Abstract
Key words
Introduction
OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health). 2015. Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 24th ed. Accessed Jun. 6, 2016. http://www.oie.int/international-standard-setting/terrestrial-code/access-online
ASR (Association of Swiss Cattle Breeders). 2011. Ehrenkodex for das Bereitstellen und die Auffuhr von Tieren an Milchviehausstellungen in der Schweiz. Accessed Jun. 6, 2016. http://www.asr-ch.ch/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/016-003d_ehrenkodex-2011-10-18.pdf
HUK (Holstein UK). 2011. Rules and Regulations for Showing Dairy Cattle. Accessed Jun. 6, 2016. http://www.holstein-uk.org/Media/legacyShows/docs/HUK_Showing_Rules_2012.pdf
WDE (World Dairy Expo). 2015. World Dairy Expo Showring Policy and Code of Ethics. Accessed Jun. 6, 2016. http://www.worlddairyexpo.com/file_open.php?id=129
- Lakic B.
- Wredle E.
- Svennersten-Sjaunja K.
- Ostensson K.
- Bertulat S.
- Fischer-Tenhagen C.
- Suthar V.
- Möstl E.
- Isaka N.
- Heuwieser W.
Materials and Methods
Animals, Housing, and Milking
Experimental Design

Inclusion Criteria
Parameters and Data Collection
Locomotion and Feeding Behavior
Examination Data
Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, Temperature, and Milk Leaking
Salivary Cortisol
Gait Score
Weight Distribution Among Limbs
Udder Firmness
Superficial Udder Temperature
Udder Width and Limb Distance
Sonographic Appearance of the Subcutaneous Udder Tissue
Milking Data
Milk Flow Curves and Electrical Conductivity
SCC
Bacteriological Culture
Statistical Analyses
Grouping
Comparison of BLP and PMI
Comparison of BLP and RP
Milking Data
Comparison of Groups
Results
Early-Lactation Saline Group
Behavioral Changes and Salivary Cortisol Concentration
Variable | Baseline period | Prolonged milking interval | P-value | Power | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean ± SD | Median | Interquartile range | Mean ± SD | Median | Interquartile range | |||
Eating time (min/h) | 22.4 ± 4.8 | 21.5 | 20.2–25.7 | 16.2 ± 3.8 | 14.8 | 14.3–19.3 | <0.001 | 0.98 |
Eating chews (no./h) | 1,355.4 ± 392.9 | 1,368.7 | 1,077.3–1,536.7 | 1,028.9 ± 376.0 | 898.0 | 819.4–1,205.8 | 0.013 | 0.81 |
Ruminating time (min/h) | 13.3 ± 6.0 | 13.3 | 10.1–15.5 | 25.0 ± 2.8 | 25.5 | 22.8–27.0 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Ruminating chews (no./h) | 839.3 ± 436.5 | 827.3 | 591.0–987.8 | 1,583.8 ± 185.1 | 1,596.8 | 1,452.1–1,700.8 | 0.001 | 1.00 |
Ruminating bolus (no./h) | 14.6 ± 6.5 | 15.7 | 10.0–17.0 | 27.7 ± 2.7 | 27.2 | 25.6–29.8 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Chews per ruminating bolus (no.) | 53.5 ± 6.9 | 51.6 | 48.3–57.8 | 56.2 ± 5.9 | 56.3 | 53.1–59.2 | 0.046 | 0.53 |
Change of feeding activity (no./h) | 11.3 ± 4.1 | 11.7 | 8.7–14.2 | 8.8 ± 2.5 | 8.8 | 7.3–10.0 | 0.003 | 0.91 |
Lying time (min) | 11.1 ± 5.5 | 10.8 | 7.2–14.3 | 8.5 ± 4.8 | 7.0 | 4.4–12.1 | 0.231 | 0.22 |
Limb events (no./h) | 87.4 ± 29.8 | 83.0 | 66.5–98.3 | 104.9 ± 32.0 | 104.3 | 91.0–117.8 | 0.010 | 0.66 |
Stride duration (ms) | 1,857.8 ± 240.6 | 1,860.1 | 1,704.2–2,031.7 | 1,949.6 ± 223.6 | 1,920.6 | 1,856.6–2,045.3 | 0.061 | 0.55 |
Stride distance (cm) | 153.5 ± 25.9 | 147.0 | 135.3–174.0 | 145.5 ± 26.7 | 143.1 | 126.4–158.7 | 0.081 | 0.40 |
