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Tactile, Auditory, and Visual Stimulation as Sensory Enrichment for Dairy Cattle.

Daniel Mota-RojasAlexandra Louise WhittakerAdriana Domínguez-OlivaAna C StrappiniAdolfo Álvarez-MacíasPatricia Mora-MedinaMarcelo Daniel GhezziPamela Anahí LendezKarina Lezama-GarcíaTemple Grandin
Published in: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI (2024)
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 of the udder have been shown to have a positive effect on milk yield and overall behavioral repertoire, enhancing natural behavior. Classical music reduces stress levels and has similarly been associated with increased milk yield. A slow or moderate tempo (70 to 100 bpm) at frequencies below 70 dB is recommended to have this positive effect. Evidence on the impacts of other types of enrichment, such as visual stimulation through mirrors, pictures, and color lights, or the use of olfactory stimuli, is equivocal and requires further study.
Keyphrases
  • dairy cows
  • systematic review
  • working memory
  • stress induced