Effect of short and long periods of separation on agonistic behaviour, injuries and stress in Hérens cows kept in loose housing

Hérens cows are typically not dehorned and are therefore housed in tie-barns during winter. Recently, however, farmers have started to also use loose housing systems. They separate single cows from their herd for periods of a few days to ensure undisturbed calving and to avoid excessive activity caused by animals in oestrus. As these cows are highly motivated to fight, the re-introduction of individuals after separation is usually associated with increased agonistic behaviour. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the length of separation with regard to behaviour, injuries and stress response.