I once visited a farm that intentionally overstocked their barns just slightly. The manager explained to me that the cows learned in part to take turns at the bunk, beds, and water troughs. While it can be challenging to find a balance for these animals, cows are adaptable and will find opportunities to take care of their own needs.
A great example of this can be found in a recent Journal of Dairy Science article where researchers in France studied the behaviors of cows when water was restricted following milking. Their study compared cows that were provided water immediately following milking to three trial groups. The first test group was restricted from water for two hours following milking while also being in a headlock at the feed fence. The next test group was permitted free choice feed but was restricted from water for two hours following milking. The final group had free access to feed but were water restricted for four hours.
Among these test groups, they found that all the animals in the test groups consumed the same amount of water as the group allowed free access feed and water. This was unaffected by social dominance traits that were tracked by the researchers as well.
“When cows are in facilities containing the recommended number of drinkers and experience thermoneutral conditions, they can drink the same amount of water regardless of milking-related temporary water restrictions or social dominance,” explained Anne Boudon and other contributing authors.
“Such is possible because cows can adapt their drinking behavior to the level of water restriction. Their responses include drinking faster, spending less time at the drinker, and engaging in fewer but longer drinking bouts,” they continued.
While this is all true, the cows’ adaptations can cause them to reduce or change other behaviors such as lying and idle time.
The researchers found that all cows spent less time lying immediately after their period of water restriction than did those animals that had water immediately following milking.
At the end of the day, the researchers would tell you that providing the appropriate amount of water space in a pen will keep cattle from searching for it, but a risk still exists for reduced cow comfort behaviors where water restrictions exist.
The author is a dairy farmer in Kansas and a former associate editor at Hoard’s Dairyman. Raised on a 150-cow dairy near Valley Center, Kansas, Maggie graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in agricultural communications and animal sciences.