Relative weight on hind limb (%) | 46.3 ± 0.8 | 46.3 | 45.7–46.9 | 47.0 ± 1.0 | 46.9 | 46.5–47.8 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Difference between front and hind limbs (kg) | 24.9 ± 6.6 | 26.0 | 19.8–29.7 | 20.8 ± 7.5 | 21.4 | 15.2–26.9 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Visual analog scale of abduction | 41.7 ± 15.6 | 43.6 | 29.9–53.3 | 62.6 ± 15.1 | 68.1 | 59.4–71.4 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Gait score | 1.9 ± 0.3 | 1.8 | 1.8–2.0 | 2.1 ± 0.3 | 2.1 | 1.9–2.2 | 0.017 | 0.71 |
Udder firmness (kg) | 2.9 ± 0.7 | 2.6 | 2.5–3.4 | 4.5 ± 0.9 | 4.5 | 4.1–5.0 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Udder width (cm) | 31.7 ± 3.9 | 31.3 | 30.3–33.9 | 38.0 ± 4.4 | 37.4 | 35.5–39.5 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Hind limb distance (cm) | 31.2 ± 5.9 | 31.5 | 30.1–33.5 | 38.9 ± 5.7 | 39.6 | 34.6–42.5 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Cumulated depth of edema (mm) | 0.0 ± 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0–0.0 | 1.2 ± 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.0–1.9 | <0.002 | 0.80 |
Weight Distribution and Gait Score
Variable | Baseline period | Prolonged milking interval | P-value | Power | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean ± SD | Median | Interquartile range | Mean ± SD | Median | Interquartile range | |||
Weight on hind limb (%/h) | 0.10 ± 0.13 | 0.12 | 0.02 to 0.21 | −0.03 ± 0.07 | −0.04 | −0.05 to 0.00 | 0.001 | 0.95 |
Difference between front and hind limbs (kg/h) | −0.59 ± 0.87 | −0.77 | −1.20 to −0.06 | 0.20 ± 0.46 | 0.23 | −0.02 to 0.34 | 0.002 | 0.92 |
Visual analog scale of abduction (/h) | 4.05 ± 3.32 | 3.50 | 2.00 to 5.54 | 1.01 ± 1.82 | 1.63 | −0.14 to 1.87 | 0.006 | 0.77 |
Udder firmness (kg/h) | 0.23 ± 0.21 | 0.20 | 0.05 to 0.43 | 0.04 ± 0.21 | 0.02 | −0.07 to 0.10 | 0.007 | 0.75 |
Udder width (cm/h) | 0.57 ± 0.70 | 0.33 | 0.11 to 1.08 | 0.52 ± 0.50 | 0.46 | 0.14 to 0.84 | 0.425 | 0.05 |
Hind limb distance (cm/h) | 0.69 ± 1.43 | 0.65 | −0.16 to 1.50 | 0.54 ± 0.81 | 0.40 | 0.01 to 0.94 | 0.350 | 0.06 |
Udder Firmness, Udder Surface Temperature, and Hind Limb Abduction

Edema and Milk Leaking
Milk Flow Curves, Electrical Conductivity, and SCC
Variable | Baseline period | Prolonged milking interval | P-value | Power | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean ± SD | Median | Interquartile range | Mean ± SD | Median | Interquartile range | |||
Milk yield (kg) | 14.4 ± 3.4 | 13.9 | 12.6–16.6 | 22.7 ± 6.4 | 22.5 | 17.4–25.0 | <0.001 | 1.00 |
Incline phase (min) | 0.7 ± 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.5–0.8 | 0.5 ± 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3–0.7 | 0.116 | 0.42 |
Plateau phase (min) | 2.8 ± 1.9 | 2.5 | 1.5–4.4 | 4.9 ± 3.4 | 3.8 | 2.2–8.1 | 0.002 | 1.00 |
Decline phase (min) | 3.4 ± 1.7 | 3.1 | 2.0–5.0 | 4.3 ± 1.9 | 4.2 | 2.7–5.4 | 0.060 | 0.63 |
Time of peak milk flow (min) | 2.6 ± 1.5 | 2.1 | 1.6–3.2 | 4.6 ± 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.1–8.0 | 0.010 | 0.78 |
Peak milk flow (kg/min) | 3.8 ± 1.3 | 3.7 | 2.9–4.2 | 4.1 ± 1.3 | 3.9 | 2.9–5.1 | 0.071 | 0.42 |
Electrical conductivity incline (mS/cm) | 6.0 ± 0.6 | 6.3 | 5.7–6.4 | 6.3 ± 0.8 | 6.6 | 5.6–6.9 | 0.004 | 0.87 |
Maximal electrical conductivity (mS/cm) | 6.0 ± 0.6 | 6.2 | 5.5–6.4 | 6.8 ± 0.9 | 6.7 | 5.8–7.2 | 0.003 | 0.68 |

