Table 4.
Summary of changes in activity patterns in cows (lying time, number of lying bouts, lying bout duration and activity) caused by calving. Studies are summarized according to how they have been assessed in relation to pain using the following methods: cows studied as their own control (before, during and after calving) and comparing cows with dystocia to eutocic calving. Moment (in days, D; D0 = day of calving) and type of change (↑ increase; ↓ decrease; NS = non-significant; NE = non-evaluated) are given comparing the painful moment or dystocic cows versus the control moment or eutocic cows.
| Studies Classification | Reference | Painful Moment or Cows in Pain Due to Calving | Control Moment or Control Cows | Lying Time (h/d) | No. Lying Bouts (No./d) | Lying Bout Duration (min/d) | Activity (No. Steps/d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cows as own control (before, during and after calving) | [135] | Around calving (from Day-1 to +2) | Post-calving (from D+3 to D+7) |
NE | NE | NE | ↑ |
| [140] | Calving day (24 h before calving) | Pre-calving (from -24 h to D-4 to D-11) |
↓ | ↑ | ↓ | ↑ | |
| [58] | Post-calving (D+4, D+5) |
Post-calving (from D+5 to D+28) |
↓ | NE | NE | NE | |
| Dystocia vs. eutocia | [146] |
Calving ease score of 3 (assistance from 2 or more people) or score of 4 (mechanical traction assistance) | Calving ease score of 1 (unassisted) or 2 (assistance from 1 person) | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ |
| [135] | Easy manual pull | Unassisted | NE | NE | NE | NS | |
| [157] | Cows that calved in >70 min | Cows that calved in ≤70 min | NS | ↑ (D0) ↓ (D+2) |
↑ (D+1, D+2, D+4, D+5) |
↓ (Holstein D+1, D+4, D+5 and Jersey D0, D+2) |
Significant differences are established at p ≤ 0.05.