By Mogensen, Lisbeth Nielsen Lone Harder Hindhede Jens Sorensen Jan Tind Krohn Christian, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section A-Animal Science, 1997
Description
An experiment was conducted on three Danish commercial dairy farms using 70 Danish Friesian heifers over a period of 141 to 162 days beginning in November. Average body weight of the heifers was 315 kg at the beginning of the experiment. Fourteen experimental pens were established with a flock size of five and different space allowance in the deep bedding area: 1.8, 2.7, and 3.6 m-2 resting area per heifer. The total space allowance inclusive of an unstrawed area at the feed manger was 3.6, 4.5, or 5.5 m-2 per heifer in herd 1, 3.6 or 4.5 m-2 per heifer in herd 3, and 3.0 or 4.9 m-2 per heifer in herd 2. Eating space was standardized within pens to 60 cm per animal. Feed was available ad libitum. At 1.8 m-2 resting area per heifer, the heifers were unable to synchronize their resting behaviour, and the variance of the daily lying time was higher compared with heifers at 2.7 or 3.6 m-2 resting area. None of the heifers were lying on the unstrawed area. Total lying time was not affected by the space allowance of resting area. There was a tendency towards more aggressive interactions at the lowest resting area of 1.8 m-2 per heifer. Frequency of abnormal behaviour was very low and was not affected by the space allowance. Daily gain and feed intake were increased in heifers with a resting area of 2.7 or 3.6 m-2 compared with 1.8 m-2, but the feed conversion ratio was unaffected. The prevalence of heel horn erosion was higher at 1.8 m-2 resting area compared with 2.7 and 3.6 m-2. For heifers with access to 2.7 or 3.6 m-2 compared with 1.8 m-2 resting area per heifer both welfare (behaviour and health) and production were improved
An experiment was conducted on three Danish commercial dairy farms using 70 Danish Friesian heifers over a period of 141 to 162 days beginning in November. Average body weight of the heifers was 315 kg at the beginning of the experiment. Fourteen experimental pens were established with a flock size of five and different space allowance in the deep bedding area: 1.8, 2.7, and 3.6 m-2 resting area per heifer. The total space allowance inclusive of an unstrawed area at the feed manger was 3.6, 4.5, or 5.5 m-2 per heifer in herd 1, 3.6 or 4.5 m-2 per heifer in herd 3, and 3.0 or 4.9 m-2 per heifer in herd 2. Eating space was standardized within pens to 60 cm per animal. Feed was available ad libitum. At 1.8 m-2 resting area per heifer, the heifers were unable to synchronize their resting behaviour, and the variance of the daily lying time was higher compared with heifers at 2.7 or 3.6 m-2 resting area. None of the heifers were lying on the unstrawed area. Total lying time was not affected by the space allowance of resting area. There was a tendency towards more aggressive interactions at the lowest resting area of 1.8 m-2 per heifer. Frequency of abnormal behaviour was very low and was not affected by the space allowance. Daily gain and feed intake were increased in heifers with a resting area of 2.7 or 3.6 m-2 compared with 1.8 m-2, but the feed conversion ratio was unaffected. The prevalence of heel horn erosion was higher at 1.8 m-2 resting area compared with 2.7 and 3.6 m-2. For heifers with access to 2.7 or 3.6 m-2 compared with 1.8 m-2 resting area per heifer both welfare (behaviour and health) and production were improved
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