Feeding concentrates with an automatic milking system (AMS) assists dairy cows to visit to an AMS. Effects of a hot summer season on feeding and resting behavior (standing, lying, ruminating) are generally known. We hypothesized visits of dairy cows to AMS, which may be affected by feeding and resting behavior, might be affected by the hot season. The objective of this study was to test this hypothesis. In June (period 1), August (period 2, hot summer season) and November (period 3), we compared behaviors of dairy cows, including visits to the AMS. The change in rectal temperature with the experimental periods suggested the effects of the hot season on the cows. However, the effects of experimental period on feed intake (partial mixed ration, PMR), milk production, and visits to the PMR feed bank and the AMS were not significant. Proportion of time spent standing (P<0.01), lying (P<0.01) and ruminating (P<0.1) was affected by the experimental period, with the highest, lowest and highest values respectively, occurring in period 2. The highest proportion of ruminating time in period 2 might have been affected by the high NDF concentration of PMR. No relation was observed between visits to the AMS and proportion of time of visits to PMR feed bank. The proportion of time spent standing, lying and ruminating tended toward being significantly related to visits to the AMS (P<0.1), and had the lowest, highest and highest proportions of time, respectively, when no AMS visits were observed. Visits to the AMS tended toward significant relation to the resting behaviors (standing and lying), which were affected by the hot summer season. Though an effect of hot season on visits to AMS was not detected, it was suggested that consideration of resting behavior might be important for further investigation aimed at efficient ulitization of AMS.

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Two experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that fence posts as well as strands will affect the behaviour of goats that have been conditioned to avoid an electrified wire fence. In the first experiment, the reaction of four does to the fence with an electric strand and posts drawn across the whole width of the paddock (C condition) was compared with their reaction to the fence with an electric strand terminated at half the width of the paddock (L and R conditions). The does did not cross the fence line under either condition. In the second experiment, the avoidance behaviour of four does to two kinds of posts ('familiar wooden post' and 'standard fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) post') with and without an electric strand was tested. Thus, conditions compared were familiar wooden post only (F), F with an electric strand (W), standard FRP posts only (P) and P with an electric strand (WP). The fence line was crossed in 94, 44, 25, and 6% of trials for F, W, P, and WP, respectively. In conclusion, based on the proportion of crossings the fence line, the standard FRP posts, as with the electric strand, increased the avoidance behaviour.

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The colostrum intake of naturally suckled Japanese Black cattle calves was examined using a simplified blood property assessment, and the effects of subsequent colostrum supplementation on the incidence of diarrhoea and on growth were studied in calves that were determined to have an insufficient colostrum intake. Reference values for the total plasma proteins and the sodium dulphite turbidity score 9 h after birth were set according to the values obtained from 31 healthy calves that had received an adequate intake of colostrum. Any calf with a test value below these reference values received a 500-mL does of colostrum supplement. The incidence of diarrhoea, number of days required for diarrfoea treatment, mortality rates and daily weight gain were investigated during the first 60 days of life in calves born during the 9 months before (total of 117 calves) and after (total of 123 calves) the colostrum supplementation. The necessity of before (total of 117 calves) and after (total of 123 calves) the colostrum supplementation. The necessity of colostrum supplementation could be determined within 15 min of blood sampling, with 13% of the calves requiring supplementaion. Compared with values obtained during pre-supplementation, the incidence of diarrhoea declined, the number of days required for diarrhoea treatment reduced and the mortality rate dropped from 2.6% to 0% in the post-supplementation group. Little difference was observed between the two groups regarding the growth rate. These results suggest the potential benefits of colostrum supplementation on controlling the incidence of diarrhoea and the alleviation of its symptoms.

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