A study on behavior and welfare characteristics of Holstein cattle in manure and sand beddings

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of manure and sand bedding use on some animal welfare and behavioral characteristics in Holstein cattle. A total of 110 Holstein dairy cattle were used as animal material in the study. Cows in the barn were formed in groups of bed types (manure and sand bedding) and placed in equal numbers in two compartments with a stall length of 125x250 cm and a walking area in each group. In the research, carpal and tarsal lesions of the joints, blood serum glucose, total protein, and triglyceride statistically no-significant differences between the groups in terms of the standing time, lying/resting time, the number of steps and standing/lying frequency behavior characteristics, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, cholesterol levels in terms of the differences between the groups found to be statistically significant (P