Vorläufige Ergebnisse zum Einfluss der muttergebundenen Kälberaufzucht auf die ultra- und circadiane Aktivitätsrhythmik von Milchkühen

The circadian rhythms of dairy cows can be affected by environmental conditions, farm management or stress, and changes in rhythmicity might thus reflect these factors. The aim of this study is to investigate how contact with the own calf affects the activity rhythm of dairy cows, compared o control cows that were separated from their calf shortly after calving. Cows were equipped with accelerometers to generate actograms and calculate the Degree of Functional Coupling (DFC) of their activity, which changes during calving, oestrus, and separation from the calf, as shown by an initial analysis of one cow.