Dear Lactnet Friends:

Some of this makes me laugh when I think of applying it to breastfeeding
women: we don't count leg lifts during lactation, do we? We count them only
when exercising!

Physiol Behav. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22939763#> 2012 Aug 23.
[Epub ahead of print]
The effect of temperament and responsiveness towards humans on the
behavior, physiology and milk production of multi-parous dairy cows in a
familiar and novel milking environment.
Sutherland MA<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Sutherland%20MA%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=22939763>
, Rogers AR<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Rogers%20AR%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=22939763>
, Verkerk GA<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Verkerk%20GA%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=22939763>
.
 Source

AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Abstract

The objectives of this study were to investigate whether; 1) temperament or
2) behavioral responsiveness to humans, can affect the behavior, physiology
and productivity of dairy cows being milked in a familiar and novel milking
environment. Temperament of multi-parous cows was defined based on exit
time from a restraint device, as High Responders (HR; n=10), Medium
Responders (MR; n=10) or Low Responders (LR; n=10).


The behavioral response of cows to humans was assessed using four tests:
restraint, exit speed, avoidance distance test and a voluntary approach
test. Cows were milked according to their established routines in a rotary
(familiar) milking parlor and behavioral, physiological and production data
were collected over five consecutive days, including heart rate, cortisol
and oxytocin concentrations and milk yield. The following week, cows were
milked in a novel environment (herringbone parlor within the same farm
facility) over five consecutive days, and the data and sample collection
program was repeated. Cows were then given an exogenous adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH) challenge to measure adrenal responsiveness. Exit time was
negatively correlated with the behavioral responses of cows to restraint
and human avoidance distance (HAD) in the paddock and arena.


The behavioral response of cows to the milking process was greater in MR
than LR and HR cows in the familiar and novel milking environments. Milk
yields were greater in LR than HR cows in the novel but not the familiar
milking parlor. Oxytocin concentrations increased during milking in the
novel environment, regardless of cow temperament. In the familiar and novel
environments, heart rates were higher in HR than LR cows before and during
milking and rMSSD was lower in HR cows during milking in a novel
environment. There was no difference in cortisol concentrations between LR
and HR cows in response to an ACTH challenge, but HR cows had higher
baseline cortisol levels than LR cows. The number of leg lifts cows
performed when restrained in the crush was associated with several
physiological and milk production measures. These results indicate that
cows with different temperaments vary in their basal physiology as well as
their behavioral and physiological responses to milking and stress
associated with being milked in a novel environment.

Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, CKC
craniosacral therapy practitioner
www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com
https://www.facebook.com/nikkileehealth

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