Time Spent in a Maternity Pen during Winter Influences Cow and Calf Behavior in Pasture-Based Dairy Systems

SIMPLE SUMMARY: One of the major challenges of spring calving pasture-based systems in temperate regions is the exposure of periparturient dairy cows and their newborn calves to cold and wet winter conditions. We investigated whether moving precalving cows from an outdoor paddock to an indoor maternity pen affects the behavior of the cow and her newborn during winter and if this was influenced by the timing relative to calving. Our results indicated that cows housed in a maternity pen spent more time lying and ruminating compared with cows kept in an outdoor paddock. Moreover, newborn calf vitality improved when cows were moved to a maternity pen 3 weeks before calving when compared with those moved during the week before calving or those that remained in an outdoor paddock precalving. This information may aid in the design of calving management systems that can minimize any negative effects of inclement winter weather on cow and calf welfare in seasonal, year-round pasture-based systems. ABSTRACT: Our study compared the behavior of prepartum dairy cows that either remained in an outdoor paddock until calving (OP) during winter or were moved to an indoor maternity pen either early (EM) or late (LM) relative to calving. Forty-two multiparous Holstein cows were divided into three treatments (OP, EM, or LM) and monitored from 3 weeks before to 1.5 h after calving. Cows in EM and LM were moved to a maternity pen starting at week three and week one before the expected calving date, respectively. We assessed the cleanliness of the cows at calving, immunoglobulin G concentration in colostrum, and the behavior and vitality of calves across treatments. Cows spent more time lying in EM compared to OP and LM during the weeks −3 and −2 relative to calving, but lying time was increased in LM cows compared with OP cows during the week −1 relative to calving. Prepartum rumination time was lowest in OP cows but not different between EM or LM. Calves from OP cows spent more time lying and had lower vitality after calving than those from LM and EM cows, respectively; calves from EM and LM cows were intermediate for lying and vitality, respectively, but did not differ from either group. The cleanliness was greatest in cows that calved indoors (EM or LM); nevertheless, precalving management did not affect the IgG concentration in colostrum. Our study demonstrates that, in comparison with OP, EM and LM have positive implications for the welfare of the dam and its newborn calf during winter.