The Freestall Reimagined: Effects on Stall Hygiene and Space Usage in Dairy Cattle.
Authors: Beaver Annabelle, Strazhnik Emma, von Keyserlingk Marina A G, Weary Daniel M
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Alternative Freestall Design for Improved Cattle Welfare and Hygiene Producers face a persistent tension between maintaining stall hygiene and accommodating cattle's natural preference for open lying spaces, a challenge that von Keyserlingk's team addressed by modifying traditional freestall pens with flexible partitions to create larger lying areas. The researchers compared cattle behaviour and stall contamination across three housing systems (conventional freestalls, open bedded packs, and their redesigned alternative system) whilst varying stocking densities, measuring lying duration, postural variation, and manure contamination levels. Whilst conventional freestalls achieved the highest cleanliness scores, the alternative design substantially outperformed open packs—an important finding given that cattle housed in both open and modified systems demonstrated extended lying postures and spent significantly more time recumbent than those in standard stalls. Of particular relevance to lameness management, heavy cattle in the alternative system showed markedly reduced perching behaviour compared to open pack housing, which carries implications for hoof health given the established link between perching and hoof lesion development. This redesigned approach offers producers a practical middle ground: maintaining substantially better hygiene than bedded packs whilst providing the postural freedom and reduced loading patterns that support cattle welfare and potentially reduce lameness-related issues.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Modified freestall designs with flexible partitions offer a practical middle ground between traditional freestalls and open packs, balancing hygiene improvements with cattle comfort and welfare
- •Alternative housing systems may reduce lameness risk in heavier cattle by decreasing perching behaviour while allowing more natural extended lying postures
- •Producers seeking to improve cattle welfare through more open lying areas can do so without fully sacrificing cleanliness and farm labour considerations
Key Findings
- •Freestall housing achieved highest cleanliness levels, but alternative housing with flexible partitions showed substantial improvement over open pack systems
- •Cattle in open pack and alternative housing spent significantly more time lying down and adopted more extended lying postures compared to traditional freestalls
- •Alternative housing reduced perching behaviour in high body weight cattle, which is associated with decreased hoof lesion and lameness prevalence