Bacteriological Culture
Bacteriological agent | Before and after prolonged milking interval (no.) | Only before prolonged milking interval (no.) | Only after prolonged milking interval (no.) |
---|---|---|---|
Major pathogen | |||
Streptococcus uberis | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Minor pathogen | |||
Corynebacterium bovis | 8 | 9 | 3 |
Coagulase-negative staphylococci | 5 | 0 | 4 |
Enterococcus avium | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Streptococcus spp. | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Pantoea agglomerans | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Comparison of Baseline Period and Recovery Period
Comparison of Groups
Variable | Early-lactation saline group (n = 15) | Early-lactation flunixin group (n = 15) | Mid-lactation saline group (n = 10) |
---|---|---|---|
Eating time (min/h) | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.167 |
Eating chews (no./h) | 0.013 | <0.001 | 0.440 |
Ruminating time (min/h) | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.017 |
Ruminating chews (no./h) | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.009 |
Ruminating bolus (no./h) | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.003 |
Chews per ruminating bolus (no.) | 0.046 | 0.030 | 0.785 |
Change of feeding activity (no./h) | 0.003 | 0.013 | 0.121 |
Lying time (min) | 0.231 | 0.035 | 0.196 |
Limb events (no./h) | 0.010 | <0.002 | 0.147 |
Stride duration (ms) | 0.061 | 0.629 | 0.007 |
Stride distance (cm) | 0.081 | 0.281 | 0.008 |
Relative weight on hind limb (%) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.002 |
Difference between front and hind limbs (kg) | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.003 |
Visual analog scale of abduction | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.005 |
Gait score | 0.017 | 0.056 | 0.021 |
Udder firmness (kg) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.002 |
Udder width (cm) | <0.001 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
Hind limb distance (cm) | <0.001 | <0.001 | 0.006 |
Cumulated depth of edema (mm) | <0.002 | 0.015 | 0.186 |
Variable | Early-lactation saline group (n = 15) | Early-lactation flunixin group (n = 15) | Mid-lactation saline group (n = 10) |
---|---|---|---|
Relative weight on hind limb (%) | 0.001 | <0.007 | 0.001 |
Difference between front and hind limbs (kg) | 0.002 | 0.012 | 0.004 |
Visual analog scale of abduction | 0.006 | 0.008 | 0.444 |
Udder firmness (kg) | 0.007 | 0.006 | 0.001 |
Udder width (cm) | 0.425 | 0.400 | 0.105 |
Hind limb distance (cm) | 0.350 | 0.151 | 0.088 |
Early-Lactation Flunixin Group
Mid-Lactation Saline Group
Discussion
- Bertulat S.
- Fischer-Tenhagen C.
- Suthar V.
- Möstl E.
- Isaka N.
- Heuwieser W.
- Bertulat S.
- Fischer-Tenhagen C.
- Suthar V.
- Möstl E.
- Isaka N.
- Heuwieser W.
- Lakic B.
- Wredle E.
- Svennersten-Sjaunja K.
- Ostensson K.
- Lakic B.
- Wredle E.
- Svennersten-Sjaunja K.
- Ostensson K.
- Bertulat S.
- Fischer-Tenhagen C.
- Suthar V.
- Möstl E.
- Isaka N.
- Heuwieser W.
- Davis S.R.
- Farr V.C.
- Copeman P.J.
- Carruthers V.R.
- Knight C.H.
- Stelwagen K.
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References
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