Facilities for dairy cattle: an integrative review

Arruda, Tacila Rodrigues; Barros, Jéssica Guimarães; Leite, Luiza Lira; Batista, Yanka Beatriz Gonçalves; Furtado, Dermeval Araújo; Farias, Brendo Júnior Pereira; Barbosa, Ivson de Sousa; Alves, José Ilton Pereira; Ribeiro, Neila Lidiany

doi:10.1590/1809-6891v25e-78070E

Tacila Rodrigues Arruda

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Writing (review and editing)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5100-6774

Jéssica Guimarães Barros

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Writing (review and editing)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6103-2151

Luiza Lira Leite

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Writing (review and editing)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2332-6968

Yanka Beatriz Gonçalves Batista

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Writing (review and editing)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1759-4629

Dermeval Araújo Furtado

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Writing (review and editing)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5035-2712

Brendo Júnior Pereira Farias

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2845-5329

Ivson de Sousa Barbosa

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9411-6025

José Ilton Pereira Alves

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5891-5868

Neila Lidiany Ribeiro ^**corresponding author: neilalidianyribeiro@gmail.com

Conceptualization

Formal Analysis

Investigation

Visualization

Writing (original draft)

Writing (review and editing)

Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6410-244X

*corresponding author: neilalidianyribeiro@gmail.com

Conflict of interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Type of study	Quantitative: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A7, A8, A9, A10, A11, A12, A13, A16, A17, A18, A19, A20, A21, A22, A23, A24 Quanti-qualitative: A6 Qualitative: A14, A15
Country of origin	United States: A1, A5, A11 France: A2, A21 United Kingdom: A3, A6, A22, A23 Switzerland: A4 Ireland: A7, A8, A19 Germany: A9, A17 New Zealand: A10 Czech Republic: A12 Canada: A13, A14, A15, A20 Scotland: A16 Denmark: A18 Brazil: A24
Study delimitation	Observational: A1, A2, A6, A9, A15, A17, A18, A19, A21, A22 Experimental: A3, A4, A5, A7, A8, A10, A11, A12, A16, A20, A23, A24 Systematic Review: A13 Review: A14
Level of evidence (I, II, III, IV, V)	I: A13 II: A3, A4, A5, A7, A8, A10, A11, A12, A16, A20, A23, A24 III: IV: A1, A2, A6, A9, A14, A15, A17, A18, A19, A21, A22 V:

Dairy cattle facilities focusing on housing, bedding and management	A1, A2, A3, A5, A6, A7, A10, A14, A18, A20, A21, A22
Facilities for dairy cattle focusing in ambience and animal welfare	A4, A8, A9, A11, A12, A13, A15, A16, A17, A19, A23, A24

