When investing in changes to cow management, Cow Comfort can easily be overlooked, but it can be one of the most fundamental factors in creating a successful dairy operation. Professor Martin Green, global leading veterinary expert and researcher, summarises the evidence for the crucial role that Cow Comfort plays in a profitable, sustainable dairy business:
Dairy cow comfort is a critical factor in modern dairy cow management, influencing both the production and profitability. Research has demonstrated that improving cow comfort leads to increased milk yields, better health, and reduced costs associated with disease and disease control.
Comfortable cows generally produce more milk, which directly translates to higher revenue (Calamari et al. 2009); the longer cows rest the more milk they produce (Grant, 2007).
Discomfort leads to increased standing times, reduced feeding times and therefore metabolic dysfunction which reduces the efficiency of metabolic processes. Importantly, even small improvements in metabolic efficiency can result in significant financial gains.
Lying time is considered one of the most critical components of cow comfort. Dairy cows typically spend 10 to 14 hours per day lying down (Cook et al., 2005; Drissler et al., 2005; Gomez and Cook, 2010), during which they ruminate and rest.
Comfortable bedding materials, such as sand, deep straw or mattresses, ensure cows rest without discomfort or risk of injury. Research shows that when cows are forced to stand for extended periods due to inadequate bedding (Ruud et al., 2010) or inadequate space (Thompson et al., 2022), milk yields decline significantly.
Investments in high-quality bedding and adequate space yield a strong return by boosting milk production. Similarly, the number of cubicles available per cow affects cow lying times and milk yields (Bach et al., 2008). Maintaining 5 - 10% more cubicles than cows appears to be optimal for maximising yield.
Improved cow comfort leads to healthier cows, reducing treatment costs and time input from farm staff. Comfortable cows with clean, dry bedding are less likely to develop mastitis; a reduction of only 5 cases per 100 cows each year increases profit by approximately £3000 per year in a 200-cow herd.
Lameness is another costly issue that can be mitigated by improving cow comfort. Uncomfortable beds and hard, slippery, or poorly maintained flooring increase the risk of lameness, leading to reduced mobility, lower milk production, and higher culling rates.
Similar to mastitis, a reduction of only 5 cases per 100 cows each year increases profit by approximately £5000 per year in a 200-cow herd.
Reproductive performance is a key determinant of dairy farm profitability. Metabolic stress (Roche, 2006) and discomfort negatively impact reproductive efficiency, leading to longer calving intervals, lower conception rates and increased culling.
Comfortable cows are more likely to exhibit natural oestrus behaviours, facilitating timely breeding and improving reproductive outcomes. Enhanced reproductive performance reduces the costs associated with extended dry periods and the need for additional reproductive interventions, contributing to overall profitability.
Improved cow comfort is associated with lower culling and replacement rates (Cook 2020). Comfortable cows are less prone to injuries and chronic health issues, resulting in lower mortality and culling rates.
Premature culling is expensive, as it requires replacing productive cows with heifers, which entails rearing costs and lost production during the transition. By reducing the need for frequent replacements, farmers can focus on improving the genetic quality of their herd over time.
Additionally, cows that remain in the herd longer tend to produce milk more efficiently as they mature, further enhancing profitability.
Improving cow comfort has significant environmental benefits, generally leading to positive outcomes for sustainability and resource use. This occurs partly through increased efficiency of milk production (Ruud 2010) and reduced culling (Cook 2020), but a variety of issues are important here:
Comfortable cows tend to have better digestion and feed efficiency (de Ondarza et al., 2017, Stone 2004), resulting in lower methane emissions per unit of milk or meat produced. Lower disease rates also mean reduced methane output associated with maintaining less productive animals.
Comfortable housing designs, such as cleaner bedding and properly ventilated buildings often improves manure collection and storage. This reduces the risk of runoff and groundwater contamination from manure.
Healthier and more productive cows require less land for grazing and feed crop production, which preserves natural habitats, reduces deforestation, and supports biodiversity. Comfortable cows eat more efficiently, minimising the energy and resources wasted on unproductive animals.
