Behavior, Milk Yield, and Leucocytes of Dairy Cows in Reduced Space and Isolation

Abstract

Space was reduced from 9.3 to 2.3 m2/cow during wk 2 and 4 for a group of 17 cows in a 4 wk study. Dominance rank was estimated from observation during 9 previous and 4 current wk. Leucocytes were determined from weekly quarter samples. The lot was marked into 5.9 m2 squares. Cows were observed during three 1 h periods following feeding for each lot size. Cows with 2.3 m2/cow entered fewer squares and had fewer herdmate encounters. Cows low in dominance rank moved about more than dominant herdmates as the correlation between dominance rank and squares entered was .33. Lot size did not affect daily milk yield. Cows at 9.3 m2/cow had higher leucocytes than at 2.3 m2/cow. At the end of this study six cows were singly isolated 24 h in a holding pen 1.8 × 2.3 m. Feed and water were provided. Milk yield was not affected. Leucocytes in samples taken initially and at 6 h intervals during isolation increased generally but not significantly above the mean for 13 wk previous. © 1974, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.