Nº	Study Objectives	Study Results
A1	To describe the practices of housing and management on farms that use automatic milking systems.	Of the responses from 37 of the farms in the study, 38% reported having ≤1% of cows that failed to adapt to the system, 49% had >1% and ≤5% that adapted, 3% had >5 and <10% that failed to adapt, and 11% had ≥10% who failed to adapt as well. Another four farms continued to milk cows that did not adapt to automatic milking systems in a conventional milking parlour.
A2	To describe the extent to which dairy farms have met the International Commission On Agricultural Engineering recommendations for pen dimensions and automatic barriers.	The recommendations for the stalls were met mainly for the resting length (75.9%) and for the distance from the rail to the neck (60.7%), while the recommendations for automatic barriers were met mainly for the height of the lower rail (68 .2%), separation wall width (68.3%) and top rail height (56.9%).
A3	To assess cows’ motivation to lie on beds in open resting areas when they also have free access to stalls with resting beds.	Cows lay longer in the open resting areas compared to the resting stalls. In addition, they had a high motivation for an open resting area, a provision which could better meet behavioral needs and improve well-being.
A4	To assess the locomotion activity of healthy dairy cows kept on traditional mountain pastures using validated accelerometers.	Cows kept on pasture spent less time lying down and more time walking, while cows kept in stalls spent more time lying down.
A5	To investigate the potential benefits of providing a floor surface of rubber for dairy cattle.	The results show that standing on a rubber floor caused a different initial behavioral response compared to standing on a concrete floor. However, possible reasons for these changes are unclear. Standing for 3 h resulted in an increase in step rate and in some muscle activity parameters; However, the results referring to muscle fatigue in relation to the type of floor are inconclusive.
A6	To understand the perspective of the participants regarding three milk production scenarios incorporating different amounts of pasture or housing.	The integrated results indicated that the participants had a double view of the cow, seeing it as domestic and wild, idealizing a scenario with facilities for the winter and pasture in the summer. The interviewees also confessed to being unaware of the needs of the cow.
A7	To evaluate the effect of diet and type of flooring on intake, performance and cleanliness of dairy bulls from an average age of 8 months to slaughter, at 15.5 months of age.	The floor type had no significant effect on intake. The offered diet had no significant effect on the performance of the animals. Bulls housed on rubber-covered slats were significantly cleaner than those housed on concrete slats.
A8	To evaluate the effect of the floor and the diet on the health of hooves and bedtime behavior of housed dairy bulls from an average age of 8 months to slaughter, at 15.5 months of age.	The number of bruises was significantly higher in bulls housed on concrete slatted floors than on rubber-coated concrete slats.
A9	To estimate the effects of bedding characteristics on animal welfare indicatorsin dairy cattle.	Bedding type was found to be the most influential factor in terms of health and behavior. Wider beds positively affected the proportion of dairy cows with dirty flanks, but increased the number of cows with severe tegument changes. Larger resting areas reduced the percentage of cows with dirty udders.
A10	To evaluate the use and preference for three different types of wood chip (clean, wet, or dirty with feces).	Rebound responses indicate that the motivation to rest is not fulfilled on wet surfaces, when given a choice, they clearly show that they will avoid wet and dirty surfaces.
A11	To examine the effects of increasing behavioral opportunities for dairy calves on performance and behavioral outcomes by providing forage in addition to starter and brushes.	Feeding hay tended to increase solid feed intake and average daily gain during weaning, and calves given a brush had improved coat cleanliness during weaning.
A12	To evaluate the performance and affective state of individually and pair housed calves.	Installation did not affect learning speed, but calves housed in pairs responded more positively to ambiguous cues than calves housed singly.
