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Dorothée Bizeray-Filoche presents Poster 95 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 8: Application of welfare assessment protocols
167
Poster 95
HOW DOES AUTOMATIC MILKING SYSTEM IMPACT ON DAIRY COW
WELFARE?
D. Bizeray-Filoche 1 , M.C. Prevost 1 , L. Bouton 1 , J.F. Rey 1 , B.J. Lensink 2
1
Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais, Équipe Comportement Animal et Systèmes d'Élevage (CASE),
Beauvais cedex, France
2
ISA Lille, Équipe Comportement Animal et Systèmes d'Élevage (CASE), 48, Lille cedex, France
Currently, automatic milking systems (AMS) for dairy cattle are getting popular. This study
evaluated the welfare of Holstein cows changing from a traditional two-times-a-day milking to
AMS. Two herds (H1 and H2) of 35 cows each were studied during 3 periods: P1 (13 months
before changing system), P2 (5 months of adaptation to the new system), and P3 (8 months after
adaptation). During P1, H1 cows were housed on straw bedding, H2 cows in cubicles. During P2
and P3, all cows were housed in cubicles, both herds being separated in the same barn, with two
separated lying and feeding areas and one common waiting area including the AMS.
Individual welfare assessment was performed monthly by two observers on 5 criteria: human
fearfulness (voluntary approach), presence of hock lesions and body injuries, body condition score,
lameness (1: normal gait; 5: very lame), and cleanliness (1: clean; 12: very dirty).
The proportion of cows voluntary approaching a human decreased with time (H1: 18% during P1,
10% during P2, 13% during P3; H2: 31%, 26%, 19% respectively). Percentages of cows with hock
lesions were the highest during adaptation period (H1: 0%, 9%, 6%; H2: 2%, 16%, 12%). Body
injuries increased with time (H1: 15%, 20%, 35%; H2: 19%, 20%, 32%). Body condition score was
not clearly related to periods. Percentages of clean cows increased with time (H1: 23%, 66%, 72%;
H2: 44%, 81%, 75%), as well as the proportion of lame cows (score>2) (H1: 8%, 6%, 10%; H2:
4%, 12%, 7%).
The change of milking system was also associated with a change in housing system. The increase in
injuries and cleanliness are probably caused by this change. However, the decrease in voluntary
approach of humans is probably mainly related with the lower level of time spent in human contact
in AMS system.
Contact information: Dorothée Bizeray-Filoche or email dorothee.bizeray@lasalle-beauvais.fr
Complete address: Institut Polytechnique LaSalle Beauvais, Équipe Comportement Animal et
Systèmes d'Élevage (CASE), Rue Pierre Waguet, BP 30313, 60026 Beauvais
cedex, France
Species: Dairy cattle