Since comfortable cows are less likely to develop diseases, there is reduced need for antibiotics or hormonal products. As well as having financial advantages, this minimises the potential for antimicrobial resistance, a critical issue associated with both animal and human health.
While improving cow comfort requires initial investment, the long-term economic benefits generally outweigh these costs. For example, upgrading facilities with better cubicles, bedding, ventilation, and space may involve significant initial expenses, but these changes typically result in higher milk yields, lower veterinary costs, and improved labour efficiency.
Numerous studies and real-world examples illustrate the economic benefits of prioritising cow comfort. A study conducted in the Netherlands found that farms with higher cow comfort scores achieved significantly higher milk yields and lower incidences of disease (van Eerdenburg, 2013).
A UK study showed a positive return on investment for provision of additional living space – mainly through increased milk yield and reduced treatment costs (Thompson et al., 2024). These examples demonstrate that investments in cow comfort can lead to substantial increases in profitability of a dairy enterprise.
Dairy cow comfort is a cornerstone of profitable dairy farming. By prioritising the well-being of their animals, farmers can achieve higher milk yields, lower veterinary costs, improved reproductive performance, and enhanced labour efficiency.
Investments in facilities, management practices, and technology that enhance cow comfort not only benefit the cows but also contribute to the long-term success of the dairy operation.
As the industry continues to evolve, placing greater emphasis on animal welfare will remain a key strategy for achieving sustainable and profitable dairy farming.
REFS
Bach, A., N. Valls, A. Sloans, and T. Torrent. 2008. Associations between nondietary factors and dairy herd performance. Journal of Dairy Science 91:3259-3267.
Calamari, L., F. Calegari, and L. Stefanini. 2009. Effect of different free stall surfaces on behavioural, productive and metabolic parameters in dairy cows. Applied Animal Behavior Science 120:9-17
Cook, N. B., R. L. Mentink, T. B. Bennett, and K. Burgi. 2007. The effect of heat stress and lameness on time budgets of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 90:1674-1682.
de Ondarza, M. B. and J.M. Tricarico 2017 Review: Advantages and limitations of dairy efficiency measures and the effects of nutrition and feeding management interventions, The Professional Animal Scientist, Volume 33, Issue 4, 2017, Pages 393-400. https://doi.org/10.15232/pas.2017-01624.
Gomez, A., and N. B. Cook. 2010. Time budgets of lactating dairy cattle in commercial freestall herds. Journal of Dairy Science 93:5772-5781.
Drissler, M., M. Gaworski, C. B. Tucker, and D. M. Weary. 2005. Freestall maintenance: effects on lying behavior of dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 88:2381-2387.
Grant, R. J. 2007. Cows under pressure: What have we learned about stocking density and natural cow behavior? Section 4 in Proceedings 47th Annual New England Dairy Feed Conference and Ruminant Nutrition and Health Conference. West Lebanon, NH and Syracuse, NY.
Ruud, L. E., K. E. Boe, and O. Osteras. 2010. Associations of soft flooring materials in free stalls with milk yield, clinical mastitis, teat lesions, and removal of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 93:1578-1586.
Stone, W. C.. 2004. Nutritional Approaches to Minimize Subacute Ruminal Acidosis and Laminitis in Dairy Cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 87:(E. Suppl.):E13–E26. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(04)70057-0
Thompson JS, Hudson CD, Huxley JN, Kaler J, Robinson RS, Woad KJ, Bollard N, Gibbons J, Green MJ. A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of indoor living space on dairy cow production, reproduction and behaviour. Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 9;12(1):3849. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-07826-9. PMID: 35264670; PMCID: PMC8907246.
Thompson JS, Hudson CD, Huxley JN, Kaler J, Green MJ. Stochastic simulation modeling of the economics of providing additional living space for housed dairy cows. Front Vet Sci. 2024 Dec 5;11:1473696. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1473696. PMID: 39703408; PMCID: PMC11656588.
van Eerdenburg, F.J.C.M, A cow comfort monitoring scheme to increase the milk yield of a dairy farm 2013. E-Book ISBN: 9789086867714, Publisher: Wageningen Academic https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-771-4_03
Tom Angel, Veterinary Surgeon at Synergy Farm Health has been making great progress with using Vet Vision AI technology on his farms. Using different cameras he is making improvements to cow management, and subsequent health, welfare and productivity.