A13	To summarize the scientific literature regarding the welfare of dairy cattle housed in pens by comparing them with less restrictive housing systems.	Expression of certain natural behaviors, particularly those associated with lying down (such as: time spent kneeling, unfulfilled intentions to lie down), were impaired in tie stall system.
A14	To provide a literature review to determine how the level of opportunity for movement provided through different handling and housing practices affects the health of hooves, legs and limbs.	Opportunity for movement, briefly summarized as the level of locomotor activity a cow is able to express in its given environment, as well as the ease with which that movement can be expressed, can have a direct and substantial effect on cow comfort.
A15	To evaluate undergraduates’ view about the future of dairy farming.	Students often failed to distinguish between mandatory topics that promote animal health and welfare and changing animal care practices with the public expectation.
A16	To investigate the importance the cows attached to the type of surface and open spaces other than a resting area.	On average, when a free stall was reset to the cow’s preferred surface, which were faced with a tradeoff between lying on their preferred surface or an open space on a less preferred surface, most of these cows chose the open space.
A17	To examine the relation of herd size with animal welfare in dairy cattle herds.	Housing conditions and management practices seemed to have a greater effect on animal welfare than the number of dairy cows per farm.
A18	To provide an overview of current birthing practices and describe the main housing and delivery management based on online questionnaire responses.	The most frequently reported bedding surface was straw and the most frequent type of separation between pens was open sides. Separating the calf within 12 hours of birth and then individually housing the calves combined with milk feeding via a bucket or bottle was indicated as the most frequent management.
A19	To identify risk and protective factors for a variety of welfare indicators during the confinement period on dairy farms hybrids based on pasture with calving in spring.	Thirty-six unique risk factors were associated with one or more welfare indicators, the risk factor associated with multiple welfare indicators were cow comfort index, slippery floor, light level, width spillway and the presence or absence of a gate supporting the collecting/gathering yard.
A20	To determine if the housing tie stall dairy cows in a deep-bed loose pen during an 8-week dry period increased the amount of time that the cows passed laying down and/ or improved the ease of movement.	Untied cows are able to assume more posture than tie stall cows when there is more room, possibly allowing them to orient themselves in a more comfortable way. The lying surface in the loose pen may facilitate the cow’s lying and rising movements and lead to the longer lying time found in loose pen cows.
A21	To Model the association between combinations of pen dimensions in relation to cow size and other bedding properties as well as the prevalence of dairy cow skin changes, lameness, and soiling.	That obstacles in the lateral plane must be positioned in such a way as to avoid contact.
A22	To explore the current housing of dairy cows across Great Britain, with a specific focus on understanding the practice and variability associated with area concession.	The study revealed that farmers felt that grazing space was essential for cows’ wellbeing, with more than half of farmers scoring ≥8 on a scale of 0 to 10.
A23	To investigate the impact of increased living space on critical aspects.	Cows with increased space produced more milk through 305 days of lactation, but took longer to become pregnant after calving. In terms of behavior, cows with more living space spent significantly more time in lying areas and significantly less time on pasture, suggesting greater well-being when more space was provided. A key physiological difference between the groups was that cows with more space spent more time ruminating each day.
A24	To evaluate the variables: temperature, relative air humidity, temperature-humidity index (THI), in addition to the cost-benefit of recyclables of materials used in covering mobile shelters.	There was no statistical difference between the coverage of the mobile shelters and in relation to the control for the daily averages of temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index.

