Rumination time monitoring as a possible tool to improve diagnostics of heat and parturition

Abstract

Rumination time is one of possible parameters for observing not only feed management and health status, but also some reproductive characteristics such as heat or periparturient period. The evaluation of rumination time in this study was done on Holstein dairy cows in period around heat (n = 297) and around parturition (n = 322) during one year. SAS 9.3 was used for statistic evaluation. Factors such as heat or periparturient period but also a parity or month within the year have significant impact on rumination time. The decrease of rumination time in the average of 19% (more than 100 minutes) was observed in heat time against days before heat. Similarly, decrease of rumination time more than 110 minutes was observed on the day of parturition in comparison with days before that day. However, the return to normal rumination time values was gradual within 3 day after calving. The results indicated that in healthy cows the rumination time can be a good indicator not only of approaching periparturient but also of incoming heat.