Social rank and water availability influence water intake in dairy cattle

Abstract

Dairy farms in Brazil often offer water to cows in a single trough once or twice a day in the milking parlour, which may limit water intake, with negative consequences on production and welfare. To examine the influence of water restriction and social hierarchy on water intake and behaviour, 14 animals (heifers, lactating and dry cows) were subjected to two treatments in a cross-over design: permanent access to drinking water (APer) or restricted access (ARest) to 30 min during the morning milking for 17 days in each phase. Water intake was measured daily with the aid of a measuring device and behaviours were observed between the 13thand 17thday of each phase, through direct visual observation from 7:00 às 22:00 h. Social rank and treatment did not influence frequencies of eating, grazing ruminating, standing, lying, idling or aggressive behaviours neither the spatial distribution of cows on milking parlour. However, ARest cows drank approximately 70% of the volume drank by APer cows (p<0.001). In six out of eight opportunities, subordinate dry cows or heifers in Arest treatment did not drink for up to 48 h. Limiting the offer of water to once a day in the milking parlour may reduce intake and influence the intake of some individual animals.