Cattle

Behavioural engagement of Holstein Friesian dairy cattle with different mounting techniques for salt licks as environmental enrichment (2025)

With increasing numbers of dairy farms adopting zero-grazing systems, there is a growing need for indoor environmental enrichment methods. Enrichment is necessary to meet industry requirements and fulfil behavioural motivations, such as oral manipulation. This study evaluated the magnitude with...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: McLaughlin, D. L., Blackie, N. 2025. Behavioural engagement of Holstein Friesian dairy cattle with different mounting techniques for salt licks as environmental enrichment. Animals 15(5), 701.

Brush use in lot-fed cattle shows continued use and positive behaviour

Feedlot cattle were assessed for the consistency of enrichment brush use, higher incidence of natural behaviour, and less agonistic or abnormal behaviour compared to cattle without the brush. Cattle were assigned to one of two treatment pens, (1) access to...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Dunston-Clarke, E. J., Stockman, C., Sinclair, J. et al. 2025. Brush use in lot-fed cattle shows continued use and positive behaviour. Animals 15(1), 44.

Comparing the use of enrichment items by cattle in a high containment facility

Interacting with environmental enrichment can reduce morbidity, agression and stereotypic behaviours improving both animal welfare and scientific data output. High containment facilities are limited on space, do not have natural scenery, the cattle are kept together in small groups and...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Smith-Langridge, R. 2024, April. Comparing the use of enrichment items by cattle in a high containment facility. Animal Technology and Welfare 23(1), 41–43.

The effect of a hiding space on the behaviour and heart rate variability of dairy calves during temporary separation from the dam

In natural settings, newborn calves hide for several days before joining the herd. It is unclear whether dairy calves housed indoors would show similar hiding behaviour. This study aimed to describe the use of an artificial hide provided to calves...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Spitzer, H. B., Meagher, R. K., O'Sullivan, M. L. et al. 2024. The effect of a hiding space on the behaviour and heart rate variability of dairy calves during temporary separation from the dam. Animal Welfare 33, e2.

Effects of the individual and pair housing of calves on long-term heifer production on a UK commercial dairy farm

Pair housing of pre-weaning dairy calves has previously demonstrated positive impacts on their growth, health and behaviour, but longer-term effects on production are still relatively unknown. This study followed a cohort of 431 Holstein heifers, recruited from a single UK...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Mahendran, S. A., Wathes, D. C., Booth, R. E. et al. 2024. Effects of the individual and pair housing of calves on long-term heifer production on a UK commercial dairy farm. Animals 14(1), 125.

Tactile, auditory, and visual stimulation as sensory enrichment for dairy cattle

Several types of enrichment can be used to improve animal welfare. This review summarizes the literature on the use of mechanical brushes, tactile udder stimulation, music, and visual stimuli as enrichment methods for dairy cows. Mechanical brushes and tactile stimulation...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Mota-Rojas, D., Whittaker, A. L., Domínguez-Oliva, A. et al. 2024. Tactile, auditory, and visual stimulation as sensory enrichment for dairy cattle. Animals 14(9), 1265.

Early-life contact with non-maternal adult cows and a pasture-based rearing environment influence behavioural responses of dairy heifers to novelty

The complexity experienced in early life can affect trait development of individuals, including sociability and fearfulness. The modern dairy calf's rearing environment often lacks environmental and social complexity. This study examined the effects of early-life, non-maternal adult contact and access...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Field, L., Hemsworth, L., Jongman, E. et al. 2024. Early-life contact with non-maternal adult cows and a pasture-based rearing environment influence behavioural responses of dairy heifers to novelty. Animal Welfare 33, e18.

Housed dairy cows utilise varied environmental enrichments and show diverse inter-individual variation in habituation

There is currently a focus on the importance of providing positive experiences to farm animals, which can be facilitated through the provision of environmental enrichment. Brushes are an established enrichment resource for dairy cows, however, enrichment opportunities beyond this appear...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Russell, A. L., Randall, L. V., Kaler, J. et al. 2024. Housed dairy cows utilise varied environmental enrichments and show diverse inter-individual variation in habituation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 274, 106241.

An effective environmental enrichment framework for the continual improvement of production animal welfare

Substrates and objects are provided to farm animals on the assumption that they improve animal welfare by enriching the environment, but these often fail to consider the extent to which an environmental enrichment (EE) improves animal welfare, if at all....

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Fowl, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Taylor, P. S., Schrobback, P., Verdon, M. et al. 2023. An effective environmental enrichment framework for the continual improvement of production animal welfare. Animal Welfare 32, e14.

Benchmarking enrichment efforts in the US & Canada across species and enrichment categories

Enrichment is important for animal welfare and data quality. Provision of enrichment opportunities varies between species and enrichment category. However, data benchmarking these differences does not exist. Our objective was to characterize enrichment provision and associated factors across species in...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Dog, Ferret, Goat, Macaque, Mink, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Sheep

Citation: LaFollette, M. R., Cloutier, S., Brady, C. M. et al. 2023. Benchmarking enrichment efforts in the US & Canada across species and enrichment categories. JAALAS 62(4), 303–316.