Effect of grouping strategy and stocking density on the behavior of prepartum dairy cows and the association between behavior and periparturient cow health

Abstract

The transition dairy cow is one of the highest risk animals for falling ill or dying on the dairy farm. The objectives of this thesis were: Determine whether providing a stable pen management affected displacements from the feed bunk and feeding behavior of prepartum Jersey dairy cows; Examine the effects of prepartum stocking density on social, lying and feeding behavior of prepartum Jersey cows;Investigate the relationship between prepartum feeding times and periparturient health disorders, first test milk yield and milk composition in Jersey cows; Determine whether social dominance, determined by displacements from the feed bunk prepartum and 3 different methods, was associated with health, reproduction, and milk yield of transition Jersey cows; and Determine whether lying behavior was associated with postpartum health events up to 60 days in milk.