Postpartum feeding and resting behaviour of primiparous and pluriparous crossbred cows reared under loose housing

Abstract

Present study was conducted to find out any alteration of feeding and resting behaviour of primiparous (n=11) and pluriparous (n=14) crossbred cows reared under loose housing system immediately following calving upto day 14 postpartum. Feeding and resting behaviour of cows were monitored in a fresh cow pen continuously using close circuit cameras. Stocking density in the pen was maintained 4-6 cows and provided with manger space of 6 meters and 66 m² resting area. There was no significant difference of overall mean daily feeding time (291.64±15.07 and 279.48±11.37 min/day), number of feeding bout (14.81±0.71 and 12.92±0.77 numbers/day) and feeding bout duration (22.17±1.89 and 23.70±1.22 min/bout), respectively between primiparous and pluriparous cows (P>0.05) during 2 weeks postpartum. Similarly, overall mean daily lying time (527.90±11.24 vs. 549.39±6.86 min/day), number of lying bout (7.68±0.11 and 7.76±0.23 bouts/day) and lying bout duration (78.93±2.31 and 77.02±1.97 min/bout), respectively did not differ between primiparous and pluriparous cows (P>0.05) during 2 weeks postpartum. However, primiparous cows had significantly higher number of feeding bouts than pluriparous cows on day 7 and 10 postpartum (P£0.05). In primiparous cows, feeding bout duration was significantly shorter on day 2 and 7 postpartum than pluriparous cows (P£0.05). Primiparous cows had significantly less lying time and shorter lying bout on day 1 postpartum compared to pluriparous cows (P£0.05). Results of the present study indicated that feeding and resting behaviours of primiparous cows did not alter in loose housing system during postpartum period when reared with pluriparous cows in a small group with optimum feeding space and resting area.