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Effects of the stockperson on dairy cow behaviour and milk yield

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2007

D. Hanna ,
I. A. Sneddon ,
V. E. Beattie  and
K. Breuer
D. Hanna*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
I. A. Sneddon
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
V. E. Beattie
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
K. Breuer
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
*
†Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The relationship between stockperson behaviour, measured as verbal and physical interactions with the dairy cows (no.=210), during milking and the subsequent milk yield obtained was examined. The numbers of steps and kicks made by the cows during milking was recorded. The behaviour of two stockteams, each consisting of two stockmen, were recorded over 10 weekend sessions. The two teams varied in the types of interactions and when the stockteam that performed more positive interactions worked with the cows (team A), the cows had a significantly higher milk yield (P<0·05) although this difference was small (17·54 v. 17·44 kg). When team A was milking the cows also stepped and kicked on the platform significantly more (P<0·05) compared with team B. The results also indicated that while each stockteam tended to interact with the same cows each session, different stockpersons interacted with different cows. These findings highlight the importance of the rôle of the stockperson in milk output and dairy cow behaviour in a commercial setting.

Keywords

dairy cowshandlinghuman-animal interactionproductivity
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 82 , Issue 6 , December 2006 , pp. 791 - 797
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2006

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