Massey Research Online - Browsing by Author "Draganova I"

Browsing by Author "Draganova I"

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Animal behaviour and dietary preference of dairy cows grazing binary and diverse pastures under the leaf regrowth stage defoliation criterion
(Elsevier B.V., 2024-11-05) Oliveira BA; López FF; Cranston LM; Poli CHEC; Kemp PD; Donaghy DJ; Draganova I; López-Villalobos N
In New Zealand, intensively managed pasture-based dairy systems rely on binary pastures mostly comprised of Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. More frequent and extreme climatic events have been negatively affecting the persistency and production of these pastures, which now present increased seasonality, with marked peaks and troughs of production throughout the year. Diversification of plant species offers a solution to deal with increased seasonality. However, little is known about animal behaviour and dietary preferences of dairy cows grazing diverse pastures. The present study aimed to assess the grazing preferences of dairy cows when unrestrictedly offered binary (L. perenne and T. repens; Bi) and diverse pastures (L. perenne, Bromus valdivianus Phil., Dactylis glomerata L. and T. repens; Mix) subjected to three different leaf regrowth stage (LS) defoliation criteria. Secondarily, the study aimed to determine the main plant-related drivers for any potential animal preference. The treatments were MixLp (defoliated at L. perenne LS), BiLp (defoliated every time MixLp was defoliated), MixBv (defoliated at B. valdivianus LS) and BiBv (defoliated every time MixBv was defoliated), MixDg (defoliated at D. glomerata LS) and BiDg (defoliated every time MixDg was defoliated). Dairy cattle were evaluated over five agricultural seasons. The response variables were grazing time and location, bite rate, animal behavioural activity, pre-grazing herbage mass, undisturbed sward height, lamina:stem ratio, crude protein, metabolisable energy, organic matter digestibility, non-structural carbohydrates, neutral detergent fibre and lignin. Where significant differences were found, binary pastures presented lower sward height and higher non-structural carbohydrate content in comparison to the diverse pastures under the same LS defoliation criteria. However, no significant differences were found in the percentage of time that cows spent grazing both pastures. Season was the greatest contributor to the proportion variation found in all response variables, with values ranging from 47.55 % up to 88.77 %. In winter and spring, cows modulated their grazing behaviour (proportional time spent grazing, ruminating, or idling), investing more time actively grazing pastures under L. perenne LS interval of defoliation (2.5–3.0 LS), the criterion which resulted in shorter grazing rotations. This study allowed us to understand the suitability of diverse pastures from an animal perspective, and highlighted that independent of the pasture type, the positive productive and nutritional effects of defoliation management based on the LS may also extend themselves to positive outcomes in animal preference, interpreted as the percentage of time dairy cows spend grazing rather than ruminating or idling across and within seasons.
Associations of Grazing and Rumination Behaviours with Performance Parameters in Spring-Calving Dairy Cows in a Pasture-Based Grazing System
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-12-12) Iqbal MW; Draganova I; Morel PCH; Morris ST; Bonanno A
This study investigated the relationship of the length of time spent grazing and ruminating with the performance parameters of spring-calved grazing dairy cows (n = 162) over the lactation period for three lactation seasons (n = 54 per season). The cows were Holstein Friesian (HFR), Jersey (JE), and a crossbreed of Holstein Friesian/Jersey (KiwiCross), with 18 cows from each breed. The cows were either in their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th lactation year, and had different breeding worth (BW) index values (103 < BW > 151). The cows were managed through a rotational grazing scheme with once-a-day milking in the morning at 05:00 h. The cows were mainly fed on grazed pastures consisting of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), red clover (Trifolium pretense), and white clover (Trifolium repens), and received additional feeds on various days in the summer and autumn seasons. This study used an automated AfiCollar device to continuously record the grazing time and rumination time (min/h) of the individual cows throughout the lactation period (~270 days) for three consecutive years (Year-1, Year-2, and Year-3). The milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score data of the individual animals for the study years were provided by the farm. PROC CORR was used in SAS to determine the correlation coefficients (r) between the behaviour and production parameters. A general linear model fitted with breed × lactation year, individual cows, seasons, feed within the season, grazing time, rumination time, as well as their interactions, was assessed to test the differences in milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score. The type I sum of squares values were used to quantify the magnitude of variance explained by each of the study factors and their interactions in the study variables. Grazing time exhibited positive associations with MY (r = 0.34), MF (r = 0.43), MP (r = 0.22), MS (r = 0.39), LW (r = -0.47), and BCS (r = -0.24) throughout the study years. Rumination time was associated with MY (r = 0.64), MF (r = 0.57), MP (r = 0.52), and MS (r = 0.57) in all study years, while there were no effects of rumination time on LW (r = 0.26) and BCS (r = -0.26). Grazing time explained up to 0.32%, 0.49%, 0.17%, 0.31%, 0.2%, and 0.02%, and rumination time explained up to 0.39%, 6.73%, 4.63%, 6.53%, 0.44%, and 0.17% of the variance in MY, MF, MP, MS, LW, and BCS, respectively.
