A Comparison of Dairy Cattle Utilisation of Dutch Comfort and Newton Rigg Cubicles in Winter Housing

Studies were carried out on cubicle preference using 26 dairy cows in mid-gestation. Twelve Dutch Comfort and twelve Newton Rigg cubicles were installed in one winter unit. The cubicles were erected in four blocks of six to overcome possible physical differences between the front and back of the shed. Occupancy rates were found to be higher in Dutch Comfort than Newton Rigg cubicles. Overall, 58% of the cows showed preference (P < 0.05) for the Dutch Comfort cubicles whereas only 17% showed preference (P < 0.05) for the Newton Rigg cubicles. The top four ranking cows preferred Dutch Comfort cubicles but there was no correlation between cow rank and proportion of time spent in each cubicle type. There was no obvious sequential pattern of preferential occupation of the two cubicle types following periods when few or no cows were in the shed, but more Dutch Comfort cubicles were occupied than Newton Rigg for most of the time. Although preference for stall type was evident, cubicle fidelity was low. Fifty-four percent of the cows returned to the same cubicle on one occasion out of every four. The average number of different cubicles visited per cow was 9.56 (range 3-17). Mean laterality for all cows was 54% ± 0.1% right side of body. The two quarters of the shed nearest the door were most used, and over and above these preferences, the cows discriminated against the Newton Rigg quarter near the back wall. Possible explanations for this are discussed.