Effects of a simulated power cut in milking robots on the lying behavior of dairy cows

Abstract. Scientific experiments within the design approach “Integrated Dairy Farming – Stable 4.0” demonstrate the cattle behavior in situations driven by a power load management. This study particularly investigates the manner in which energy failures, energy fluctuations, and postponements influence the daily routine of cattle, especially the animal activity and lying behavior. Based on the pedometer data, the results indicate whether the lying behavior of dairy cows alters under these circumstances. To simulate a power cut, 12 random cows out of 4 herds were not admitted to the automatic milking system for at least 2 h for 3 consecutive days. A discrete Poisson distribution was used as a mathematical basis to create a cow‘s movement pattern. However, curve fittings indicate that the distribution model in its current form (Poisson distribution) is unable to represent the movement behavior of cows. The next steps include an improvement in the still insufficient illustration of the movement behavior using a Mixed Poisson distribution. Furthermore, a trend is ascertained that older cows lie longer than younger ones (i.e., there is a dependence between the age of cow and the lying duration) and that all cows exhibit a reduced lying time on a side the day after a blackout. Hence, further research is necessary to explain the “after-blackout”-effect (e.g., hormones, and milk yield) and determine (if it exists) an appropriate distribution for describing the lying behavior of cows.