The Type of Confinement (Outdoor Soil-Bedded vs. Compost Barn) Affects the Welfare of Autumn-Calving Dairy Cows Kept in Mixed-Feeding Systems.

Abstract

In mixed systems (pasture plus TMR), it is essential to provide the cows with good housing conditions at times of supplementation during confinement. However, given that there are different types of confinement for high-producing cows in pastoral-based systems, it is necessary to determine how such confinement conditions can affect their welfare. The aim of this study was to determine if the type of confinement (compost barn (CB) versus outdoor soil-bedded (OD)) used in mixed systems affects the welfare of dairy cows through behavioral and biochemical indicators. Holstein cows (n = 32) calving in autumn were assigned to two treatments (CB or OD) at calving. During confinement (half a day) in CB, the cows were kept indoors with a compost bed (13.5 m²/cow), including ventilation, while OD cows were kept in the open space with a dirt floor and shaded area (4.8 m²/cow). Confinement and grazing behavior (eating, ruminating, drinking, lying, standing, and walking) and the number of agonistic interactions in confinement were recorded every 10 min, on 3 days within a week for 5 months. Blood was collected to determine the concentration of creatine kinase, total proteins, and albumin during lactation. During confinement, cows in CB were found to be more frequently eating (p=0.07), drinking (p < 0.0001), and lying down (p=0.003) than those in OD, while OD cows were more time ruminating (p=0.0005), standing (p=0.02), and walking (p < 0.0001). During pasture access, cows in CB were more time eating (p=0.01) and standing (p=0.0003), while they were less lying (p=0.01) than cows in the OD and no differences were found in ruminating, drinking, and walking behaviors. CB cows tended to present more agonist interactions than in OD cows (p=0.09). Cows in CB had higher total proteins (p=0.02) and globulins (p=0.006) than cows in OD. In conclusion, the type of confinement differentially affected the different behavioral indicators (lying, standing, walking, rumination, and agonist interactions), as well as blood concentration of total protein and globulins. Although CB did not have all the behavioral indicators of welfare in its favor for autumn-calving cows (ruminating and agonist interactions), blood indicators (total protein and globulins) highlight advantages of CB in relation to OD.