Effect of stockpersons behavior on performance of milk-production in milky cows

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M. Sc. Student, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

2 Associate Professor, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

3 Professor, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

4 Ph. D. Candidate, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the impact of behavior of workers on production performance of Holstein cows. A number of 48 Holstein milky cows were used in this study. At first two groups, including four workers, were asked to treat cows based on pre-research training. The first group, was asked to behavior common, however second group was asked to behavior kindly and positively. During the experiment, behaviors of all livestock and workers were recorded and evaluated using video imagery and amount of cortisol concentration and produced milk were recorded. The study lasted for 5 weeks and in the end of experiment the results were as follows: livestock that were treated kindly produce significantly higher milk, 4.86% (p˂0.05), than the control group. Cortisol concentrations also differed significantly between the two groups (p˂0.05), which showed decreased stress in the organs that were treated positively. The positive behavior cause significant decrease in cortisol concentrations in milky cows, which in turn causes decreased stress in milking cows.

Keywords


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