[1] *corresponding author: neilalidianyribeiro@gmail.com

Brasil

Brasil

Facilities for dairy cattle: an integrative review

Abstract

Nº	Database	Authors/Year	Title	Journal
A1	PUBMED	Salfer et al.(¹⁷17 Salfer JA, Siewert JM, Endres MI. Housing, management characteristics, and factors associated with lameness, hock lesion, and hygiene of lactating dairy cattle on Upper Midwest United States dairy farms using automatic milking systems. Journal of Dairy Science. 2018;101:8586-8594. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13925 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13925... )	Housing, management characteristics, and factors associated with lameness, hock lesion, and hygiene of lactating dairy cattle on Upper Midwest United States dairy farms using automatic milking systems	Journal of Dairy Science
A2	PUBMED	Roches et al.(¹⁸18 Roches ABD, Lardy R, Capdeville J, Mounier L, Veisser I. Do International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (CIGR) dimension recommendations for loose housing of cows improve animal welfare? Journal of Dairy Science.2019;102:10235-10249. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-16154 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-16154... )	Do International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (CIGR) dimension recommendations for loose housing of cows improve animal welfare?	Journal of Dairy Science
A3	PUBMED	Carter et al.(¹⁹19 Carter SL, Haskell MJ, Ball D, Gibbons J, Harris WE, Rutter SM. Dairy cows value an open area for lying down. PLOS ONE. 2022;17:e0268238. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268238. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.026... )	Dairy cows value an open area for lying down	PLOS ONE
A4	PUBMED	Alsaaod et al.(²⁰20 Alsaaod M, Durr S, Iten D, Buescher W, Steiner A. Locomotion behavior of dairy cows on traditional summer mountain farms in comparison with modern cubicle housing without access to pasture. PLOS ONE. 2022; 17:e0264320. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264320 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.026... )	Locomotion behavior of dairy cows on traditional summer mountain farms in comparison with modern cubicle housing without access to pasture	PLOS ONE
A5	PUBMED	Schütz et al.(²¹21 Schütz KE, Rajapaksha E, Mintline EM, Cox NR, Tucker GB. Stepping behavior and muscle activity of dairy cattle standing on concrete or rubber flooring for 1 or 3 hours. Journal of Dairy Science. 2018;101:9472-9482. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-14607 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-14607... )	Stepping behavior and muscle activity of dairy cattle standing on concrete or rubber flooring for 1 or 3 hours	Journal of Dairy Science
A6	PUBMED	Jackon et al.(²²22 Jackson A, Doidge C, Green M, Kaler J. Understanding public preferences for different dairy farming systems using a mixed-methods approach. Journal of Dairy Science. 2022;105:7492-7512. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-21829 . https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-21829... )	Understanding public preferences for different dairy farming systems using a mixed-methods approach	Journal of Dairy Science
A7	PUBMED	Lowe et al.(²³23 Lowe DE, Gordon AW, Lively FO. Effect of overlaying rubber on fully slatted concrete floors on hoof health and lying postures in finishing dairy-origin bulls offered two contrasting diets. Animal. 2020;14:1043-1051. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731119002702 https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111900270... )	The effect of diet and covering fully slatted concrete floors with rubber strips on the intake, performance and cleanliness of dairy bulls	The International Journal of Animal Biosciences
A8	PUBMED	Lowe et al.(²⁴24 Lowe DE, Lively FO, Gordon AW. The effect of diet and covering fully slatted concrete floors with rubber strips on the intake, performance and cleanliness of dairy-origin bulls. Animal. 2019;13:2092-2100. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731119000272 https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111900027... )	Effect of overlaying rubber on fully slatted concrete floors on hoof health and lying postures in finishing dairy-origin bulls offered two contrasting diets	The International Journal of Animal Biosciences
A9	PUBMED	Gieseke et al.(²⁵25 Gieseke D, Lambertz C, Gauly M. Effects of cubicle characteristics on animal welfare indicators in dairy cattle. Animal. 2020; 14:1934-1942. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731120000609 https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173112000060... )	Effects of cubicle characteristics on animal welfare indicators in dairy cattle	The International Journal of Animal Biosciences
A10	PUBMED	Schütz et al.(²⁶26 Schütz KE, Cave VM, Cox NR, Huddart EJ, Tucker CB. Effects of 3 surface types on dairy cattle behavior, preference, and hygiene. Journal of Dairy Science. 2019;102:1530-1541. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-14792 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-14792... )	Effects of 3 surface types on dairy cattle behavior, preference, and hygiene	Journal of Dairy Science
A11	PUBMED	Horvath et al.(²⁷27 Horvath KC, Allen AN, Miller-Cushon EK. Effects of access to stationary brushes and chopped hay on behavior and performance of individually housed dairy calves. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020;103:8421-8432. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-18042. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-18042... )	Effects of access to stationary brushes and chopped hay on behavior and performance of individually housed dairy calves	Journal of Dairy Science
A12	PUBMED	Bučková et al.(²⁸28 Bučková K, Špinka M, Hintze S. Pair housing makes calves more optimistic. Scientific Reports. 2019; 9:20246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56798-w https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56798... )	Pair housing makes calves more optimistic	Scientific Reports
