TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations of parity and lactation stage with the order cows enter the milking parlor

AU - Hansson, Ida

AU - Woudstra, Svenja

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - To explore the effect of lactation stage and parity on the milking order of cows, we collected milking order data of all lactating cows (n = 251) over a period of 12 weeks in one commercial Swedish dairy cow herd using a herringbone milking parlor. Cows were kept in 2 housing groups and moved from G1 to G2 at approximately mid lactation. Two analyses were conducted to investigate if lactation stage (early: 2–49 DIM, mid: 50–179, and late ≥ 180 d in milk) and parity are associated with the entrance order to the parlor or a preference of entering a new milking line first. In G1 and G2, cows in first parity entered the milking parlor earlier than cows in higher parities. In addition, in G1 cows in early lactation entered the milking parlor earlier than cows in later lactation. Similar effects were observed for the preference of entering a new milking line first. No effect of mid vs late lactation could be observed in either G1 or G2. The study also found that cows tend to keep their rank within the milking order constant. The results of the study indicate that cows of presumably lower hierarchy (first parity and early lactation) leave the waiting area earlier compared with other cows. This should be considered when planning grouping strategies and preventive measures against mastitis pathogen transmission.

AB - To explore the effect of lactation stage and parity on the milking order of cows, we collected milking order data of all lactating cows (n = 251) over a period of 12 weeks in one commercial Swedish dairy cow herd using a herringbone milking parlor. Cows were kept in 2 housing groups and moved from G1 to G2 at approximately mid lactation. Two analyses were conducted to investigate if lactation stage (early: 2–49 DIM, mid: 50–179, and late ≥ 180 d in milk) and parity are associated with the entrance order to the parlor or a preference of entering a new milking line first. In G1 and G2, cows in first parity entered the milking parlor earlier than cows in higher parities. In addition, in G1 cows in early lactation entered the milking parlor earlier than cows in later lactation. Similar effects were observed for the preference of entering a new milking line first. No effect of mid vs late lactation could be observed in either G1 or G2. The study also found that cows tend to keep their rank within the milking order constant. The results of the study indicate that cows of presumably lower hierarchy (first parity and early lactation) leave the waiting area earlier compared with other cows. This should be considered when planning grouping strategies and preventive measures against mastitis pathogen transmission.

U2 - 10.3168/jdsc.2023-0491

DO - 10.3168/jdsc.2023-0491

M3 - Journal article

JO - JDS Communications

JF - JDS Communications

SN - 2666-9102

ER -