- Brief communication
- Open access
- Published:
Cow-calf contact: a single-herd observational study of AMS yield during the first 100 days in milk
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 66, Article number: 33 (2024)
Abstract
An increasing number of dairy farmers plan to implement cow-calf contact (CCC) in their herd which necessitates descriptions of the cows` performance in different systems. The aim of the study was to describe (1) Automatic milking system (AMS) milk yield of cows in a CCC system during the first 100 days in milk (DIM) and (2) AMS milk yield before and after cow-calf separation. In a prospective study at a commercial Norwegian dairy farm, we included all calvings from Norwegian Red cows between January 2019 to April 2020. After calving, cow-calf pairs stayed in an individual calving pen during the first 5–6 d before they were moved to the loose housing unit with the remaining herd. Calves had whole-day (24 h/d) and full physical contact to the cows. Cows were milked in an AMS. From 14 individual cows of which one cow calved twice during the study period, we collected daily AMS yields from 15 different lactations, with parities ranging from 1 (n = 6), 2 (n = 5) and 3 (n = 4). Due to the sample size and structure of the data set, we only calculated descriptive statistics from DIM 7-100. All data is shown separately for primiparous and multiparous cows. Mean (± SD) calf age at (fence-line) separation was 52 d ± 14.8 beyond which suckling was prevented. Our data indicates great individual variation in the AMS milk yield. Prior to separation, primiparous cows` AMS yields ranged from 11.0 to 25.9 kg/d while that of multiparous cows ranged from 4.8 to 28.8 kg/d. Once calves were no longer allowed to suckle, the yield increased gradually. During the week after separation, AMS yields ranged from 17.3 to 30.4 kg/d for primiparous cows and 8.7 to 41.8 kg/d for multiparous cows and these yields increased in DIM 93–100 (26.5 to 34.3 and 20.6 to 38.3 kg/d respectively). This study is limited by a low sample size from a single-herd but may provide useful descriptions of AMS milk yield in a whole-day, full contact CCC system during the first 100 days of lactation.
Findings
Most commonly, dairy calves are separated from their dam shortly after birth. However, 3% of Norwegian dairy farmers now practice cow-calf-contact [CCC, 1] during the first weeks of the lactation [2]. In [2], the authors found that as many as 15% of the farmers plan to implement CCC on their farm. In CCC systems, cow-calf pairs have different degrees of physical contact (full or partial) while the duration of daily contact may vary from whole-day CCC to part-day CCC [1]. EFSA recently stated that CCC should be progressively implemented as more knowledge becomes available [3]. Documented assets of CCC for the calf are related to e.g., a high pre-weaning growth [4], a positive or neutral effect on health [5] and the possibility to express natural social and feeding behaviours [6, 7]. Given the pivotal importance of a stable income from the dairies, farmers considering to change from artificial calf rearing to CCC need knowledge on the expected performance [5]. In CCC systems, the cows’ total milk production constitutes the suckled milk (often not quantified) and the machine milk yield [8]. Many Norwegian farmers practicing CCC use Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) [9] which necessitates descriptions of AMS performance specifically. The aim of the study was to describe (1) AMS milk yield of cows in a CCC system during the first 100 days in milk (DIM) of the lactation and (2) AMS milk yield before and after cow-calf separation.
This study took place at a commercial dairy herd in Rena, Norway practicing dam-calf contact since 2018, i.e., the calf had contact to its own dam [1]. This herd had 15 lactating dairy cows. The breed was mainly Norwegian Red (n = 14) and Jersey (n = 1). The dairy herd manager (HA) was willing to participate in an observational study and share data.
All Norwegian Red cows calving during the study period (January 2019 to April 2020) were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria were failure of established suckling or bonding, calving outside the calving pen or a difficult parturition resulting in clinical signs of ill-health of cow or calf. Calving took place in an individual calving pen. The calving pens were bedded with straw (until the calf was born) or sawdust. For the first 5–6 d after birth, pairs were housed in the calving pens. During these days, cows were taken to milking in the AMS (Lely A4, Cornelis van der Lelylaan 1, 3147 Pb Maassluis, The Netherlands) twice per day. Cow-calf pairs were then moved to the main area for lactating cows. This area consisted of two loose-housing areas: the fresh-cow pen (68 m2) and the main pen for lactating cows (174 m2). At d 5–6, a cow-calf pair was moved to the fresh cow pen (five lying cubicles and five feeding slots) for one week. Subsequently, they were moved to the main pen with other lactating cows and their calves. This area had 22 rubber matted and saw-dust bedded lying cubicles and 30 feeding slots. Manure was removed from the closed floor with a manure robot collector (Lely Discovery 120 Collector, Cornelis van der Lelylaan 1, 3147 Maassluis, The Netherlands) and deposited in a designated area with perforated floor. Calves had whole-day (24 h/d) and full physical contact to their cows. In this period, calves could suckle the dam (or potentially other cows) freely. All resources (lying cubicles and the cows feed) were shared between cows and calves.
