Ukraine: Prolonged head locking of cows reduces productivity

Headlocks are routinely used for artificial insemination, veterinary examinations, vaccinations, heat detection and feeding. However, studies have shown that when this management practice is not properly implemented and cows are confined for more than 4 hours per day, they experience varying levels of stress, which can negatively impact performance and health. A recent study linked prolonged headlocking (>4 hours/day) to increased aggression. Aggressive behavior is a result of the discomfort the cow experiences when she is confined. Aggressive behavior in dairy cows resulted in reduced reproductive performance, with heifers having lower fertility rates after first insemination. Compared to cows confined for extended periods in headlocks, conventional herd management increased the amount of time cows spent lying down, ruminating and consuming feed. The altered time budget management resulting from longer headlock times (>4 hours) affects the overall daily behavior of cows. In ...