The objective of the current study was to determine the accuracy of disease detection based on daily rumination time (DRT) and activity of periparturient dairy cows. All animals were fitted with rumination/activity monitors from -21 to 21 days relative to calving. Cows that were within the lowest 25th percentile of milk yield in the first 90 d postpartum had reduced DRT, but there was no association between milk yield and activity during the periparturient period. Based on criterion created using DRT, stillbirth could be diagnosed with sensitivity and specificity of 50 and 79.7%, respectively. Two criteria could be used for diagnosis of sub-clinical hypocalcemia on the day of calving; one resulted in 66.7 and 61.3% sensitivity and specificity, and the other sensitivity and specificity of 82.7 and 49.6%, respectively. Metritis could be diagnosed 72 h after calving with a sensitivity and specificity of 75 and 93.1%, respectively. Among cows that were diagnosed with retained placenta within 24 h after calving, the DRT criterion resulted in sensitivity and specificity of 70.8 and 75%, respectively. In conclusion, automated monitoring of DRT could possibly be used as a tool for diagnosis of periparturient diseases; however, the use of DRT data to select individuals for treatment without additional diagnostic exams is likely to results in erroneous treatment of periparturient cows.
Precision livestock farming applications
Making sense of sensors to support farm management
EditorIlan Halachmi
Published: May 2015 Pages: 328
eISBN: 978-90-8686-815-5 | ISBN: 978-90-8686-268-9
Book Type: Edited Collection
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