A13	PUBMED	Beaver et al.(²⁹29 Beaver A, Weary DM, Keyserlingk MAGV. Invited review: The welfare of dairy cattle housed in tiestalls compared to less-restrictive housing types: A systematic review. Journal of Dairy Science. 2021; 104:9383-941. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19609 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19609... )	Invited review: The welfare of dairy cattle housed in tie stalls compared to less-restrictive housing types: A systematic review	Journal of Dairy Science
A14	PUBMED	Shepley et al.(³⁰30 Shepley E, Vasseur E. Graduate Student Literature Review: The effect of housing systems on movement opportunity of dairy cows and the implications on cow health and comfort. Journal of Dairy Science. 2021;104:7315- 7322. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19525. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19525... )	Graduate Student Literature Review: The effect of housing systems on movement opportunity of dairy cows and the implications on cow health and comfort	Journal of Dairy Science
A15	PUBMED	Ritter et al.(³¹31 Ritter C, Russell ER, Weary DM, Keyserlingk MAG. Views of American animal and dairy science students on the future of dairy farms and public expectations for dairy cattle care: A focus group study. Journal of Dairy Science, 2021;104:7984-7995. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19732. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19732... )	Views of American animal and dairy science students on the future of dairy farms and public expectations for dairy cattle care: A focus group study	Journal of Dairy Science
A16	PUBMED	Carter et al.(³²32 Carter SL, Rutter SM, Ball D, Gibbons J, Haskell MJ. Dairy cow trade-off preference for 2 different lying qualities: Lying surface and lying space. Journal of Dairy Science. 2021;104: 862-873. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18781 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18781... )	Dairy cow trade-off preference for 2 different lying qualities: Lying surface and lying space	Journal of Dairy Science
A17	PUBMED	Gieseke et al.(³³33 Gieseke D, Lambertz C, Gauly M. Relationship between herd size and measures of animal welfare on dairy cattle farms with freestall housing in Germany. Journal of Dairy Science. 2018; 101:7397-7411. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-14232. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-14232... )	Relationship between herd size and measures of animal welfare on dairy cattle farms with free stall housing in Germany	Journal of Dairy Science
A18	PUBMED	Jensen et al.(³⁴34 Jensen MB, Tolstrup RB. A survey on management and housing of peri-parturient dairy cows and their calves. Animal. 2021; 15:100388. DOI: https://doi.org/1016/j.animal.2021.100388. https://doi.org/1016/j.animal.2021.10038... )	A survey on management and housing of peri-parturient dairy cows and their calves	The International Journal of Animal Biosciences
A19	SCOPUS	Crossley et al.(³⁵35 Crossley RE, Bokkers EAM, Browne N, Sugrue K, Kennedy E, Conneely M. Risk factors associated with indicators of dairy cow welfare during the housing period in Irish, spring-calving, hybrid pasture-based systems. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2022; 208:105760. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022.105760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2022... )	Risk factors associated with indicators of dairy cow welfare during the housing period in Irish, spring-calving, hybrid pasture-based systems	Preventive Veterinary Medicine
A20	SCOPUS	Shepley et al.(³⁶36 Shepley E, Obinu G, Bruneau T, Vasseur E. Housing tiestall dairy cows in deep-bedded pens during an 8-week dry period: Effects on lying time, lying postures, and rising and lying-down behaviors. Journal of Dairy Science. 2019; 102:6508-6517. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15859 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15859... )	Housing tie stall dairy cows in deep-bedded pens during an 8-week dry period: Effects on lying time, lying postures, and rising and lying-down behaviors	Journal of Dairy Science
A21	SCOPUS	Lardy et al.(³⁷37 Lardy R, Roches AB, Capdeville J, Bastien R, Mounier L, Veisser I. Refinement of international recommendations for cubicles, based on the identification of associations between cubicle characteristics and dairy cow welfare measures. Journal of Dairy Science. 2021;104:2164-2184. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17972 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17972... )	Refinement of international recommendations for cubicles, based on the identification of associations between cubicle characteristics and dairy cow welfare measures	Journal of Dairy Science
A22	SCOPUS	Thompson et al.(³⁸38 Thompson JS, Huxley JN, Hudson CD, Kaler J, Gibbins J, Green MJ. Field survey to evaluate space allowances for dairy cows in Great Britain. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020;103:3745-3759. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17004 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17004... )	Field survey to evaluate space allowances for dairy cows in Great Britain	Journal of Dairy Science
A23	SCOPUS	Thompson et al.(³⁹39 Thompson JS, Hudson CD, Huxley JN, Kaler J, Robinson RS, Woad KJ, Bollard N, Gibbons J, Green MJ. A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of indoor living space on dairy cow production, reproduction and behaviour. Scientific Reports. 2022;12:3849. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07826-9 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07826... )	A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of indoor living space on Dairy cow production, reproduction and behaviour	Scientific Reports
A24	ALICE	Kamchen et al.(⁴⁰40 Kamchen SG, Lopes LB, Zolin CA, Gomes FJ. Influência de diferentes materiais para cobertura de abrigos móveis no conforto térmico de bezerros nas condições climáticas de Sinop/MT. Scientific Electronic Archives. 2018; 11:32-36)	Influence of different materials for covering mobile shelters in the thermal comfort of calves in the climatic conditions of Sinop / MT	Scientific Electronic Archives