How do cows sleep: in what position and how long does the rest last, the impact on he alth

Milkmaids and farmers know how important he althy sleep and proper rest are for cows. The amount of milk and meat that the animal gives directly depends on this. In addition, with poor-quality rest, immunity will decrease, and the cow will get sick. In critical cases, she may even lose a calf. There are many more interesting things to tell about how and where cows sleep.

How and where cows sleep

Cows, like many representatives of cattle, sleep in two positions: lying and standing. It depends on the hierarchy in the herd, the conditions of keeping and the season. Animals that are kept only in the stall have the opportunity to get enough sleep, but the herd heifers and bulls have to while away napping for an additional two hours a day.After all, they can not always fully relax at night.

In addition, sleep is affected by:

General well-being.
Bright light.
Temperature and drafts.
Noise.
Presence of other animals.

Regular sleep keeps cattle he althy. It has been proven that cows dream. If you watch a sleeping cow, you can see how she inhales noisily and moves her eyeballs.

Animals choose certain places to sleep. The temperature there should be in the range of 20-23 degrees. If this is a stall, then the sleeping corner needs to be equipped: cover it with fresh straw or a dense deck of planks

When cows are resting in the fresh air, they lie down so as not to touch each other - at a distance of about 1.5-2 meters. Even in their sleep, they do not stop chewing, and the process of assimilation of fiber does not stop.

Lying

If an animal lies on its stomach in a stall, it means that it is comfortable and has enough space, it feels safe. In this case, the cow may well turn off for a while, staying at night in a deep phase of sleep. When space in the barn is very limited, group members begin to compete and even fight for the right to sleep. In this case, only expanding the stall will help.

In a spacious meadow or pasture, the position indicates the place of the animal in the herd hierarchy. The lying cow is one of the leaders. As a rule, the rest of the individuals keep their distance from her and guard the sleep of the leader.

Standing

Cows are able to sleep on their feet if there is no way to lie down. But such a dream negatively affects the he alth of the cow. While standing, animals can sleep even with their eyes open, but it is difficult to call this a quality rest.The body cannot fully relax. When a cow sleeps only standing for a long time, she becomes irritable and aggressive. In the stall, it is better not to tie her up at night, because the leash restricts movement.

Effect of sleep on productivity

Normal daily routine is important for cows as well as for any living creatures. Its absence has a detrimental effect not only on all systems of a mammal, but also on the products it produces. Meat breeds of cows build muscle mass worse, get sick, and delicacies from such beef come out dry, tough and tasteless. During rest, the animal converts calories from food into muscle tissue, so cows try to feed tightly and give them the opportunity to sleep enough.

In dairy cows, the percentage of fat in milk is reduced, and milk yields are falling.To prevent this, daily grazing should be combined with sufficient rest. In general, limited sleep is reflected in the activity of cattle, their appetite and vitality. But a long nap is not permissible for these animals.

How long does sleep last

Veterinarians have calculated that a mammal can fully restore its strength in 5-15 hours of sleep per day. Basically, cows rest for about 6-7 hours, although in excellent conditions they are able to sleep soundly up to 10 hours.