{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T16:31:23Z","timestamp":1789144283719,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]],"date-time":"2024-03-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1709856000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004504","name":"Lithuanian Council for Research","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["S-MIP-22-137"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["S-MIP-22-137"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004504","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study hypothesizes that higher in-line milk lactose concentrations are indicative of enhanced dairy cow behaviors\u2014including increased rumination, feeding, and locomotion activities\u2014reflecting superior overall health and well-being. It posits that fluctuations in milk lactose levels have a substantial impact on the physiological and behavioral responses of dairy cows, thereby affecting their milk yields and compositions. Each cow\u2019s milk lactose, fat, protein, and fat-to-protein ratio were continuously monitored using the BROLIS HerdLine in-line milk analyzer (Brolis Sensor Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania). The RumiWatch noseband sensor (RWS; ITIN + HOCH GmbH, F\u00fctterungstechnik, Liestal, Switzerland) was employed to measure the biomarkers of the rumination, feeding, and locomotion behavior. The measurements were recorded over 5 days at the same time (during morning milking). A total of 502 cows were examined. During these 5 days, 2510 measurements were taken. Based on the lactose content in their milk, the cows were divided into two categories: the first group consisted of cows with milk lactose levels below 4.70%, while the second group included cows with milk lactose levels of 4.70% or higher. Our study showed that cows with higher milk lactose concentrations (\u22654.70%) produced significantly more milk (16.14% increase) but had a lower milk protein concentration (5.05% decrease) compared to cows with lower lactose levels. These cows also exhibited changes in rumination and feeding behaviors, as recorded by the RWS: there was an increase in the mastication and rumination behaviors, evidenced by a 14.09% rise in other chews and a 13.84% increase in rumination chews, along with a 16.70% boost in bolus activity. However, there was a notable 16.18% reduction in their physical activity, as measured by the change in time spent walking.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14060836","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]],"date-time":"2024-03-08T05:44:06Z","timestamp":1709876646000},"page":"836","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["The Relation between Milk Lactose Concentration and the Rumination, Feeding, and Locomotion Behavior of Early-Lactation Dairy Cows"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9993-2224","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ram\u016bnas","family":"Antanaitis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Til\u017e\u0117s Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-5343-6590","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karina","family":"D\u017eermeikait\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Til\u017e\u0117s Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Justina","family":"Kri\u0161tolaityt\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Til\u017e\u0117s Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Akvil\u0117","family":"Girdauskait\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Til\u017e\u0117s Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Samanta","family":"Arlauskait\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Til\u017e\u0117s Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kotryna","family":"Tolka\u010diovait\u0117","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Large Animal Clinic, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Til\u017e\u0117s Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7366-7242","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Walter","family":"Baumgartner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Clinic for Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100429","DOI":"10.1016\/j.animal.2021.100429","article-title":"Review: Precision Livestock Farming Technologies in Pasture-Based Livestock Systems","volume":"16","author":"Aquilani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compag.2017.02.021","article-title":"System Specification and Validation of a Noseband Pressure Sensor for Measurement of Ruminating and Eating Behavior in Stable-Fed Cows","volume":"136","author":"Zehner","year":"2017","journal-title":"Comput. Electron. Agric."