Ebinghaus Asja, Knierim Ute, Simantke Christel, Palme Rupert, Ivemeyer Silvia
Farm Animal Behaviour and Husbandry Section, University of Kassel, Nordbahnhofstr. 1a, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany.
Unit of Physiology, Pathology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Animals (Basel). 2020 Oct 1;10(10):1787. doi: 10.3390/ani10101787.
To date, little is known about influences on cows' physiological stress levels on farms. The present study explored associations of fecal cortisol metabolite concentrations (FCM) with (1) farm factors including human-animal contact, (2) cows' fear behaviors towards humans, and (3) milk production and udder health, involving 25 dairy farms and repeated fecal samples ( = 2625) from 674 focal cows. Farm factors via interviews and observations, avoidance distance (AD) and qualitative behavior assessment (QBA) during a human-animal interaction were recorded. Milk yield and somatic cell scores (SCS) were calculated from milk recordings. Levels of FCMs were in general relatively low. No associations with AD and milk yield could be detected. Correlations between FCMs and QBA and SCS were significant, but on a low level. Against expectations, FCMs were higher, when the farm provided concentrates by hand and habituated heifers to milking, in part possibly due to reversed cause-effect relations. Decreased FCM levels were found on farms that did not separate diseased cows, possibly due to the avoidance of social stress following changes in group structure. Additionally, straw yards compared to raised cubicles and generous compared to suboptimal lying space were associated with decreased levels, underlining the importance of comfort around resting. Moreover, FCMs were decreased with increased human contact time per cow. The different associations detected in this study provide a basis for further experimental investigations that moreover might provide insights into causal relationships.
迄今为止，人们对农场中影响奶牛生理应激水平的因素知之甚少。本研究探讨了粪便皮质醇代谢物浓度（FCM）与以下因素的关联：（1）农场因素，包括人与动物的接触；（2）奶牛对人类的恐惧行为；（3）产奶量和乳房健康。研究涉及25个奶牛场，对674头重点奶牛采集了重复的粪便样本（n = 2625）。通过访谈和观察记录农场因素，在人与动物互动过程中记录回避距离（AD）和定性行为评估（QBA）。根据牛奶记录计算产奶量和体细胞评分（SCS）。FCM水平总体上相对较低。未检测到与AD和产奶量的关联。FCM与QBA和SCS之间存在显著相关性，但程度较低。与预期相反，当农场手工提供精饲料并使小母牛适应挤奶时，FCM水平较高，部分原因可能是因果关系颠倒。在不隔离患病奶牛的农场中发现FCM水平降低，这可能是由于群体结构变化后避免了社会应激。此外，与高架牛舍相比，稻草围栏以及与次优躺卧空间相比的宽敞空间与FCM水平降低有关，这突出了休息时舒适度的重要性。此外，每头奶牛的人类接触时间增加，FCM水平会降低。本研究中检测到的不同关联为进一步的实验研究提供了基础，这些研究可能会深入了解因果关系。
