Reimagining Veterinary Practice with AI Vision Technology

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:

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The Relationship Between Cow Comfort and Profitability

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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.

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Increased Milk Yields and Revenue

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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.

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Reduced Veterinary Treatment Costs

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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.

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Better Reproductive Performance

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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.

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Lower Mortality and Culling Rates

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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.

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Helping to reduce environmental impact

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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:

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Better Feed Conversion

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.

Better Manure Management

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.

Optimized Land Use and reduced waste

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.

Lower Antibiotic and Hormone Use

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.

Economic Implications of Cow Comfort Investments

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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.

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Conclusion

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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

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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.

Improved heifer comfort

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One of Tom’s routine herds, a 500 cow, high-yielding Holstein herd reported poor performance in first lactation heifers. Early investigations revealed -  

• Excessive sole bruising had been reported by the foot trimmer
• Poorer than expected milk yields identified on milk recording.

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 16^th-30^thFebruary, then moved them to the mid-late lactation pen on 8^thMarch:
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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!

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New mattress assessment

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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:

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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.

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Changing feeding routine

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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:

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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:

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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!

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.

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The Link Between Comfort and Health

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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.

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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.

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Productivity and Economic Implications of Cow Comfort

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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.

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How Vets Can Promote Cow Comfort on Farms

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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:

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1. Evaluate Cubicle Comfort and Design
   During herd checks, evaluate the cubicle design, cleanliness, and bedding quality. Cows prefer soft surfaces for lying, and lying times and subsequent production can increase markedly after investment in softer bedding such as sand or high-quality mattresses. Ensure cubicles are of adequate size, number and cleanliness.
2. Encourage Proper Stocking Densities
   Assess stocking density to reduce competition and bullying for resources. There should be at least 5% more cubicles than cows, but be aware if some cubicles are too small, dirty or inaccessible then they should not count towards the total!
3. Optimize Feed Management
   Work with farmers to implement feeding schedules that align with the cows' natural behaviours. The biggest drivers of feeding behaviour are delivery of fresh feed and feed push-ups, particularly during daylight hours and after milking. Optimising feeding for these times encourages dry matter intake (DMI), which can be an easy win for increasing milk yield.
4. Implement Health Monitoring Technology for Early Intervention
   These days there are many ways in which dairy cows are monitored – work with farmers to interpret the data produced, and track and analyse changes that could suggest changes in cow health and welfare and use that information. Setting time to assess cow health on an ongoing basis improves overall herd health and productivity.
5. Assess Time Budgets with Farmers
   Do you know what the time budget is on your farms? How long cows are spending out of the pen per day? What impact that is having on important behaviours such as feeding and lying, and how that affects overall health and milk yield? Measuring the time budget is the first step towards accommodating the cow's optimal daily schedule and can lead to significant improvements in both productivity and health.

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The Role of Vets in Driving Positive Change

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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.