Academics summarize animal behavior research from a recent conference and suggest ways to apply it in everyday dairy operations. Dairy producers and veterinarians will find their focus on behavioral preferences of cows ahead of calving, pros and cons of group pens and adjusting weaning practices to optimize cow-calf relationships interesting and worth considering by management.
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, January 3, 2020. Link. This difference in calving preference suggests that reducing a cow’s personal space in a pen could limit its ability to choose a desirable calving site. From this collection of studies, the authors suggest a “one-size-fits-all” approach to shelter installation does not work in group pens.