Evaluating the Effects of Novel Enrichment Strategies on Dog Behaviour Using Collar-Based Accelerometers
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2025-06-03) Redmond C; Draganova I; Corner-Thomas R; Thomas D; Andrews C; Gaunet F
Environmental enrichment is crucial to improve welfare, reduce stress, and encourage natural behaviours in dogs housed in confined environments. This study aimed to use accelerometery and machine learning to evaluate the effect of different enrichment types on dog behaviour. Three enrichments (food, olfactory, and tactile) were provided to dogs for five consecutive days, with four days between each treatment. Acceleration data were collected using a collar mounted ActiGraph®. Nine behaviours were classified using a validated machine learning model. Behaviour and activity differed significantly among the dogs. Dogs interacted most with the food enrichment, followed by the olfactory and then tactile enrichments. The dogs were least active during the olfactory enrichment, whereas activity was relatively consistent during the food and tactile enrichments. For all enrichments, dogs exhibited the most exploratory/locomotive behaviour during the first hour of each enrichment period, but this declined over the treatment period indicating habituation. For exploratory and locomotive behaviour, food enrichment was the most stimulating for the dogs with longer daily engagement than for both olfactory and tactile enrichments. These results illustrate that accelerometery and machine learning can be used to evaluate enrichment strategies in dogs, but it is important to consider variation among dogs and habituation.
Factors Affecting Grazing and Rumination Behaviours of Dairy Cows in a Pasture-Based System in New Zealand
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-12) Iqbal MW; Draganova I; Morel PCH; Morris ST; Bernabucci U
This study investigated the variation in daily time spent grazing and rumination in spring-calved grazing dairy cows (n = 162) of three breeds, Holstein-Friesian (HFR), Jersey (JE), and KiwiCross (KC) with different breeding worth index, and in different years of lactation (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th). The cows were managed through a rotational grazing system and milked once a day at 05:00 a.m. The cows grazed mainly pasture and received supplementary feeds depending on the season. Automated AfiCollar device continuously monitored and recorded grazing time and rumination time of the individual cows throughout the lactation period for three study years (Year-1, Year-2, Year-3) with 54 cows per year. A general linear mixed model fitted with breed × lactation year with days in milk (DIM), breeding worth (BW) index value, individual cow, season, and feed, and their interactions was performed in SAS. Variance partitioning was used to quantify the effect size of study factors and their interactions. Individual cows, DIM, and BW (except Year-3) had effects on grazing and rumination times throughout the study years. Grazing time and rumination time were different for different seasons due to varying supplementary feeds. Grazing time varied among breeds in Year-2 and Year-3, and among lactation years only in Year-1. Although rumination time differed among breeds in Year-3, it remained the same within different lactation years. Grazing time and rumination time had a negative relationship with each other, and their regression lines varied for different seasons. The total variance explained by the model in grazing time was 36-39%, mainly contributed by the individual cow (12-20%), season (5-12%), supplementary feed (2-6%), breed (1-5%), and lactation year (1-6%). The total variance explained in rumination was 40-41%, mainly contributed by the individual cow (16-24%), season (2-17%), supplementary feed (1-2%), breed (2-8%), and lactation year (~1%). These findings could contribute to improving the measures for feed resource management during different seasons over the lactation period for a mixed herd comprising JE, HFR and KC breeds in different years of lactation.
