Providing an Outdoor Exercise Area Affects Tie-Stall Cow Reactivity and Human-Cow Relations.

ABSTRACT: Confinement and restriction of movement are a reality for most dairy cows. Providing outdoor access is one method to increase movement opportunities. However, leading cows to an outdoor exercise area increases their exposure to manipulations different from those of an indoor housing system. These situations have the potential to induce fear reactions, which can lead to injuries for the cow and danger or economic losses for the farmer. Our aim was to evaluate the development of the human-cow relationship and general reactivity of cows after a 12-week period of outdoor access provision in winter, summer and fall. A total of 16 cows in the winter, 16 in the summer, and 15 in the fall were enrolled in the study and either allocated to the treatment (Out) or stayed in the tiestall (NonOut). A h

SUBMITTER: Aigueperse N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7835404 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature