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D A I R Y C O F E A T U R E
Dairy farmers across the South West are looking
at their cows with fresh eyes following a series
of DairyCo events on Cow Signals.
KAR EN L ANC A S T E R
CowSignals
T
he concept of reading cow behaviour to identify problem areas in
their surroundings or routine is growing in popularity, and enabling
dairy farmers to more closely meet their cows' needs, leading to
increased production and lower costs.
Rachael Grigg, Cornwall extension officer for
DairyCo, says the series of five events has
been a great success. ‘One farmer said the
invitation alone was enough to make him go
and look at his cows. It's all about looking at
things with fresh eyes, and people have gone
away from the events planning to make
changes to their systems as a result.’
Karen Lancaster, a qualified vet and DairyCo
extension officer for Cumbria and Lancashire,
says that cows have six key needs - food,
water, air, light, rest and space. By going
into the cattle housing and assessing cow
behaviour, posture and physical signs with
a detached viewpoint, it is easy to identify
areas that could be improved.
‘Because farmers spend all day, every day,
around their cows they often stop seeing the
bigger picture - it is just about getting them to
take a step back. By observing their cows
there are many things that farmers can do
very easily and cheaply that can make a
big difference.’
Light and ventilation are often big problems
on dairy farms, as older sheds tend to be
quite dark and enclosed, says Miss Lancaster.
Cows need 16-18 hours of a minimum of
200 lux of light a day to maximise feed
intakes and fertility, giving an increase in milk
yield of up to 16%. It is also beneficial for
their fertility to provide them with 6-8 hours
of less than 50 lux of light mimicking
night-time. ‘Daylight is the cheapest form of
light available, so taking out some Yorkshire
boarding or putting extra skylights in is a low
cost option which also increases ventilation.’
Cows should ideally spend 14 hours a day
lying down, so they have to be comfortable.
‘A quick test is to drop to your knees at the
front of the cubicle and see how comfortable
it is. Look out for hock lesions - they are a
good indicator of cubicle comfort and the
abrasiveness of the bedding.’
At any one time some 85% of cows in
cubicles should be lying down, she adds.
‘If they are not achieving that, look at the
possible reasons why.’ If the cows are
standing half in, half out of the cubicle, the
neck rail could be too far back. If their hind
end is hanging over the edge of the cubicle
when lying down, the brisket locator is too
far back. ‘Often it is only minor changes
that need to be made.’
Another common pitfall is slippery or dirty
walking surfaces in collecting yards or
housing, which can result in accidents,
lameness, and queuing cattle. A useful test for
this is called the Ballerina Test. ‘Stand on the
spot and try to twist round on one foot - if you
get more than half way round the surface is
too slippery and could need grooving.’
By monitoring their cows' behaviour, farmers
often pick up on illnesses or problems more
quickly. It is also an opportunity to score the
herd's mobility and condition, leading to
further health and financial benefits. ‘All you
have to do is go and look at what your
cows are telling you, as every herd and
unit is different.’
C A S E S TUDY
Stephen and Richard Dark
, who
hosted one of the events at Trudnoe
Farm, Mullion, Cornwall, have
already made some changes as
a result.
‘One of the main things I have done is
allow the cows an eight-hour period of
reduced lighting overnight to improve
their fertility,’ says Stephen. ‘We're also
7
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