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3120","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2013-7613","article-title":"Short Communication: Decrease in Rumination Time as an Indicator of the Onset of Calving","volume":"97","author":"Sundrum","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2015.11.005","article-title":"Validation of a Pressure Sensor-Based System for Measuring Eating, Rumination and Drinking Behaviour of Dairy Cattle","volume":"174","author":"Ruuska","year":"2016","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Antanaitis, R., D\u017eermeikait\u0117, K., Janu\u0161kevi\u010dius, V., \u0160imonyt\u0117, I., and Baumgartner, W. (2023). In-Line Registered Milk Fat-to-Protein Ratio for the Assessment of Metabolic Status in Dairy Cows. Animals, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani13203293"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2021-20465","article-title":"Milk Metabolites and Fatty Acids as Noninvasive Biomarkers of Metabolic Status and Energy Balance in Early-Lactation Cows","volume":"105","author":"Pires","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"601","article-title":"Bioactivity Evaluation of Certain Hepatic Enzymes in Blood Plasma and Milk of Holstein Cows","volume":"32","author":"Liu","year":"2012","journal-title":"Pak. Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4238","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2018-15883","article-title":"Genetic Associations of Lactose and Its Ratios to Other Milk Solids with Health Traits in Austrian Fleckvieh Cows","volume":"102","author":"Costa","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3314","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(02)74420-2","article-title":"Estimation of Energy Balance at the Individual and Herd Level Using Blood and Milk Traits in High-Yielding Dairy Cows1,2","volume":"85","author":"Reist","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"231","DOI":"10.1152\/physiolgenomics.00016.2015","article-title":"Biosynthesis of Milk Fat, Protein, and Lactose: Roles of Transcriptional and Posttranscriptional Regulation","volume":"48","author":"Osorio","year":"2016","journal-title":"Physiol. Genom."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"494","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(02)74100-3","article-title":"Milk Synthetic Response of the Bovine Mammary Gland to an Increase in the Local Concentration of Arterial Glucose","volume":"85","author":"Cant","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1080\/09712119.2016.1150849","article-title":"Association between Electrical Conductivity and Milk Production Traits in Dairy Gyr Cows","volume":"45","author":"Pereira","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Appl. Anim. Res."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.1051\/vetres:2003026","article-title":"Indicators of Inflammation in the Diagnosis of Mastitis","volume":"34","year":"2003","journal-title":"Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"595","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(02)74113-1","article-title":"Duodenal Glucose Increases Glucose Fluxes and Lactose Synthesis in Grass Silage-Fed Dairy Cows","volume":"85","author":"Rigout","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Televi\u010dius, M., Juozaitiene, V., Mala\u0161auskien\u0117, D., Antanaitis, R., Rutkauskas, A., Urbutis, M., and Baumgartner, W. (2021). Inline Milk Lactose Concentration as Biomarker of the Health Status and Reproductive Success in Dairy Cows. Agriculture, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/agriculture11010038"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"799","DOI":"10.1152\/japplphysiol.00386.2004","article-title":"Kinetics of Glucose Transport and Sequestration in Lactating Bovine Mammary Glands Measured in Vivo with a Paired Indicator\/Nutrient Dilution Technique","volume":"99","author":"Qiao","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Appl. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Antanaitis, R., Juozaitien\u0117, V., Jonike, V., Baumgartner, W., and Paulauskas, A. (2021). Milk Lactose as a Biomarker of Subclinical Mastitis in Dairy Cows. Animals, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11061736"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Antanaitis, R., Juozaitien\u0117, V., Mala\u0161auskien\u0117, D., Televi\u010dius, M., Urbutis, M., and Baumgartner, W. (2021). Influence of Calving Ease on In-Line Milk Lactose and Other Milk Components. Animals, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11030842"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2468","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2006-487","article-title":"Genetic Analysis of Milk Urea Nitrogen and Lactose and Their Relationships with Other Production Traits in Canadian Holstein Cattle","volume":"90","author":"Miglior","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1080\/00288233.2014.978482","article-title":"Genetic Parameters for Milk Components Including Lactose from Test Day Records in the New Zealand Dairy Herd","volume":"58","author":"Sneddon","year":"2015","journal-title":"New Zealand J. Agric. Res."