Do Cows Prefer Privacy During Calving?
It is a common practice on 70% of dairy farms to move cows to a separate maternity area before calving (USDA, 2014). About one-third use individual maternity pens and two-thirds use group maternity pens (USDA, 2014). Maternity pens are often utilized as they allow for personalized care of the calving animal and calf. Both individual and group-style maternity pens can be successful if appropriately managed. For this article, all types of calving pens will be considered maternity pens.
Group maternity pens may be managed in a few different ways. Some farms may have a group maternity pen that they move multiple cows into when showing signs of calving or a few days before calving. Other farms may consider their close-up dry pen as their group maternity pen. Group maternity pens may be more common on larger farms because they allow employees to manage labor more efficiently and complete fewer cow moves depending on the system. (Creutzinger and Proudfoot, 2020).
With group maternity pens, it is essential to minimize social stress as much as possible, as competition can occur in this setting. Cows have been shown to begin seeking privacy from herd mates around 4 hours before calving (Creutzinger et al., 2021). Ideally, if a farm moves cows to a new pen for calving, this should be done before labor starts. Moving the animal during labor can extend labor time, which could increase the risk of dystocia (Proudfoot et al., 2013). Mixing heifers and cows in a close-up dry or maternity pen can cause unnecessary stress for the heifers. One study showed that in mixed-group housing during the transition period, first lactation animals are displaced from the feed bunk more frequently (Neave et al., 2017). Separating heifers and cows for the entire transition period, meaning three weeks before and three weeks after calving, can help alleviate added stress for the heifers.
Stocking density in the pre-fresh pen is very important. Dry matter intake naturally decreases before calving, so it is essential to give cows adequate space at the feed bunk so feed intake does not fall even more. It is recommended that the feed bunk be stocked at 80% or less, meaning when every cow is eating, there should still be 20% of space left; this should equal about 0.76m per cow (Nordlund et al., 2006). Thirteen m2 is needed per cow in the resting area, whether cows are being housed in group or individual maternity pens (Proudfoot, 2019).
Studies have shown that cows seek privacy during calving, which may be hard to do in group maternity pens (Proudfoot et al., 2014), so an individual maternity area may be preferable if a cow cannot separate herself. Pushy or nosy cows may cause unnecessary stress for a cow during calving if they are in a confined area. Calves may also benefit from individual maternity pens rather than group pens. Individual pens can offer protection for the calf from exposure to pathogens from other dams and also prevent cross-suckling. Similar to group maternity pens, it is still important to minimize stress in individual pens. Therefore, cows should be moved to an individual maternity pen before labor starts and not during labor if possible.  Â
Some good management practices are the same, whether a maternity pen houses one cow or multiple cows. Keeping bedding clean and dry is of utmost importance. Calves are born with little to no immune defense, so if they are born into a dirty environment, they are more likely to pick up a disease. Even though cows typically stop eating a few hours before labor, feed should be available at all times to encourage the cow to eat after calving. Fresh, clean water should also be available throughout calving, and offering an electrolyte supplement immediately after calving may be considered.
When designing calving areas, it is easy to design them for an average calving month. However, it is common for farms to experience swings in calving. For example, farms may have more cows calve in late spring or early summer because of reproductive troubles during heat stress. Because of this, calving areas should accommodate at least 120% of the regular calving rate (Cook, 2019).
When managing calvings, a farmer must also consider how long a cow will remain in the maternity pen after calving. It has been shown that allowing cows to stay in the maternity pen for two days after calving increases lying and feeding time, giving them a good jump start in their lactation (Campler et al., 2019). This may be not easy depending on the parlor setup and space availability, but it is a good idea to consider.
Individual maternity pens may be more beneficial as they allow for less competition around labor, and a less risky environment for the calf. Wherever cows calve on your farm, ensure that it is in a clean environment with ready access to feed and water. If managed well, both individual and group maternity pens can be successful.
References
Campler, M. R., L. Munksgaard, and M. B. Jensen. 2019. The effect of transition cow housing on lying and feeding behavior in Holstein dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 102:7398-7407.
Cook, N. B. 2019. Designing facilities for the adult dairy cow during the nonlactation and early lactation period. Vet. Clin. North Am. Food. Anim. Pract. 35:125-138.
Creutzinger, K. C., and K. L. Proudfoot. 2020. Invited Review: Design and management of group maternity areas for dairy cows. App. An. Sci. 36:124-132.
Creutzinger, K. C., H. M. Dann, P. D. Krawczel, G. G. Hobing, and K. L. Proudfoot. 2021. The effect of stocking density and a blind on the behavior of Holstein dairy cattle in group maternity pens. Part 1: Calving location, locomotion, and separation behavior. J. Dairy Sci. 104:7109-7121.
Neave, H. W., J. Lomb, M. A. G. von Keyserlingk, A. Behnam-Shabahang, and D. M. Weary. 2017. Parity differences in the behavior of transition dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 100:548-561.
Nordlund, K., N. Cook, and G. Oetzel. 2006. Commingling dairy cows: Pen moves, stocking density, and health. 39th Proc, Am. Assoc. Bovine Pract., St. Paul, MN. Bovine Practitioner, Opelika, AL. 36-42.
Proudfoot, K. L. 2019. Maternal behavior and design of the maternity pen. Vet. Clin. North Am. Food Anim. Pract. 35:111-124.
Proudfoot, K. L., M. B. Jensen, D. M. Weary, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk. 2014. Dairy cows seek isolation at calving and when ill. J. Dairy Sci. 97:2731-2739.
Proudfoot, K. L., M. B. Jensen, P. M. H. Heegaard, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk. 2013. Effect of moving dairy cows at different stages of labor on behavior during parturition. J. Dairy Sci. 96:1638-1646.
USDA. 2014. Dairy cattle management practices in the
