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Can dairy cows have the best of both worlds – positive emotional states rearing their calf and subsequent stress-less separation?

News from the project

2024

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

  • Neave, H.W, Rault, J-L., Jensen, E.H., Jensen, M.B. 2024. Salivary oxytocin response of dairy cows to nursing and permanent separation from their calves, and the influence of the cow-calf bond., Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 281, 106429, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106429
  • Jensen, E. H., Bateson, M., Neave, H., Rault, J.-L. & Jensen, M. B. 2024. Dairy cows housed both full- and part-time with their calves form strong maternal bonds, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 272, 8 s.,106182, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106182
  • Jensen E.H., H. W. Neave, M. Bateson and M. B. Jensen. 2024. Maternal behavior of dairy cows and suckling behavior of dairy calves in different cow-calf-contact conditions. J. Dairy Sci.107 (8): 6090-6103 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-24291
  • Neave H.W. Jensen, E.H., Solarino,A, Jensen, M.B. 2024 Exploring factors influencing machine milk yield of dairy cows in cow-calf contact systems: cow behavior, animal characteristics and milking management, JDS Communications, 5:495-499 https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2023-0480
  •  Neave, H. W., J.-L. Rault, M. Bateson, E.H. Jensen, and M. B. Jensen. 2024.  Assessing the emotional states of dairy cows housed with or without their calves.   Journal of Dairy Science, 107, (2): 1085-1101https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-24085
  • Neave, H.W., Jensen, E.H., Durrenwachter, M. and Jensen, M.B. 2024. Behavioral responses of dairy cows and their calves to gradual or abrupt weaning and separation when managed in full- or part-time cow-calf contact systems. J. Dairy Sci., 107 (4): 2297-2320. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-24085
  • Jensen, E.H., M. Bateson, H. W. Neave, J-L Rault and M. B. Jensen. 2024. Dairy cows’ motivation to nurse their calves. Scientific Reports. 14, 1, 13728. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-64038-z

OTHER DISSEMINATION

  • Jensen, E. H., 9 apr. 2024, Dam Rearinog of Dairy Calves - The Effect of Duration of Cow-calf-contact on the Strength of the Maternal Bond Aarhus University. 193 s.Publikation: Bog/antologi/afhandling/rapport › Ph.d.-afhandling

2023

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

  • Neave, H., Rault, J-L., Bateson, M., Jensen, E. M., Jensen, M,B. 2023. Do cows see the forest or the trees? A preliminary investigation of attentional scope as a potential indicator of emotional state in dairy cows housed with their calves. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1257055

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS

2022

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS


Purpose and background

Dairy calves are typically separated from the mother cow at birth. The practise is increasingly criticised for preventing natural nursing and bonding, but research on benefits for the cow is lacking. The stress of breaking the bond when the calf eventually has to be weaned, is often seen as an obstacle to rearing cow and calf together, but mimicking the natural gradual weaning process may offer solutions.

Main content of the project

This project proposes several novel methods to measure the benefits for dairy cows that are housed full-time or part-time with their calves, such as strength of maternal bond, positive emotional states and neurobiological functioning, compared to cows separated from their calf at birth.

The project develop and integrate these novel measures to meet the overall goal of identifying how different cow-calf rearing, weaning and separation practices impact the cow, and provides scientific background for solutions to the long-standing problem of how to implement cow-calf management systems.  

Project period 
1 January 2021 - 31 Maj 2024.