The event of separation refers to prevention of cow-calf suckling. This occurred at mean (± SD) calf age = DIM 52 d ± 14.8. From this age, cows were housed in the fresh cow area while the calves were moved to an adjacent calving pen, entailing that calves had fence-line contact (i.e., physical and visual contact, but not suckling) to their dams for 3–4 d. Because calves were always separated in pairs, age at separation varied according to calving date. At separation, all calves were trained to drink milk from a teat bottle (twice per d, feeding to satiety). Following fence-line separation, cows were moved to the main lactating herd where visual, but not physical contact to the calves was maintained. At 12 weeks, calves were weaned off milk.
For each individual cow-calf pair, we collected data on cow parity, date of birth, date cow and calf were moved from the calving pen and first day of separation. Daily AMS milk yield and DIM of the individual cow was collected with Lely software and stored in a local database.
The outcome in this study was individual cows’ daily AMS milk yield which was obtained by adding AMS milk yields from each AMS visit. Due to the sample size and structure of the data set, no statistical analyses were performed. Mean daily AMS milk yield was calculated per 24 h using 3-d rolling averages. Descriptive statistics and graphs were produced using Stata SE/16 (Stata Corp., College Station, TX, USA). The suckled milk yield was not quantified. The study used data from DIM 7-100. All data is shown separately for primiparous and multiparous cows. Individual variation in daily AMS milk yield is presented graphically from DIM 7 to 100 in line graphs. Bar graphs showing mean and 95% confidence intervals are used to show variation in daily AMS milk yield in response to separation of cow and calf. In addition, descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, range) were calculated for each of the two lactation periods: (1) the week prior to separation denoting days − 7 to -1 relative to the first day of separation (= day 0) and (2) DIM 93–100.
Due to failure of established suckling or birth outside the individual calving pens, five cows were excluded from the dataset. One cow calved twice during the study period. Final sample size therefore included data from 15 lactations (from 14 unique cows) with parities ranging from 1 (n = 6), 2 (n = 5) and 3 (n = 4). One cow was treated for mastitis, the data was excluded for the two days before and after treatment of the mastitis (8d are missing). The final dataset contained 1401 observations (= milking days), with an average of 93 observations per cow (minimum 85 and maximum 94).
Daily AMS milk yield varied substantially with individual cows, especially during the early suckling period (Fig. 1). During the week prior to separation, primiparous and multiparous cows produced 20.0 ± 3.19 kg milk/d and 16.8 ± 5.21 kg milk/d, respectively (Table 1). Our results indicate that one multiparous cow had a lower yield (4.8 kg/d) and a different lactation curve than that of the other cows. With limited sample size, this clearly affects the mean yield. This finding is in line with two other recent Norwegian studies; one studying a cow-directed CCC system, demonstrating mean AMS yield during the suckling period 13.2 ± 7.8 kg, 10] and one study on CCC cows kept on pasture (mean daily machine milk yield during the suckling period 10.8 ± 5.5 kg, [11]). In comparison, Norwegian Red cows with no CCC were found to produce 27.9 ± 8.65 kg. [12]. This variation may be linked to the calf since milk intake of artificially reared calves fed high allowances varies with individual calves, especially in early life (min-max milk intake during the first week of life = 3–11 L/d, [13]. Another factor that may explain the individual variation may be decreased milk secretion linked to incomplete evacuation of milk from the udder as suggested by Barth et al. [14]. Finally, some cows are more prone to nurse «alien» calves in the herd [15, 16]. We did not record cross-suckling in this study, and can therefore not exclude that this behaviour may have influenced the outcome.
Descriptive statistics of daily automatic milking system (AMS) milk yields of 14 cows and 15 lactations in a cow-calf contact (CCC) herd prospectively studied over 7-100 days in milk (DIM). Calves suckled the cows for 6–8 weeks in a whole-day, full contact CCC system. Data is shown relative to separation (= day 0) which entails that calves are fence-line separated from the dams (3–4 d) prior to total separation (i.e. prevention of any physical contact)
AMS milk yield numerically increased after separation (i.e., d 0), likely because calves could no longer suckle (Fig. 2). Multiparous cows’ yield intercepted that of primiparous cows, indicating a steeper increase in AMS milk yield after separation, compared to primiparous cows which had a greater individual variation post separation. Compared to the week prior to separation primiparous and multiparous cows increased mean yields with 10.1 and 15.5 kg, respectively. Premature (i.e., before «natural» weaning age of 9–12 months, [17]) separation of the calf from the cow elicits strong behavioural responses that likely also affects milk secretion [18, 19]. Individual cows’ vocal and behavioural response to separation is highly variable [19] and future research may investigate its association with how soon cows’ AMS milk yield increases in response to separation from the calf. Also, since a suckling calf often evacuates milk unevenly from the udder an effective synergy with quarter level-milking may be present in AMS systems. However, future research should investigate if improved milking management (e.g. frequent milking, enhanced pre-stimulation etc.) can mitigate individual variation in AMS yield during separation.
This study is limited by a small sample size from a single herd but may provide useful descriptions of AMS milk yield in a whole-day, full contact CCC system during the first 100 DIM. AMS yields of nursing NRF cows displayed significant individual variation and once calves were no longer allowed to suckle, the steepness of the yield increase may be related to parity.
