How 'robocows' are helping keep Scotland's cattle happy

Researchers have fitted ‘robocows’ with tracking sensors similar to pedometers found on smart watches and Fitbits to show the ones that get their step count up every day seem more content than their indoor ‘couch potato’ counterparts.

With more activity in their day, the happier cows’ behaviour changed to display more ‘herd synchrony’ – when animals carry out more of the same behaviours such as all lying or all standing at the same time.

Such behaviour is regarded as being more natural and known to be an indicator of positive welfare.

The information can help dairy farmers better understand how their herd is responding to the environment in which they are kept – whether that’s indoors in barns or outside in pasture.

Once able to accurately gauge their behaviour, they can put in measures to help boost their mood. In the case of cows kept indoors, that could be softer bedding, more space to feed and gadgets such as mechanical grooming brushes which encourage animals to exercise, stand up and can reduce stress.

Keeping dairy cows happy, stress-free and better managed helps to improve milk yields and even reduce carbon emissions.

While it also meets consumer demand for dairy products which can confirm they are sourced from ‘happy’ herds.

The research corresponds with well-established advice for humans that a sedentary lifestyle is linked to poorer health: according to the World Health Organization, insufficient physical activity is the fourth most frequent cause of death in the world, with 3.2m deaths a year attributed to it.

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While it’s generally been considered that 10,000 steps a day is the key target for humans, researchers last week revealed walking just 4,000 steps a day may be enough to reduce the risk of an early death.

The study concluded that the more a person walks, the lower the risk. Walking and being outdoors has also been linked to having positive mental health benefits.

Animal mounted sensors designed for a range of production and management benefits, such as fertility tracking are becoming more commonplace on farms.

Environmental sensors and camera technologies are also used by dairy farmers to manage issues such as feeding and to predict when cows are preparing to calf.

In some cases, movement sensors have been fitted to dairy herds to help identify the early stages of lameness, which in turn has helped farmers react quicker to potential problems which, if left too long, can lead to the animal having to be slaughtered.

The technologies also capture a wide range of data which researchers from the Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) Dairy Research and Innovation Centre, Dr Holly Ferguson and Dr Laura Shewbridge Carter, suspected could be harnessed to help better understand animal behaviour and improve welfare.

They worked with the University of Strathclyde Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department and 16 First Milk dairy farms across the UK to carry out the study.

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Sensors attached to cows’ collars, ears and ankles captured data on time the herds spent lying down, their activity levels – including their step count – and how long they spent ruminating and eating.

The study used a measurement known as qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) to rate their conduct, how they responded to activity and whether their mood was friendly or irritable.

It showed that indoor cows are remarkably inactive: with step counts ranging from just 300 to 1000 steps per day.  

Cows in pasture, meanwhile, notched up between 2,000 to 6,000 steps.

Increased step count and a decrease in standing time was said to be linked to positive behaviours among cows, with animals in pasture settings displaying better herd synchrony.

Researcher Dr Holly Ferguson said the study has helped show that sensor data can be a useful tool for farmers seeking to ensure their herd is content, whether animals are generally kept indoors or outside.

“We are trying to create a new way of measuring positive welfare in cattle,” she added. “It is important to make sure animals are the happiest they can be regardless of where they are.

“A happy cow is a healthy and productive cow. Whether indoors or outside if they are not as happy as could be, they are not going to make as much milk.”