How Lazy Are Pet Cats Really? Using Machine Learning and Accelerometry to Get a Glimpse into the Behaviour of Privately Owned Cats in Different Households
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2024-04-19) Smit M; Corner-Thomas R; Draganova I; Andrews C; Thomas D; Friedrich CM
Surprisingly little is known about how the home environment influences the behaviour of pet cats. This study aimed to determine how factors in the home environment (e.g., with or without outdoor access, urban vs. rural, presence of a child) and the season influences the daily behaviour of cats. Using accelerometer data and a validated machine learning model, behaviours including being active, eating, grooming, littering, lying, scratching, sitting, and standing were quantified for 28 pet cats. Generalized estimating equation models were used to determine the effects of different environmental conditions. Increasing cat age was negatively correlated with time spent active (p < 0.05). Cats with outdoor access (n = 18) were less active in winter than in summer (p < 0.05), but no differences were observed between seasons for indoor-only (n = 10) cats. Cats living in rural areas (n = 7) spent more time eating than cats in urban areas (n = 21; p < 0.05). Cats living in single-cat households (n = 12) spent more time lying but less time sitting than cats living in multi-cat households (n = 16; p < 0.05). Cats in households with at least one child (n = 20) spent more time standing in winter (p < 0.05), and more time lying but less time sitting in summer compared to cats in households with no children (n = 8; p < 0.05). This study clearly shows that the home environment has a major impact on cat behaviour.
Longitudinal Study on the Effect of Season and Weather on the Behaviour of Domestic Cats (Felis catus)
(MDPI AG, 2025-02-24) Smit M; Andrews C; Draganova I; Corner-Thomas R; Thomas D
Review and update of a Nutrient Transfer model used for estimating nitrous oxide emissions from complex grazed landscapes, and implications for nationwide accounting
(John Wiley and Sons Inc on behalf of American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, 2022-09-30) Vibart R; Giltrap D; Saggar S; Mackay A; Betteridge K; Costall D; Rollo M; Draganova I; Zhu-Barker. X
In New Zealand, nitrous oxide emissions from grazed hill pastures are estimated using different emission factors for urine and dung deposited on different slope classes. Allocation of urine and dung to each slope class needs to consider the distribution of slope classes within a landscape and animal behavior. The Nutrient Transfer (NT) model has recently been incorporated into the New Zealand Agricultural GHG Inventory Model to account for the allocation of excretal nitrogen (N) to each slope class. In this study, the predictive ability of the transfer function within the NT model was explored using urine deposition datasets collected with urine sensor and GPS tracker technology. Data were collected from three paddocks that had areas in low (<12°), medium (12-24°), and high slopes (>24°). The NT model showed a good overall predictive ability for two of the three datasets. However, if the urine emission factors (% of urine N emitted as N2 O-N) were to be further disaggregated to assess emissions from all three slope classes or slope gradients, more precise data would be required to accurately represent the range of landscapes found on farms. We have identified the need for more geospatial data on urine deposition and animal location for farms that are topographically out of the range used to develop the model. These new datasets would provide livestock urine deposition on a more continuous basis across slopes (as opposed to broad ranges), a unique opportunity to improve the performance of the NT model.
The Behaviour of Sheep around a Natural Waterway and Impact on Water Quality during Winter in New Zealand
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-04-25) Bunyaga A; Corner-Thomas R; Draganova I; Kenyon P; Burkitt L; Giuseppe P
Access of livestock, such as cattle, to waterways has been shown to be a cause of poor water quality due to pugging damage and excretion entering the water. In New Zealand, regulations require that cattle, deer, and pigs are excluded from accessing waterways, but there are no such requirements for sheep. The current study utilised 24 h video cameras, global positioning system units, and triaxial accelerometers to observe the interaction of Romney ewes (n = 40) with a natural waterway. Ewes were either restricted (week 1) or given access to a reticulated water trough (week 2). Proximity data showed that ewes spent more time within 3 m of the waterway when the trough was unrestricted than when restricted (14.1 ± 5.7 and 10.8 ± 5.1 min/ewe/day, respectively; p < 0.05). Ewes travelled shorter distances on the steeper areas of paddock than flatter areas. Similarly, ewes showed a spatial preference for the flat and low sloped areas of the paddock. Concentrations of suspended sediment and total phosphorus were higher during access to a reticulated water trough which coincided with the week with more rainy days. Phosphorus and E. coli concentrations in the stream water samples were the above recommended Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council water quality guidelines, especially after rainy days, but did not appear to be directly related to sheep activity. Overall, the results suggest that during winter, ewes interacted very little with the waterway and were thus unlikely to influence the levels of nutrient and pathogens in the waterway.