One of Tom’s routine herds, a 500 cow, high-yielding Holstein herd reported poor performance in first lactation heifers. Early investigations revealed -
The herd had a separate early lactation pen for heifers up to 100 days in milk (DIM), and they were concerned Cow Comfort in this shed and lack of cubicle training were contributing factors. Tom put cameras in for two weeks from 16th-30thFebruary, then moved them to the mid-late lactation pen on 8thMarch:
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The data starkly quantified how much of an issue cow comfort was for these fresh heifers. Tom and the farmers are now exploring cubicle training heifers prior to calving and increasing cubicle comfort through deeper bedding for the<100 DIM group. We are looking forward to monitoring the changes this will make to Cow Comfort and especially seeing the impact on foot health and productivity. Each extra hour of lying time can equate to 1-1.5L/cow/day in milk yield, so the impact of improving cow comfort is likely to be significant!
The two sheds are symmetrical and almost identical, but one shed has had a recent investment in new mattresses, which is reflected in markedly higher Cow Comfort scores:
Prior to investing in new mattresses or bedding substrates, cameras can be used to test how cows might respond to such changes. By drawing ‘zones’ around areas of interest, cow comfort, lying times and perching times can be analyzed and potential management changes assessed before investment is made at a wider scale.
Tom wanted to analyze one herd’s Time Budget, as he felt that the cows were underperforming despite diet, health status and nutrition being excellent.
The herd is milking three times a day, and he noticed that feed intake was much higher after first milking of the day:
Knowing that the strongest drives for feeding are feed delivery and push-up, Tom recommended a change to the feeding schedule to feed directly after midday and afternoon milkings too. The results clearly showed how this change to feeding regime has helped to increase DMI:
The 24/7 objective analysis provided by camera AI technology helped Tom to detect an issue which would otherwise have been difficult to identify from his weekly visits. By improving DMI Tom's advice has enabled this herd to improve feed efficiency, herd performance and reduce waste.
These are just some of the ways that vets are helping farmers to improve herd health, welfare and performance using camera vision AI – if you would like the opportunity to use these tools in your herds please get in touch!
In veterinary practice sometimes the toughest challenges aren’t from the work itself, but from the constant demands of clients, colleagues, the industry, and the demands we put on ourselves.
But as AI and vision technology become more sophisticated, we're seeing a shift that is redefining what our work looks like. With AI-driven solutions handling many of the routine jobs, we can step into a new kind of practice—one that engages our customers, offers flexibility and new revenue opportunities, expands our skill sets, and creates more engaged, diverse, and sustainable workforces.
As vets, we know the challenges of building relationships with clients and trying to keep tabs on what’s going on on their farms, but often we’re not there for days or weeks at a time. AI camera technology is changing the game by taking on continuous monitoring tasks which aren’t just passively recording—they’re actively analysing, detecting patterns in welfare and behaviour, looking for early-stages of illness or management mishaps, and flagging abnormalities 24/7.
This technology allows for proactive, data-backed monitoring and incisive interventions. This shift opens up a new approach to our work: filling vets in on everything that’s happening for the other 6.5 days of the week when we’re not there, allowing for more impactful engagement between vets and farmers.
The flexibility that AI camera monitoring offers can’t be overstated. Traditional veterinary practice demands physical presence both in the field and in the clinic, which can limit career options for those juggling responsibilities like caregiving, vets facing illness or injury, or those who simply want a better work-life balance.
But with AI enabling in-depth, remote farm monitoring and a shift to a more consultative veterinary model, practices can embrace at least a partial step away from traditional regimented working hours - supporting vets to find better ways to balance our professional and personal lives.
For many of us, this flexibility opens doors to work arrangements that are not only more inclusive but more sustainable in the long run. It means creating a profession that fits a wider variety of lifestyles and widens participation to those who may have previously found life in practice inaccessible.
