Behavioural indicators of cow comfort: activity and resting behaviour of dairy cows in two types of housing (2000)

Haley, D. B., Rushen, J., de Passill?, A. M.

Abstract

Cows individually housed in large pens with a mattress flooring lay down 4.2 h/day longer than cows housed in tie-stalls on a concrete floor, while cows in tie-stalls stood idle (without eating) for longer. Cows stood up and lay down more often in the large pens and theduration of individual standing bouts was longer in tie-stalls. .. A lower frequency of standing and lying and an increase in the duration of lying bouts suggests that in tie-stalls cows are more reluctant to change position from lying to standing.