalving can be useful in identifying cows
that will experience health problems, especially SCK,
in the days after calving. The early detection of cows
with SCK is important; when left untreated, these cows
have a higher risk of displaced abomasum and are more
likely to be culled within the first 30 DIM (McArt et
Table 1. Least squares means (±SE) for feeding and social behavior for cows from each of 5 health categories
and for each of the 4 periods investigated
Health category1
Parameter
Feeding time (min/d)
Precalving
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Feeding rate (g/min)
Precalving
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Visits (no./d)
Precalving
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Replacement actor2 (no./d)
Precalving
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Replacement reactor3 (no./d)
Precalving
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Healthy
(n = 20)
Metritis
(n = 18)
SCK
(n = 9)
Metritis+SCK
(n = 9)
MULT
(n = 8)
236
197
231
249
±
±
±
±
5
4
5
5
221
172
204
236
±
±
±
±
5
4*
7*
5
168
158
202
235
±
±
±
±
5*
6*
7*
7
193
172
214
232
±
±
±
±
7*
6*
6
7
174
148
175
195
±
±
±
±
8*
7*
7*
8*
65
103
96
93
±
±
±
±
2
2
2
2
69
107
98
97
±
±
±
±
2
2
2
2
81
105
96
96
±
±
±
±
2*
3
3
3
70
97
89
94
±
±
±
±
2
3
3
3
87
115
116
115
±
±
±
±
3*
8*
3*
3*
62
44
46
47
±
±
±
±
2
2
2
2
60
43
46
49
±
±
±
±
2
2
2
2
47
38
44
48
±
±
±
±
3*
2*
2
2
51
41
45
48
±
±
±
±
3*
2
2
2
37
28
30
34
±
±
±
±
3*
2*
2*
3*
13
12
14
14
±
±
±
±
1
1
1
1
12
12
14
15
±
±
±
±
1
1
1
1
10
11
15
18
±
±
±
±
1
1
2
2
12
14
18
19
±
±
±
±
1
1
1†
2*
9
8
10
13
±
±
±
±
1*
1*
2
2
12
12
14
15
±
±
±
±
1
1
1
1
16
13
16
16
±
±
±
±
1*
1
1
1
7
7
11
15
±
±
±
±
1*
1*
2
2
11
14
19
22
±
±
±
±
1
1
1*
2*
6
7
8
10
±
±
±
±
1*
1*
2*
2*
1
MULT = >1 health problem and not included before; SCK = subclinical ketosis.
The cow actively displacing another cow from a feed bin and taking her place at the same feed bin.
3
The cow being displaced from the feed bin.
†P < 0.1, *P < 0.05: difference between healthy cows and each of the other health categories within period
relative to calving.
2
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 99 No. 12, 2016
9922
SCHIRMANN ET AL.
al., 2012b). Furthermore, SCK impairs reproduction,
decreasing pregnancy rates at first insemination (Walsh
et al., 2007).
In the present study, average precalving and postpartum DMI, time spent feeding, and number of visits to
the feed bin for healthy animals were in line with our
previous research (Huzzey et al., 2007; Goldhawk et
al., 2009; Vickers et al., 2013). However, unlike Huzzey
et al. (2007), we did not detect differences in feeding
behavior before calving between cows with metritis and
healthy cows. This difference may have been due to differences in days included in the analysis, and to scoring
of vaginal discharge and inclusion criteria. Differences
in diet between studies may also have contributed to
differences in feeding behavior, because dietary energy
density has been found to influence behavior at the feed
bunk (Huzzey et al., 2013). The reduced DMI, lower
feeding times, and fewer visits to the feed bin before
calving that we observed for cows with SCK may have
been caused by malaise without diagnosable illness,
and by reduced abdominal space because of the growing fetus. Throughout the study, MULT cows spent less
time feeding, fed at a faster rate, and visited the feed
bin less often than healthy cows. Interestingly, they also
had lower DMI in periods 1 and 2 despite the increase
in feeding rate. The MULT cows were less often the
receiver of a replacement in all 4 study periods, but the
active involvement of MULT cows in a replacement was
lower only during the precalving period and period 1.
