TY - JOUR
T1 - Do you see the pattern? Make the most of sensor data in dairy cows
AU - Kok, Akke
AU - Ternman, Emma
AU - Thorup, Vivi M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Hannah Dairy Research Foundation.
PY - 2023/8
Y1 - 2023/8
N2 - Sensors are increasingly being used to monitor animal behaviour. Data handling methods have, however, lagged behind the continuous data stream to some extent, often being limited to summarizing data into daily averages at group level. This research reflection presents our opinion of the neglected application of 24-h pattern analysis. Recent studies of dairy cow behaviour have demonstrated that additional ways of analysing data improve our understanding of animal behaviour and add value to data that were already retrieved. The terminology for the described 24-h patterns differs between these studies, making them difficult to compare. Thus, diurnal, circadian, daily, periodicity and 24-h pattern are all terms used to describe dairy cow activities over a 24-h period. Several studies have shown that the 24-h behavioural pattern at herd level is relatively consistent over time, and that with well-established management routines, a specific herd signature will be evident. However, within a herd, individual cows may have individual 24-h patterns with more or less variability. Recent studies suggest that deviations from herd and/or individual 24-h patterns can be used to describe cow robustness, as well as to predict disease. We strongly believe that individual and herd 24-h patterns provide a great deal of information about behaviour and that these patterns offer opportunity for more precise and timely health management and welfare monitoring.
AB - Sensors are increasingly being used to monitor animal behaviour. Data handling methods have, however, lagged behind the continuous data stream to some extent, often being limited to summarizing data into daily averages at group level. This research reflection presents our opinion of the neglected application of 24-h pattern analysis. Recent studies of dairy cow behaviour have demonstrated that additional ways of analysing data improve our understanding of animal behaviour and add value to data that were already retrieved. The terminology for the described 24-h patterns differs between these studies, making them difficult to compare. Thus, diurnal, circadian, daily, periodicity and 24-h pattern are all terms used to describe dairy cow activities over a 24-h period. Several studies have shown that the 24-h behavioural pattern at herd level is relatively consistent over time, and that with well-established management routines, a specific herd signature will be evident. However, within a herd, individual cows may have individual 24-h patterns with more or less variability. Recent studies suggest that deviations from herd and/or individual 24-h patterns can be used to describe cow robustness, as well as to predict disease. We strongly believe that individual and herd 24-h patterns provide a great deal of information about behaviour and that these patterns offer opportunity for more precise and timely health management and welfare monitoring.
KW - 24-h behavioural pattern
KW - chronobiology
KW - herd level
KW - individual
KW - monitoring
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174243051&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0022029923000559
DO - 10.1017/S0022029923000559
M3 - Review
C2 - 37781762
AN - SCOPUS:85174243051
SN - 0022-0299
VL - 90
SP - 252
EP - 256
JO - Journal of Dairy Research
JF - Journal of Dairy Research
IS - 3
ER -