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5883","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2018-15955","article-title":"Invited Review: Milk Lactose\u2014Current Status and Future Challenges in Dairy Cattle","volume":"102","author":"Costa","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0442.1996.tb00443.x","article-title":"Evaluation of Additional Acetone and Urea Analyses, and of the Fat-Lactose-Quotient in Cow Milk Samples in the Herd Recording System in Norway","volume":"43","author":"Steen","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Vet. Med. Ser. A"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2923","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2010-3946","article-title":"Online Evaluation of Milk Quality According to Coagulation Properties for Its Optimal Distribution for Industrial Applications","volume":"94","author":"Leitner","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"637","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(07)71546-1","article-title":"Associations Among Body Condition Score, Body Weight, Somatic Cell Count, and Clinical Mastitis in Seasonally Calving Dairy Cattle","volume":"90","author":"Berry","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lin, Y., Sun, X., Hou, X., Qu, B., Gao, X., and Li, Q. (2016). Effects of Glucose on Lactose Synthesis in Mammary Epithelial Cells from Dairy Cow. BMC Vet. Res., 12.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-016-0704-x"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s11259-009-9324-2","article-title":"Associations among Milk Production Traits and Glycosylated Haemoglobin in Dairy Cattle; Importance of Lactose Synthesis Potential","volume":"34","author":"Shahbazkia","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. Res. Commun."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3754","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2016-11952","article-title":"Genetic Parameters for Lactose and Its Correlation with Other Milk Production Traits and Fitness Traits in Pasture-Based Production Systems","volume":"100","author":"Pryce","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Larsen, M.L.V., Wang, M., and Norton, T. (2021). Information Technologies for Welfare Monitoring in Pigs and Their Relation to Welfare Quality\u00ae. Sustainability, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/su13020692"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3244","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2008-1610","article-title":"Effects of Glucose, Propionic Acid, and Nonessential Amino Acids on Glucose Metabolism and Milk Yield in Holstein Dairy Cows","volume":"92","author":"Lemosquet","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhao, S., Min, L., Zheng, N., and Wang, J. (2019). Effect of Heat Stress on Bacterial Composition and Metabolism in the Rumen of Lactating Dairy Cows. Animals, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani9110925"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anifeedsci.2011.12.003","article-title":"Incidence, Prevalence and Impact of SARA in Dairy Herds","volume":"172","author":"Kleen","year":"2012","journal-title":"Anim. Feed Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, G., Ma, X., Deng, L., Zhao, X., Wei, Y., Gao, Z., Jia, J., Xu, J., and Sun, C. (2015). Fresh Garlic Extract Enhances the Antimicrobial Activities of Antibiotics on Resistant Strains in Vitro. Jundishapur J. Microbiol., 8.","DOI":"10.5812\/jjm.14814"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3249","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(05)73008-3","article-title":"Prepartum Intake, Postpartum Induction of Ketosis, and Periparturient Disorders Affect the Metabolic Status of Dairy Cows*","volume":"88","author":"Dann","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100077","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vas.2019.100077","article-title":"Can Rumination Time and Some Blood Biochemical Parameters Be Used as Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Subclinical Acidosis and Subclinical Ketosis?","volume":"8","author":"Antanaitis","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vet. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2308","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(03)73823-5","article-title":"Relationships Among Milk Yield, Body Condition, Cow Weight, and Reproduction in Spring-Calved Holstein-Friesians","volume":"86","author":"Buckley","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1406","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(02)74208-2","article-title":"Relationships Among Body Condition Score, Milk Constituents, and Postpartum Luteal Function in Norwegian Dairy Cows","volume":"85","author":"Reksen","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"994","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(98)75660-7","article-title":"Effect of Extreme Walking Conditions for Dairy Cows on Milk Yield, Chemical Composition, and Somatic Cell Count1","volume":"81","author":"Coulon","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6994","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2011-5247","article-title":"Behavioral Changes in Dairy Cows with Mastitis","volume":"95","author":"Gibbons","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5758","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2010-3426","article-title":"Correlated Changes in Behavioral Indicators of Lameness in Dairy Cows Following Hoof Trimming","volume":"93","author":"Chapinal","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/6\/836\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T14:10:54Z","timestamp":1760105454000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/6\/836"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3]]}},"alternative-id":["ani14060836"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani14060836","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,8]]}}}