Batch number 1

The first batch of cows calved from the middle of August until the middle of September 2019 and they were kept with their calves until Christmas. In addition, twelve control cows, managed according to the standard routines in the herd, were included. The experimental cows calved outside in single pens in a mobile shed that houses four calving pens. All calvings went well, all cows had satisfactory colostrum quality and all calves suckled colostrum from their dam. Cow and calf were kept in the calving pen for the first 2-3 days post partum. The cow was fetched from the calving pen daily, to be milked in the VMS-unit. After the first few days the CowCalf pair were introduced to the group. Six CowCalf pairs moved into the VMS, and made up the "indoor group" and the remaining six pairs stayed outside until the frost came, these are referred to as the "outdoor group".

Mobile shed from Playmek (www.playmek.se/mobilt-vindskydd). Photo: Mia Jernhake, SLU.

Indoor group

The indoor group had a contact area where the calves stayed at all times. Cows could access this area and in addition to meeting the calf they had access to cubicles, concentrate feeders and water in the contact area. When they wanted to eat roughage, use the comfort brush or be milked they left the contact area through a passive selection gate, which cows but not calves can open. On the way back to the calves the cows pass a selection gate that either let them straight back to the calves or directed her to milking. After passing through the milking unit she can go to the selection gate again and was then directed to the contact area. In the far end of the contact area there was a calf creep, which is an area that calves but not cows have access to. In the creep calves had cubicles and were offered hay and concentrate. There was also a scale there, for weekly body weight registrations.

Indoor contact area. Photo: Sigrid Agenäs, SLU

Outdoor group

The contact area for the outdoor group was a pasture pen. The mobile shed used for the calvings now worked as a shelter from wind, rain and sun for cows and calves. One part of the shelter made up part of the outdoor calf creep, where calves had access to water, hay and concentrate and it was also equipped with a scale for weighing the calves. The cows could leave the contact area through a one-way selection gate (same as in the indoor set-up). Cows had access to water just outside this gate, to stimulate them to pass the gate. Once they passed the gate it seems to be easy for them to decide to go to the VMS unit, where they have access to comfort brushes, the milking unit, roughage, concentrate and other cows. Apart from the obvious difference between being indoor or outdoor the groups differ in that cows and calves outdoor can eat grass together. Research has shown that the interest in new feeds is stronger throughout life in individuals who were able to eat together with older animals in beginning of life. 

 Outdoor contact area. Photo: Sigrid Agenäs, SLU.

GEA FeedSelect one-way gate that allows cows but not calves to go pass. Foto Mia Jernhake, SLU

Milking

Several solutions for how to manage the cows and calves together have already been tested in this project, trying to find a solution that works well for animals and staff. It is important that cows are milked regularly and this is affected by how different resources are made available for the cows. Initially there was a large variation between cows in the frequency of visits to the milking unit. Some went several times per 24-hours while others did not go at all or did not release milk to the milking machine. When all cows had passed the first two weeks of lactation they visited the milking unit twice a day or more often. In lactation week two they gave 10-24 kg milk to the milking machine per day. It is less than the cows in the control group gave in lactation week two but this is not surprising since the cows also provide milk for their calf. The calves grew around 1.3 kg/day compared to 0.9 kg/day in the control calves.

Calm environment

The project is carried out in very close collaboration between the researchers and the barn staff. The staff have the daily supervision of the animals and notice if anything in the layout needs to be adjusted. Particular emphasis is put on handling the animals as calmly and gently as possible and to give them the chance to work things out by themselves. Time, patience and routines have been identified as important factors to make the system work. Before calving all cows in the first batch were trained daily to leave the outdoor calving area, go through the selection gate, to the VMS and through the milking unit. This was done for a couple of weeks before calvings started and the time needed for them to find the way to the milking unit decreased very quickly.

Photo: Jenny Svennås-Gillner, SLU

Weaning

In early lactation the cows had access to the calves day and night. When the calves were around eight weeks old the contact was restricted to half day, as a first step of the coming weaning and separation. During the half day contact period cows and calves could see each other and they were able to make contact but suckling was not possible. At around four months of age the calve and cows were moved out of the unit, to separate units. At this time calves weighed close to 200 kg and had started to show signs of puberty.