Other studies have shown that ill and lame cows will
sometimes increase feeding rate, likely as a mechanism
to maintain intake (González et al., 2008; Norring et
al., 2014). We suggest that when cows feel sick, they are
less able to compete successfully for access to the feed
bunk, and thus use higher feeding rates when they do
have access. Previous research has shown that socially
subordinate cows, less able to aggressively compete for
access to feed, eat at higher rates when they do have access to feed (Proudfoot et al., 2010). In our study, cows
in the MULT group not only increased their feeding
rate, but also showed an added peak of feed intake in
the early afternoon, a time of day when there is otherwise little activity at the feed bunk, possibly providing
another way for sick cows to avoid social interactions
and competition at the feed bunk. We therefore suggest
that cows in the MULT group developed different coping mechanisms, such as an increased feeding rate and
feeding at less favorable times, to maintain DMI at a
level similar to healthy cows.
Some forms of illness likely reduce appetite, especially at the onset of disease. For example, Fogsgaard
et al. (2012) reported that feeding behavior decreased
after Escherichia coli mastitis was induced. The differences in postpartum feeding behavior in our study
Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 99 No. 12, 2016
were similar to those observed by Huzzey et al. (2007)
and Goldhawk et al. (2009); these studies found lower
DMI and feeding times during the first weeks postpartum for cows diagnosed with metritis and SCK,
respectively. The cow-to-bin ratio in our study was 2:1
for the prepartum and postpartum periods. Using the
same ratio of 2:1 and a ratio of 1:1, Proudfoot et al.
(2009) reported tendencies for lower DMI during the
last week prepartum and lower feeding times during the
first week postpartum for cows that were overstocked.
Interestingly, Hosseinkhani et al. (2008), using the
same ratios as Proudfoot et al. (2009), found no differences in DMI for cows during wk −3 and −2 relative to
calving. Overall, our results suggest that the ill cows in
our study were attempting to avoid competition by increasing feeding rate or feeding at a less favorable time,
but they were still motivated to feed. The differences
in feeding and social behavior for MULT cows suggest
the need for further research on behavioral changes for
cows with more than one health problem. Furthermore,
our results demonstrate the importance of distinguishing between animals with a single health problem and
with multiple health problems.
Automatic monitoring of rumination and feeding
behavior in transition dairy cows shows promise for the
detection of health problems. Moreover, a combination
of both behaviors would likely result in higher detection
rates. Monitoring individual rumination behavior with
the system used in our study is easier than monitoring
individual feed intake and might be more practical and
more likely to be implemented on commercial farms.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are grateful to the students and staff of the University of British Columbia’s Animal Welfare Program
(Vancouver, BC, Canada) and Dairy Education and
Research Centre (Agassiz, BC, Canada). In particular,
we thank Lindsay Collings, Lori Vickers (both of the
Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia) and Onno Burfeind (Tierklinik für Fortpflanzung,
FU Berlin) for their help with the data collection.
M.A.G. von Keyserlingk and D.M. Weary are supported by Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Programs and
the NSERC Industrial Research Chair Program, with
industry contributions from the Dairy Farmers of Canada (Ottawa, ON, Canada), British Columbia Dairy
Association (Burnaby, BC Canada), Westgen Endowment Fund (Milner, BC, Canada), Intervet Canada
Corporation (Kirkland, QC, Canada), Zoetis (Kirkland,
QC, Canada), Novus International Inc. (Oakville, ON,
Canada), BC Cattle Industry Development Fund (Kamloops, BC, Canada), Alberta Milk (Edmonton, AB,
SHORT COMMUNICATION: RUMINATION AND FEEDING BEHAVIOR IN DAIRY COWS
Canada), Valacta (St. Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada),
and CanWest DHI (Guelph, ON, Canada).
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