Data availability
The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
References
Sirovnik J, Barth K, de Oliveira D, Ferneborg S, Haskell MJ, Hillmann E, et al. Methodological terminology and definitions for research and discussion of cow-calf contact systems. J Dairy Res. 2020;87:108–14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022029920000564.
Hansen BG, Langseth E, Berge C. Animal welfare and cow-calf contact-farmers’ attitudes, experiences and adoption barriers. J Rural Stud. 2023;97:34–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.11.013.
Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, et al. Welfare of calves. EFSA J. 2023;21:e07896. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7896.
Grøndahl AM, Skancke EM, Mejdell CM, Jansen JH. Growth rate, health and welfare in a dairy herd with natural suckling until 6–8 weeks of age: a case report. Acta Vet Scand. 2007;49. https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-49-16..
Beaver A, Meagher RK, von Keyserlingk MAG, Weary DM. Invited review: a systematic review of the effects of early separation on dairy cow and calf health. J Dairy Sci. 2019;102:5784–810. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15603.
Meagher RK, Beaver A, Weary DM, von Keyserlingk MAG. Invited review: a systematic review of the effects of prolonged cow-calf contact on behavior, welfare, and productivity. J Dairy Sci. 2019;102:5765–83. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-16021.
Johnsen JF, Zipp KA, Kälber T, dePassillé AM, Knierim U, Barth K, et al. Is rearing calves with the dam a feasible option for dairy farms? Current and future research. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2015.11.011.
de Oliveira D, Barth K, Haskell MJ, Hillmann E, Jensen MB, Johnsen JF, et al. Methodology for experimental and observational animal studies in cow-calf contact systems. J Dairy Res. 2020;115–21. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022029920000552.
Johanssen JRE, Kvam G-T, Logstein B, Vaarst M. Interrelationships between cows, calves, and humans in cow-calf contact systems—An interview study among Norwegian dairy farmers. J Dairy Sci. 2023. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22999.
Sørby J, Johnsen JF, Kischel SG, Ferneborg S. Effects of two gradual debonding strategies on machine milk yield, flow and composition in a cow-driven cow-calf contact system. J Dairy Sci. 2023;107:944–55. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-23117.
Johanssen JRE, Adler S, Johnsen JF, Sørheim K, Bøe KE. Performance in dairy cows and calves with or without cow-calf contact on pasture. Livest Sci. 2024;285:105502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2024.105502.
Sørby J, Holmøy IH, Nødtvedt A, Ferneborg S, Johnsen JF. Comparing the effects of contact duration on cow and calf performance beyond separation - a prospective cohort study. Acta Vet Scand. 2024;66:21–32. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-024-00741-1.
Neave HW, Costa JHC, Benetton JB, Weary DM, von Keyserlingk MAG. Individual characteristics in early life relate to variability in weaning age, feeding behavior, and weight gain of dairy calves automatically weaned based on solid feed intake. J Dairy Sci. 2019;102:10250–65. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-16438.
Barth K. Effects of suckling on milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows in cow–calf contact systems. J Dairy Res. 2020;87:133–7. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022029920000515.
Johnsen JF, de Passille AM, Mejdell CM, Bøe KE, Grøndahl AM, Beaver A, et al. The effect of nursing on the cow–calf bond. Appl Anim Beh Sci. 2015;163:50–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.12.003.
Froberg S, Lidfors L. Behaviour of dairy calves suckling the dam in a barn with automatic milking or being fed milk substitute from an automatic feeder in a group pen. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2009;117:150–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2008.12.015.
Reinhardt V, Reinhardt A. Natural sucking performance and age of weaning in zebu cattle (Bos Indicus). J Agric Sci Camb. 1981;96:309–12.
Neave HW, Jensen EH, Durrenwachter M, Jensen MB. Behavioral responses of dairy cows and their calves to gradual or abrupt weaning and separation when managed in full- or part-time cow-calf contact systems. J Dairy Sci. 2024;107:2297–320. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-24085.
Johnsen JF, Sørby J, Ferneborg S, Kischel SG. Effect of debonding on stress indicators in cow and calf in a cow-calf contact system. JDS Comm. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2023-0468.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Ole Erik Dufseth for valuable help during data collection, interpretation of results and discussing the findings.
Funding
The project was funded partly by the Agriculture and Food Industry Research Funds (FFL/JA) (project number 310728, The Research Council of Norway) including participating industry partners’ and research institutions’ own contributions and partly by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute’s internal funding.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
HH, HA and JFJ initiated, planned and designed the study. HA managed the cows and data collection during the study. All authors interpreted the data. The manuscript is based on HH’s student master thesis. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
This study did not require official or institutional ethical approval. The animals were handled according to high ethical standards and national legislation.
Consent for publication
HA owns the studied animals and consents on the publication of the data.
Prior publication
Data have not been published previously.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.
About this article
Cite this article
Hanssen, H., Amundsen, H. & Johnsen, J.F. Cow-calf contact: a single-herd observational study of AMS yield during the first 100 days in milk. Acta Vet Scand 66, 33 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-024-00757-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-024-00757-7