Discriminability and preference among milking machine functions by dairy cows |
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Authors: | C.W. Arave W. Temple J.V. Leman R. Kilgour |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322 U.S.A.;2. Department of Psychology, Waikato University, Hamilton New Zealand;3. Ruakura Animal Research Station, Hamilton New Zealand |
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Abstract: | An attempt was made to assess discomfort to the cow associated with milking machine function. Seven cows were presented with conditional discrimination tasks between alternative stimuli, using operant conditioning procedures. No discrimination between stimuli was evident. When allowed to choose between wide and narrow pulsation ratios, the 7 cows failed to do more than respond randomly. Four of the cows who were given a choice between potentially more or less aversive stimuli, pulsation vs. zero pulsation, showed no clear preference. The data suggest either that cows cannot discriminate within the experimental range of machine functions, i.e. that no measurable preference existed, or, under the experimental methods used, that cows could not learn the conditional discrimination required. |
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