It is warm outside today: How temperature affects dairy cows’ willingness to be on pasture

Per Peetz Nielsen; Ewa Wredle

doi:10.1080/09064702.2017.1346701

It is warm outside today: How temperature affects dairy cows’ willingness to be on pasture

Per Peetz Nielsen, Ewa Wredle

Abstract

The effect of Temperature Humidity Index (THI) on dairy cows’ willingness to be on pasture was examined. Information for 2 years regarding weather, milk production, and time for voluntarily passing a gate between the barn and pasture of cows milked with an automatic milking system was studied. When the THI exceeded 72 during the day, more cows spent time on pasture compared to when the THI was less than 72 (27.0% vs. 19.2% of cows on pasture, respectively). However, the time of day influenced the proportion of cows on pasture, and when the THI exceeded 72, more cows were on pasture at night and less during the afternoon compared to days when the THI was less than 72. In conclusion, even under Swedish conditions, THI might have an effect on cows’ behaviour. However, when the cows have free access to roughage and pasture, an increased THI does not affect milk production.

Original language	English
Journal	Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section A. Animal Science
Volume	66
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	215-220
Number of pages	6
ISSN	0906-4702
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2017.1346701
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2016

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title = "It is warm outside today: How temperature affects dairy cows{\textquoteright} willingness to be on pasture",

abstract = "The effect of Temperature Humidity Index (THI) on dairy cows{\textquoteright} willingness to be on pasture was examined. Information for 2 years regarding weather, milk production, and time for voluntarily passing a gate between the barn and pasture of cows milked with an automatic milking system was studied. When the THI exceeded 72 during the day, more cows spent time on pasture compared to when the THI was less than 72 (27.0% vs. 19.2% of cows on pasture, respectively). However, the time of day influenced the proportion of cows on pasture, and when the THI exceeded 72, more cows were on pasture at night and less during the afternoon compared to days when the THI was less than 72. In conclusion, even under Swedish conditions, THI might have an effect on cows{\textquoteright} behaviour. However, when the cows have free access to roughage and pasture, an increased THI does not affect milk production.",

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T1 - It is warm outside today

T2 - How temperature affects dairy cows’ willingness to be on pasture

AU - Nielsen, Per Peetz

AU - Wredle, Ewa

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N2 - The effect of Temperature Humidity Index (THI) on dairy cows’ willingness to be on pasture was examined. Information for 2 years regarding weather, milk production, and time for voluntarily passing a gate between the barn and pasture of cows milked with an automatic milking system was studied. When the THI exceeded 72 during the day, more cows spent time on pasture compared to when the THI was less than 72 (27.0% vs. 19.2% of cows on pasture, respectively). However, the time of day influenced the proportion of cows on pasture, and when the THI exceeded 72, more cows were on pasture at night and less during the afternoon compared to days when the THI was less than 72. In conclusion, even under Swedish conditions, THI might have an effect on cows’ behaviour. However, when the cows have free access to roughage and pasture, an increased THI does not affect milk production.

AB - The effect of Temperature Humidity Index (THI) on dairy cows’ willingness to be on pasture was examined. Information for 2 years regarding weather, milk production, and time for voluntarily passing a gate between the barn and pasture of cows milked with an automatic milking system was studied. When the THI exceeded 72 during the day, more cows spent time on pasture compared to when the THI was less than 72 (27.0% vs. 19.2% of cows on pasture, respectively). However, the time of day influenced the proportion of cows on pasture, and when the THI exceeded 72, more cows were on pasture at night and less during the afternoon compared to days when the THI was less than 72. In conclusion, even under Swedish conditions, THI might have an effect on cows’ behaviour. However, when the cows have free access to roughage and pasture, an increased THI does not affect milk production.

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It is warm outside today: How temperature affects dairy cows’ willingness to be on pasture

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