Thermodynamics of standing and lying behavior in lactating dairy cows in freestall and parlor holding pens during conditions of heat stress

Abstract

Heat load is a challenge for high-producing dairy cows, with adverse consequences on production, reproduction, and welfare. The objectives of this observational study in 2 commercial dairy herds were to determine the effects of environmental heat stress on standing and lying behavior, to monitor the changes in core body temperature (CBT) of cows during lying and standing bouts, and to compare changes in CBT during standing bouts in freestall pens versus standing in holding pens. High-producing cows were selected for data collection over a period of 6 d of increasing heat stress during a heat wave to which they were not acclimated. A total of 20 cows were fitted with leg accelerometers that recorded lying behavior and with vaginal temperature loggers that recorded CBT. These data were recorded at 30-s intervals. Time in the parlor holding pen was calculated from automated parlor software that recorded milking unit attachment and removal times. Mean daily temperature–humidity index in the pens increased from 68.5 to 79.0 during the 6-d trial, whereas mean daily lying time decreased from 9.5 to 6.2 h/d. The mean number of lying bouts per day remained similar at 11.1 to 12.2, but duration of lying bouts decreased from a high of 49.7 min on the coolest day to 32.8 min on the hottest day. During lying bouts, CBT increased at a mean rate of 0.50°C/h. In contrast, CBT changed at a mean rate of −0.25°C/h when standing in the freestall pens and only −0.09°C/h when standing in the milking-center holding pens. Explanatory models for the CBT at which cows ended either standing or lying bouts were derived from 6 selected lying bouts and 3 selected standing bouts for each cow on each day. The CBT at which a cow ended a lying bout was positively related to CBT and temperature–humidity index at the start of the bout, bout duration, and rate of CBT change during the bout. The CBT at which a cow ended a standing bout was negatively related to bout duration and positively related to start CBT, start temperature–humidity index, and rate of CBT change. Insights into the thermodynamics of standing and lying behavior in dairy cows during periods of heat stress provided by this study may contribute to the development of more effective strategies to mitigate heat load in dairy cattle.