Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cow Signals
Cow Signals
2
Cow Signals
3
Cow Signals
Cows never lie!
• Observe…
• Look again…
• Relate your observations…
• Interpret them…
• Don’t know? No problem! Look it up!
4
Observe…
What to pay attention to? Everything!
• The animals
• The building
• Feed
• Water
• Manure
• Air circulation
• Light
• …
5
Observe…
1. Look at the individual cow:
• Physical state
• Individual behavior
2. Look at a group of cows:
• Physical state
• Group behaviour
• Do you see similarities?
3. Look at the building:
• Cubicles
• Feed, water
• Hygiene
• Ventilation… etc. etc.
6
Body Condition Scoring
• Don’t just look… feel
• A single observation has no function. Relate to time!
• Check:
• Lactation phase
• If possible, make multiple observations: what
changes?
• If not, ask: how does BCS change over time?
• Dry: how did BCS change during the dry period?
• Age of cow
• Production level
7
Manure scoring
8
Manure Scoring
• What group of animals?
• What stage of lactation?
• How many animals with what manure score?
• How dirty are the animals?
• Etc…
9
Picture Puzzle (1)
10
What do you see?
11
Picture Puzzle (2)
12
Locomotion scoring
13
Picture puzzle (3)
14
Picture puzzle (3)
15
Picture puzzle (4)
16
Picture puzzle (4)
17
Picture Puzzle (5)
18
Picture Puzzle (6)
19
Picture Puzzle (7)
20
Picture Puzzle (8)
21
Picture Puzzle (9)
22
Picture Puzzle (10)
23
Conclusions
24
Thank you
Any questions?
25