Dairy cow interactions with an automatic milking system starting with `walk-through' selection

• Published in: Applied animal behaviour science Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 177 - 193
• Main Authors: Stefanowska, J., Tiliopoulos, N.S., Ipema, A.H., Hendriks, M.M.W.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 23.04.1999
• Subjects: ANIMAL WELFARE; Automatic milking systems; AUTOMATION; AUTOMATISATION; AUTOMATIZACION; BEHAVIOUR; BIEN ETRE ANIMAL; BIENESTAR ANIMAL; Cattle-milking; COMPORTAMIENTO; COMPORTEMENT; DAIRY COWS; EFFICACITE; EFFICIENCY; EFICACIA; Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering; Instituut voor Mechanisatie, Arbeid en Gebouwen; MACHINE A TRAIRE; MAQUINAS DE ORDENO; MILKING; MILKING MACHINES; ORDENO; TRAITE; VACAS LECHERAS; VACHE LAITIERE; Walk-through' selection; Cattle-milking; Automatic milking systems; Walk-through' selection
• ISSN: 0168-1591; 1872-9045
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-1591(99)00012-X

The effects of selecting cows for automatic milking in a passage between the lying and the feeding areas (so-called `walk-through' selection) on cow behaviour in the Automatic Milking System (AMS) were investigated. The same group of 24 cows was subjected in turn to three situations, each lasting 4 weeks: study 1—free cow traffic, study 2—free cow traffic and waiting area for cows selected for milking, study 3—same waiting area as in study 2, but one-way traffic. The average milking frequencies in these studies were respectively 3.0, 2.9, 3.1 milkings per cow per day, with a standard deviation of 0.4 in each study. Cows receiving the `milking' decision were faster in the passage with `walk-through' selection (0.17–0.41 m/s) than those receiving the `no-milking' decision (0.04–0.09 m/s) ( p<0.05). The latter cows lingered in the passage and urinated there two to three times more frequently than cows given the `milking' decision ( p<0.05). `Walk-through' selection induced specific phenomena such as: withdrawals, unauthorised visits and contacts with selection gate. Cow behaviour in the three above-mentioned situations is discussed. The suggestions for improving the cooperation between the cows and the AMS may help improve cow welfare and should also increase the milking efficiency of the AMS.