BEHAVIOR OF PERIPARTURIENT DAIRY COWS AND THEIR CALVES

Abstract

The pre- and postparturient behavior of 14 Canadian Holstein cows and 16 heifers, and the neonatal behavior of their 31 calves were analyzed. In the 12 h before parturition an increase in semilateral recumbency and a decrease in standing and ruminating were noted. Twenty-four births, 13 by cows (87%) and 11 by heifers (69%), took place with the dam recumbent. Dams requiring assistance remained recumbent longer (4 min vs. 37 min). However, the management practice of placing the calf in front of the dam following an assisted delivery may have contributed to the longer period of recumbency. Cows stood sooner (14 min) than heifers (37 min) following delivery. During the first 3 h postpartum the dam spent 43% of the time licking her calf. Calves were observed in semilateral recumbency 65% of the time and lateral recumbency 14% of the time, interspersed with standing and suckling. Female calves and calves born to heifers stood and suckled earlier. This may have been related to the lower body weight of these calves compared to male calves and calves born to cows. After removal of the calves (10.1 ± 4.1 h), the dams' maintenance behavior, including lateral recumbency, ruminating, eating and self-licking, increased in frequency. Key words: Dairy cow, parturition, behavior