A note on relations between oral stereotypies in dairy cows and milk production, health and age

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Abstract
The relationships of oral stereotypies to milk production and health were investigated in 95 dairy cows that had completed between one and five lactations. Forty cows in the herd performed stereotypies, mainly tongue-rolling and to a lesser extent bar-biting. A significant positive relation was found between the dependent variable milk production and stereotypies (P < 0·05) according to a GLM-model also containing lactation group (age; P < 0·01), sire (breeding value for milk yield; P < 0·01), and health I ailments (P > 0·05). There was no correlation between different phases in lactation and the frequency of stereotypies (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0·124; no. = 0·40; P > 0·05).