Dr. Warren Bohnhoff

At a recent nutrition conference, Neil Anderson, DVM, from Ontario, Canada made an excellent presentation on "Cow Comfort." Even though he was referring to Canada, all comments are applicable to dairy herds in the United States.

Normal Resting Positions
For several months of the year, in Ontario and the United States, confinement housing is the norm on many dairy farms On many other dairies it is standard all year long. Because of confinement housing, we may be unfamiliar with normal cow behavior or have become desensitized to abnormal behavior. Common behavior may not be normal and common housing may not be the best for the cows.

To allow for normal resting positions the resting area must provide cows with these six freedoms:   1) The freedom to stretch their front legs forward.
  2) The freedom to be on their sides, with unobstructed space for their neck and head.
  3) The freedom to rest their heads against their sides without hinderance from a partition.
  4) The freedom to rest with their legs, udders and tails on the platform.
  5) The freedom to stand or lie without pain or fear from neck rails, partitions or supports.
  6) The freedom to rest on a clean, dry, and soft bed.

The resting area must also provide cows with the freedom of vertical, forward and lateral movement without obstruction, injury or fear as they rise or lie down. Also while rising the freedom to lunge forward and take a normal stride is necessary.

An excellent video pertaining to this subject can be obtained by contacting Neil Anderson, DVM at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food located in Fergus, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Anderson's email address is: neil.anderson@omaf.gov. on.ca or he can be reached by phone at 1-800-265-8332.