Facility Focus: Lock-Up Time Could Lead to Lost Production

Headlocks could arguably be one of the most used tools on the farm. Whether they’re used for pregnancy checking, herd health days or A.I. breeding, headlocks come in handy for a multitude of reasons. But are our cows spending unnecessary time locked up? Researchers from Texas A&M University set out to determine how long is too long.

Lock-Up Time Adds Up

Cows only have so many hours in a day to complete their daily routines. According to Rick Grant of the Miner Institute, dairy cows will spend 3 to 5 hours a day eating, 12 to 14 hours lying or resting, 2 to 3 hours socializing and approximately 30 minutes drinking. That only leaves, 2.5 to 3.5 per day for milking and other herd management activities. While this might sound like a lot of time, it doesn’t take long for the minutes to add up. And unfortunately, time spent in headlocks will compete with the time for other behavioral needs.

During the study, the researchers observed an average lock-up time of approximately 1 to 4 hours per day. This time varied on pen size, stocking density and an animal’s position at the feed bunk.

It was determined that cows with longer lock-up periods experienced shorter lying times. The researchers concluded that excessive standing time could be associated with higher incidences of lameness, shorter time spent eating and more aggressive behavior.

Longer Lock-Ups = Lost Production

As time spent in headlocks increases, so do cortisol levels. In turn, this leads to heightened stress for the animal, which can negatively impact an animal’s health and productivity.

According to the researchers, prolonged cortisol has the potential to decrease overall milk yield, milk fat percentage and dry matter intake. Cows deprived of feeding and lying for more than 4 hours reduced milk yield by 4.4 lb. per day for 3 consecutive days.

To help prevent unnecessary stress, it’s important to minimize lock-up times whenever possible. This especially holds true for fresh cows, as these animals are the most in need of a stress-free environment to get them off to the best start. It’s also important to keep lock-up times at a minimum during the summer months. Locking up cows for extended periods without access to water or shade can have adverse effects during summer heat stress.

To help keep lock-up times to a minimum, consider following these tips:

• Set a timer. As soon as animals are locked up, try setting a timer to see how long it takes for various management practices. This will help you determine your average lock-up time and adjust from there.
• Let specific animals go. Instead of keeping an entire pen locked up, consider letting animals who no longer need attention go.
• Time of day. Avoid the use of headlocks during late morning and afternoon hours during the summer months.
• Talk with your vet. Take time to chat with your veterinarian on ways to maximize efficiency on herd health days.

Headlocks can be successfully used on a dairy. The limiting factor is how well they are managed. Work with your team to minimize lock-up times whenever possible.

For more Facility Focus coverage, read:

• Facility Focus: Keys to Success for Calf Facilities Across the Country
• Facility Focus: Does Paired Housing Make Sense for Your Calves?
• Facility Focus: Are Alley Scrapers Right for Your Dairy?
• Facility Focus: Is Overcrowding Holding Your Cows Back?
• Facility Focus: Is a Separating System Right for You?