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Ferenc Pajor presents Poster 101 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 8: Application of welfare assessment protocols
173
Poster 101
ASSESSMENT OF TEMPERAMENT OF DAIRY COWS INDICATING THE
ANIMAL WELFARE ON A HUNGARIAN FARM
A. Szentléleki 1 , S. Merész 2 , F. Pajor 1 , Á. Bodnár 3 , J. Tőzsér 1
1 Szent István University, Institute of Animal Husbandry, Gödöllő, Hungary
2 Újmajor Dairy Farm, H-2161 Csomád, Hungary
3 Szent István University, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
Measuring temperament during milking may be an important way to determine welfare problems
relating to udder health, milking techniques and quality of handling routines in a herd. The
objectives of the present study were to observe the effects of month and season on the temperament
of dairy cows scored before and during milking and to calculate correlations between temperament
measured at the two moments in the whole lactation.
Seventeen primiparous Holstein Friesian cows starting their lactation within 85 days were chosen
for the experiment. The investigations were carried out once each month of the lactation, during
morning milking in a herringbone-type milking parlour. Temperament was assessed using a 5-point
scale before and during milking (1: very nervous, continuous and vigourous stepping and kicking,
5: very quiet, no leg movements). Data were processed with SPSS. 14.0 statistical program package
(Friedman ANOVA test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman rank correlation test).
Results revealed improving, significant changes in temperament directly before milking during the
lactation; both of the month and season had some effects on this trait (Chi-square (df: 11)= 25.884,
p