A possible relationship between the flinch, step and kick response and milk yield in lactating cows

Abstract

Short-term increases in the milk yield of lactating dairy cows were found to be associated with increases in the occurrence of flinching, stepping and kicking which occurred curred during the milking process. Since the nature of the observed relationship between increased objectionable behaviours during milking and milk yield is unknown, culling dairy cows using behaviour during milking as the sole criterion may not be economically justifiable.