A Note on Management Practices and Cubicle Refusal in Dairy Cows

A study was undertaken, using 60 dairy farms in County Cork, to examine the relationship between dairy cattle management system and cubicle refusal level. All the farms involved in the study overwintered their dairy cows in cubicle houses. A recorder visited each farm between January and June 1989 and collected the relevant information on site. The mean incidence of cows refusing cubicles per farm was 8% (s.d. 8), but ranged from zero to 47%. Seven of the farms had a cubicle:cow ratio of less than 0.8 while 38 farms had cubicle dimensions which were below those recommended. The main contributory factor to cubicle refusal was small cubicle spaces which did not meet the currently recommended dimensions.