The Deviation between Dairy Cow Metabolizable Energy Requirements and Pasture Supply on a Dairy Farm Using Proximal Hyperspectral Sensing
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-03-12) Duranovich F; Lopez-Villalobos N; Shadbolt N; Draganova I; Yule I; Morris S
This study aimed at determining the extent to which the deviation of daily total metabolizable energy (MEt) requirements of individual cows from the metabolizable energy (ME) supplied per cow (DME) varied throughout the production season in a pasture-based dairy farm using proximal hyperspectral sensing (PHS). Herd tests, milk production, herbage and feed allocation data were collected during the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 production seasons at Dairy 1, Massey University, New Zealand. Herbage ME was determined from canopy reflectance acquired using PHS. Orthogonal polynomials were used to model lactation curves for yields of milk, fat, protein and live weights of cows. Daily dietary ME supplied per cow to the herd and ME requirements of cows were calculated using the Agricultural Food and Research Council (AFRC) energy system of 1993. A linear model including the random effects of breed and cow was used to estimate variance components for DME. Daily herd MEt estimated requirements oscillated between a fifth above or below the ME supplied throughout the production seasons. DME was mostly explained by observations made within a cow rather than between cows or breeds. Having daily estimates of individual cow requirements for MEt in addition to ME dietary supply can potentially contribute to achieving a more precise fit between supply and demand for feed in a pasture-based dairy farm by devising feeding strategies aimed at reducing DME.
The Relative Importance of Herbage Nutritive Value and Climate in Determining Daily Performance per Cow in a Pasture-Based Dairy Farm
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-05-14) Duranovich F; Shadbolt N; Draganova I; Lopez-Villalobos N; Yule I; Morris S
The objective of this study was to assess the relative importance of herbage nutritive value (NV), herbage quantity and climate-related factors in determining daily performance per cow in a pasture-based dairy farm. Data on milk production, live weight, body condition score, weather, herbage NV and herbage quantity were regularly collected from August 2016 to April 2017 and from July 2017 to April 2018 at Dairy 1, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Results indicated herbage NV was of higher relative importance in explaining the variation in performance per cow than herbage quantity and climate factors. The relative importance of the interaction between herbage metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) on explaining variation in yields of milk, fat and protein was high (0.11 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.15). Herbage ME was of high relative importance in determining milk urea and body condition score, while neutral detergent fiber was a key driver of milk urea and liveweight (0.12 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.16). The quantity of herbage supplied at Dairy 1 might have been high enough to not limit cow performance. Developing feeding strategies aimed at improving the efficiency of cow feeding by exploiting the daily variation in herbage NV to better match supply and demand of nutrients may be useful to improve the overall performance per cow of pasture-based dairy farms.
The Use of Triaxial Accelerometers and Machine Learning Algorithms for Behavioural Identification in Domestic Cats (Felis catus): A Validation Study
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-08-14) Smit M; Ikurior SJ; Corner-Thomas RA; Andrews CJ; Draganova I; Thomas DG; Vanwanseele B
Animal behaviour can be an indicator of health and welfare. Monitoring behaviour through visual observation is labour-intensive and there is a risk of missing infrequent behaviours. Twelve healthy domestic shorthair cats were fitted with triaxial accelerometers mounted on a collar and harness. Over seven days, accelerometer and video footage were collected simultaneously. Identifier variables (n = 32) were calculated from the accelerometer data and summarized into 1 s epochs. Twenty-four behaviours were annotated from the video recordings and aligned with the summarised accelerometer data. Models were created using random forest (RF) and supervised self-organizing map (SOM) machine learning techniques for each mounting location. Multiple modelling rounds were run to select and merge behaviours based on performance values. All models were then tested on a validation accelerometer dataset from the same twelve cats to identify behaviours. The frequency of behaviours was calculated and compared using Dirichlet regression. Despite the SOM models having higher Kappa (>95%) and overall accuracy (>95%) compared with the RF models (64-76% and 70-86%, respectively), the RF models predicted behaviours more consistently between mounting locations. These results indicate that triaxial accelerometers can identify cat specific behaviours.
The Use of Triaxial Accelerometers and Machine Learning Algorithms for Behavioural Identification in Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris): A Validation Study
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2024-09-13) Redmond C; Smit M; Draganova I; Corner-Thomas R; Thomas D; Andrews C; Fullwood DT; Bowden AE
Assessing the behaviour and physical attributes of domesticated dogs is critical for predicting the suitability of animals for companionship or specific roles such as hunting, military or service. Common methods of behavioural assessment can be time consuming, labour-intensive, and subject to bias, making large-scale and rapid implementation challenging. Objective, practical and time effective behaviour measures may be facilitated by remote and automated devices such as accelerometers. This study, therefore, aimed to validate the ActiGraph® accelerometer as a tool for behavioural classification. This study used a machine learning method that identified nine dog behaviours with an overall accuracy of 74% (range for each behaviour was 54 to 93%). In addition, overall body dynamic acceleration was found to be correlated with the amount of time spent exhibiting active behaviours (barking, locomotion, scratching, sniffing, and standing; R2 = 0.91, p < 0.001). Machine learning was an effective method to build a model to classify behaviours such as barking, defecating, drinking, eating, locomotion, resting-asleep, resting-alert, sniffing, and standing with high overall accuracy whilst maintaining a large behavioural repertoire.
