Study on the Effect of Different Rearing Conditions during Milk Drinking Period on Performance and Behaviour of Dairy Cows in their First Lactation

Abstract

The study objectives were to find whether cow growth, milk yield, and maze learning behaviour are affected by rearing conditions until weaning and the sire lineage. 35 Holstein heifers were assigned to one of three treatments: SM, n=13, pen with mother to 21st day, then group pen (they received a maximum 6 kg milk daily); SN, n=9, after 3 days with own mother in pen with nursing cow (they received a maximum 6 kg milk daily); H, n=13, in hutch from 2nd to 56th day, 6 kg milk replacer daily), then loose housing pen to weaning (6 kg milk replacer daily). After weaning at 84th day, all heifers were kept in pens with the same ration to the calving. During the lactation, live body weight (LBW) was measured each month and milk yield each day. Maze learning was evaluated at the 5th month of lactation. The data were analysed using a General Linear Model ANOVA. At the 30th day, the LBW tended to be the highest in SN (SM 528.2±11.4 kg, SN 571.7±15.3 kg, H 533.2±12.3 kg). On the lactation end, the highest LBW was in SN and the lowest in H (SM 612.6±12.2 kg, SN 623.1±16.4 kg, H 569.8±13.2 kg, P<0.05). The SN tended to the highest production of milk (SM 7143.9±241.5 kg, SN 7345.1±319.0 kg, H 7146.7±234 kg), and the H for FCM (SM 6290.3±203.2 kg, SN 6307.6±268.4 kg, H 6399.3±197.1 kg) for 305-days lactation. Group SN crossed the maze fastest (SM 1141.4±120.5 s, SN 810.3±160.5 s, H 1120.8±118.6 s). The vocalisations number differed significantly (SM 32.3±5.7, SN 20.8±4.4, H 9.9±2.6, P<0.01). The results indicated that the rearing method to weaning may have an impact on dairy cows performance and behaviour.