Effect of standing and lying behaviors on heat production of dairy heifers differing in feed intake levels

Purwanto, B. P.; Matsumoto, T.; Nakamasu, F.; Ito, T.; Yamamoto, S.

doi:1993.6.2.271

Article

Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Utilization

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 1993;6(2): 271-274.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.1993.271 Published online June 1, 1993.

Effect of standing and lying behaviors on heat production of dairy heifers differing in feed intake levels

B. P. Purwanto, T. Matsumoto, F. Nakamasu, T. Ito, S. Yamamoto

Abstract

Four Holstein heifers were used in the present study to investigate the effect of standing and lying behaviors on heat production and physiological responses under low (L), medium (M) and high (H) levels of TDN intake. Rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR), heart rate (HR), heat production (HP) and animals behavior (standing time, ST) were measured continuously for 5h (11:00-16:00) periods. There was a tendency for increased RT with TDN intake, and no difference in RT was observed between standing and lying. The RR, HR and HP during standing were significantly higher (p<0.05) than during lying. The difference between standing and lying HP were 4.41, 4.68 and 5.37 kJ/kg0.75 h for L, M and H of TDN intake, respectively. These values showed that standing HP was 18.6-20.9% higher than lying HP. A multiple regression analysis of HP (kJ/kg0.75 h) on TDN intake (g/kg0.75 d) and ST (min/h) was HP = 7.75 + 0.28 TDN intake + 0.12 ST (R = 0.84). This analysis showed that the total HP not only depend on feed intake levels, but also depends on animal behavior. It was suggested that the change in HP due to the change in feed intake and animal behavior would influence the level of heat loss which was indicated by the changes in the RR and HR.

Keywords: Dairy Heifer; Feed Intake; Animal Behavior; Heat Production