High turnover and burnout are deeply familiar challenges in our field, but embracing the new insights that camera AI technology provides is changing the way vets engage with their customers. Farmers are at the forefront of the agritech revolution and already embracing AI technology - vets are well-positioned to facilitate changes to animal health using the deep insights it provides.
A new, tech-savvy generation of vets who are integrating cutting-edge technology into their daily veterinary care are well-placed to take the lead and forge fulfilling and engaging careers, generating new revenue streams in the process. And - let’s face it – if vets don’t grab this opportunity for animal health then someone else will.
AI in cattle monitoring isn’t just about keeping up with the latest tech—it’s about real, meaningful changes to our everyday lives in veterinary practice. By actively analysing farm data 24/7, AI identifies insights that we otherwise simply couldn’t see. It allows us to work flexibly and opens new doors for consultative services; AI is helping us to reimagine what a sustainable, engaging veterinary career looks like.
As we adopt these tools, we’re not only improving animal welfare but also building a more flexible, sustainable, and valuable profession. It’s a future where veterinarians can be fully engaged without being constantly present, where we can practice in a way that fits our lifestyles, and where our profession is enriched by a wider range of perspectives and experiences. Embracing this shift could be key to solving the longstanding challenges of burnout and retention, allowing us to continue doing our work—on terms that work for us.
When it comes to dairy farming, we already know that animal welfare and productivity go hand-in-hand. Cow comfort refers to the practices, conditions and environment designed to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of dairy cows. By understanding and addressing factors that contribute to cow comfort, vets and animal health advisors can play a pivotal role in helping dairy farmers maintain healthier, more productive herds.
Cows thrive in consistent, low-stress, comfortable environments. Comfort impacts every aspect of a cow’s health, from immune function to risk of disease and reproductive success. But how can we measure whether our cows are truly comfortable, and whether comfort is paying off in terms of health, welfare and productivity?
We can assess whether cows are meeting the ideal daily “time budget.” Under conditions of optimal comfort, a cow will spend approximately 12-14 hours lying down, 3-5 hours eating, and only 2-3 hours standing, walking and loafing.
There are only 24 hours in a day; for cows in comfortable environments, 70% of this time is spent lying or feeding. Factor in ‘out of pen’ time for milking – suddenly there’s not much time left in the time budget! Cows will prioritise lying time over other behaviours as much as possible; but if comfort is compromised (e.g. by overcrowded cubicles, poor or insufficient bedding, or extended time away from the pen), they will spend more time standing or ‘perching’ (standing in a cubicle). This uses more energy, puts them at higher risk of lameness, and eats into the time budget for activities which support the immune system and benefit the cow most – feeding and lying.
One of the clearest connections between comfort and productivity is seen in milk yield. Studies show that each additional hour a cow spends resting can increase milk production by 1-1.5L/per cow per day. Additionally, studies have shown that cows in higher comfort environments have 15-20% lower incidences of mastitis, 10-15% improvement in conception rates and are 30-50% less likely to be culled prematurely. Comfortable, spacious cubicles, clean bedding, and optimal feed management are proven ways to improve cow lying times and, consequently, health and productivity parameters. Cubicle renovations, bedding improvements, and proper stocking densities may have upfront costs, but can pay for themselves within a few months. By analysing cow comfort and advising on improvements, vets and animal health advisors can help farmers achieve substantial productivity gains.
Vets and animal health advisors are uniquely positioned to advocate for cow comfort improvements through objective assessment of cow housing and management. AHDB provide a comprehensive guide to dairy cow housing recommendations. There are some practical areas that advisors can assess to support cow comfort:
As vets and animal health advisors, we are trusted aides to dairy farmers, and our insights are important factors in management decisions. By advocating for improved cow comfort, we help farmers build healthier herds, increase productivity, and create more sustainable, profitable dairy operations.
Through regular check-ins, bespoke recommendations, and objective, evidence-based improvements to cow comfort, meaningful changes can be made to welfare and profitability - one comfortable cow at a time.