Validation of an Accelerometer Sensor-Based Collar for Monitoring Grazing and Rumination Behaviours in Grazing Dairy Cows
(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-09-17) Iqbal MW; Draganova I; Morel PCH; Morris ST; Dolores M
This study evaluated the accuracy of a sensor-based device (AfiCollar) to automatically monitor and record grazing and rumination behaviours of grazing dairy cows on a real-time basis. Multiparous spring-calved dairy cows (n = 48) wearing the AfiCollar were selected for the visual observation of their grazing and rumination behaviours. The total observation period was 36 days, divided into four recording periods performed at different times of the year, using 12 cows in each period. Each recording period consisted of nine daily observation sessions (three days a week for three consecutive weeks). A continuous behaviour monitoring protocol was followed to visually observe four cows at a time for each daily observation session, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Overall, 144 observations were collected and the data were presented as behaviour activity per daily observation session. The behaviours visually observed were also recorded through an automated AfiCollar device on a real-time basis over the observation period. Automatic recordings and visual observations were compared with each other using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r), Concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and linear regression. Compared to visual observation (VO), AfiCollar (AC) showed slightly higher (10%) grazing time and lower (4%) rumination time. AC results and VO results had strong associations with each other for grazing time (r = 0.91, CCC = 0.71) and rumination time (r = 0.89, CCC = 0.80). Regression analysis showed a significant linear relationship between AC and VO for grazing time (R2 = 0.83, p < 0.05) and rumination time (R2 = 0.78, p < 0.05). The relative prediction error (RPE) values for grazing time and rumination time were 0.17 and 0.40, respectively. Overall, the results indicated that AfiCollar is a reliable device to accurately monitor and record grazing and rumination behaviours of grazing dairy cows, although, some minor improvements can be made in algorithm calibrations to further improve its accuracy.
Variations in the 24 h temporal patterns and time budgets of grazing, rumination, and idling behaviors in grazing dairy cows in a New Zealand system.
(Oxford University Press, 2023-01-28) Iqbal MW; Draganova I; Henry Morel PC; Todd Morris S
This study investigated the variations in the temporal distributions and the lengths of times utilized for grazing, ruminating, and idling behaviors by grazing dairy cows over 24 h. Spring-calved lactating dairy cows (N = 54) from three breeds, Holstein-Friesian (HFR), Jersey (JE), and KiwiCross (KC) in different lactations (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and with different breeding worth index values (103 < BW > 151) were selected. The cows were managed through a rotational grazing scheme and milked once a day at 0500 hours. The cows grazed mainly pasture and consumed additional feeds (maize silage and turnips) in the summer and autumn seasons. AfiCollar was used to record grazing and rumination behaviors (min/h) in the individual cows throughout the lactation period (~270 d). The time neither utilized for grazing nor rumination was counted as idling behavior (min/h). A repeat measure design with PROC MIXED was performed in SAS considering the effects of breed, lactation, individual cow, the hour of the day, season, day within the season, and supplementary feed within the season to evaluate the difference in grazing, rumination, and idling behaviors. Hour of the day, season, day within season, and supplementary feed had significant effects on grazing, rumination, and idling behaviors. Regardless of the season and supplementary feed, cows spent most of the daytime grazing and most of the nighttime ruminating. Grazing activity remained consistently high throughout the day with two peaks around dawn and dusk and a short peak around midnight. Rumination activity remained high from the late evening until early morning. Grazing and ruminating patterns were similar between different breeds and lactations, however, JE cows grazed slightly longer than HFR and KC, and first-lactation cows grazed slightly longer than those in higher lactations. The onset and cessation of grazing activity by the cows were adjusted according to varying day lengths by season. Cows finished grazing earlier when they consumed additional supplements or silage along with pasture. Cows from different breed groups and lactations spent most of their 24 h grazing followed by ruminating and idling. Season and supplementary feed potentially affected the variations in behavior time budgets. These findings should support improving measures for grazing management to address pasture allocation and additional feed demands, and animal welfare in varying environmental and/or managemental conditions.

Browsing by Author "Draganova I"

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