Interpretive Summary: Welfare perspectives on the management of pregnant, nonlactating dairy cattle during the winter months in pasture-based systems

By: Karin E Schütz , Ross M Monaghan , Dawn E Dalley , Laura A Boyle

Implications

• The general welfare advantages of pasture-based dairy systems means that little attention is paid to potential welfare challenges associated with the wintering phase of cow management.
• Seasonally bred dairy cows are at similar stage of pregnancy relative to the winter period; their vulnerability at this time should be considered in welfare discussions.
• A cow’s affective state is important to her welfare; wintering management in pasture-based systems provides opportunities for both positive and negative experiences.
• Adequate space allowance, comfortable lying surfaces, shelter, and appropriate food and water are important to fulfill cows’ motivation to stay warm, clean, dry, and comfortable.

Introduction

Pasture-based dairy systems aim to match feed demand with home-grown feed supply by maximizing the amount of pasture in the cows’ diet. This is achieved through concentrated (or ‘compact’) seasonal calving where cows are typically dried off together in autumn and calve in late winter/early spring within a short timeframe (e.g., 78% within 6 wk) so that peak milk production coincides with peak grass growth and by maintaining cows at grass for extended periods (Kelly et al., 2020). While such systems were traditionally seen as extensive, intensification has occurred, leading to discussions about welfare challenges (Mee and Boyle, 2020).

Read more in Animal Frontiers, Advancing Animal Welfare.