Abstract
A kinetic analysis of the standing and lying behaviors of cows was performed to obtain basic data to improve stalls. Three components of forces applied to the stall floor by a cow's hooves during movement, and the force applied by a cow to a stanchion or a neck chain were studied.
The results are summarized below:
1. The force applied by a cow to a stanchion when standing and lying was two to four times the force on a neck chain. The stanchion restricts cows more than the neck chain.
2. The vertical force applied by a cow's foreknee to the stall floor was about 40% of the cow weight.
3. Only the top of the hind hoof was in contact with the stall floor in some stance phases. The maximum pressure exerted by the hind hoof in these cases was several tens of kgf/cm2. The surface of the stall floor must be soft enough to yield, and to increase slip-resistance when large pressures are applied.
4. When lying down, the cow's forefoot often slips to the back. To prevent such slips, the front part of the stall floor must avoid having a steep slope.
