{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T13:07:45Z","timestamp":1789391265043,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789344000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Science and Technology Program","award":["2025KJHZ0034"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2025KJHZ0034"]}]},{"name":"Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region \u201cYingcai Xingmeng\u201d Engineering Team Project","award":["2025YTL10"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2025YTL10"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Heat stress is known to affect dairy cow behavior, but its effects on milking-order patterns and stabilization after herd entry in large commercial herds are not well described. We analyzed 70,491 parlor records from 484 Holstein cows milked three times daily in a free-stall herd to examine how thermal conditions shape milking-order dynamics. Daily intraday milking-order displacement was quantified based on changes in queue position between successive milkings. Cow-specific regressions of milking order on ambient temperature were used to identify clusters of thermal response, and time to reach a stable queue position was evaluated for newly introduced cows according to thermal conditions at herd entry. Results show a modest increase in intraday physical displacement from thermally comfortable to severely hot days, whereas relative displacement did not differ significantly across the four thermal categories. Cows showed consistent individual differences in how their milking position shifted with temperature that were only weakly associated with parity, days in milk, milk yield, or panting score. In an exploratory severe versus non-severe comparison, cows entering the herd under severe thermal conditions had a lower adjusted hazard of reaching the predefined stabilization criterion (HR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43\u20130.90). Collectively, these findings indicate that milking-order patterns extracted from routine parlor records are associated with behavioral responses to thermal conditions. Their management implications, including decisions related to herd entry and cooling, require further experimental evaluation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16182891","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T12:09:51Z","timestamp":1789387791000},"page":"2891","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Milking-Order Stability and Stabilization After Herd Entry Under Heat Stress: An Observational Study in a Large Dairy Herd"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Yifeng","family":"Song","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Smart Animal Husbandry at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region\/National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy-Breeding and Production Research Center, Hohhot 010018, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"software","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"family":"Zhalaga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Smart Animal Husbandry at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region\/National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy-Breeding and Production Research Center, Hohhot 010018, China"},{"name":"Inner Mongolia Shengmu High-Tech Farming Company, Limited, Hohhot 010111, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"family":"Muqier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Smart Animal Husbandry at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region\/National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy-Breeding and Production Research Center, Hohhot 010018, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaoping","family":"An","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Smart Animal Husbandry at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region\/National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy-Breeding and Production Research Center, Hohhot 010018, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8863-9631","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Na","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Smart Animal Husbandry at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region\/National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy-Breeding and Production Research Center, Hohhot 010018, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Jingwei","family":"Qi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Smart Animal Husbandry at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region\/National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy-Breeding and Production Research Center, Hohhot 010018, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"eadw4780","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.adw4780","article-title":"High-Frequency Data Reveal Limits of Adaptation to Heat in Animal Agriculture","volume":"11","author":"Palandri","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6751","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2019-17929","article-title":"Invited review: Physiological and Behavioral Effects of Heat Stress in Dairy Cows","volume":"103","author":"Becker","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3716","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2021-21080","article-title":"Invited review: Lethal Heat Stress: The Putative Pathophysiology of a Deadly Disorder in Dairy Cattle","volume":"105","author":"Burhans","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.2478\/aoas-2020-0116","article-title":"The Effects of Heat Stress on the Behaviour of Dairy Cows\u2014A Review","volume":"21","author":"Herbut","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ann. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3447","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2019-17456","article-title":"Hot Weather Increases Competition Between Dairy Cows at the Drinker","volume":"103","author":"McDonald","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"238","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biosystemseng.2023.01.009","article-title":"Determining the Onset of Heat Stress in a Dairy Herd Based on Automated Behaviour Recognition","volume":"226","author":"Shu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Biosyst. Eng."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"603","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2017-12748","article-title":"Short Communication: Milking Order Consistency of Dairy Cows in Large Australian Herds","volume":"101","author":"Beggs","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.4081\/ijas.2007.187","article-title":"Entrance Order and Side Preference of Dairy Cows in the Milking Parlour","volume":"6","author":"Grasso","year":"2007","journal-title":"Ital. J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"AN24285","DOI":"10.1071\/AN24285","article-title":"Milk Yield and Pasture Nutrient Availability Associated with Milking Order in Commercial Dairy Herds","volume":"65","author":"Berkhout","year":"2025","journal-title":"Anim. Prod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"306","DOI":"10.1071\/AN20113","article-title":"Cow Milking Order and Its Influence on Milk Production in a Pasture-Based Automatic Milking System","volume":"61","author":"Cullen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Anim. Prod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"416","DOI":"10.3168\/jdsc.2023-0491","article-title":"Associations of Parity and Lactation Stage with the Order Cows Enter the Milking Parlor","volume":"5","author":"Hansson","year":"2024","journal-title":"JDS Commun."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2015.02.016","article-title":"Influences of Various Factors on Cows\u2019 Entrance Order into the Milking Parlour","volume":"166","author":"Polikarpus","year":"2015","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1016\/0304-3762(82)90131-6","article-title":"Order of Cow Entry at Milking and Its Relationships with Milk Yield and Consistency of the Order","volume":"8","author":"Rathore","year":"1982","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Ethol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2011.11.012","article-title":"Genetic and Non-Genetic Factors Associated with Milking Order in Lactating Dairy Cows","volume":"136","author":"Berry","year":"2012","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"518","DOI":"10.1017\/S002185962000088X","article-title":"Interplay between Productive Traits, the Social Rank and the Cow\u2019s Stability in the Order of Entrance to the Milking Parlour","volume":"158","author":"Teixeira","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Agric. Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.2527\/jas.2007-0305","article-title":"A New Heat Load Index for Feedlot Cattle","volume":"86","author":"Gaughan","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"NRC (1971). A Guide to Environmental Research on Animals, The National Academies Press."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Collier, R.J., Laun, W.H., Rungruang, S., and Zimbleman, R.B. (2012). Quantifying Heat Stress and Its Impact on Metabolism and Performance. Proceedings of the Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symposium, Gainesville, FL, USA, 2012, University of Florida."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101094","DOI":"10.1016\/j.animal.2024.101094","article-title":"Behavioural Variability, Physical Activity, Rumination Time, and Milk Characteristics of Dairy Cattle in Response to Regrouping","volume":"18","author":"Marumo","year":"2024","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1219","DOI":"10.1007\/s00484-022-02270-w","article-title":"Evaluation of Environmental and Physiological Indicators in Lactating Dairy Cows Exposed to Heat Stress","volume":"66","author":"Shu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Biometeorol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"271","DOI":"10.1016\/0304-3762(76)90060-2","article-title":"Relation between Milking Order and Dominance Value in a Group of Dairy Cows","volume":"2","year":"1976","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Ethol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jurkovich, V., Hejel, P., and Kov\u00e1cs, L. (2024). A Review of the Effects of Stress on Dairy Cattle Behaviour. Animals, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14142038"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8645","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2017-12651","article-title":"Invited Review: Effects of Heat Stress on Dairy Cattle Welfare","volume":"100","author":"Polsky","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1559","DOI":"10.1017\/S1751731115000877","article-title":"Access to Shade Changes Behavioral and Physiological Attributes of Dairy Cows during the Hot Season in the Subtropics","volume":"9","author":"Vizzotto","year":"2015","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shu, H., Wang, W., Guo, L., and Bindelle, J. (2021). Recent Advances on Early Detection of Heat Strain in Dairy Cows Using Animal-Based Indicators: A Review. Animals, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11040980"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ymeth.2020.09.004","article-title":"Methods to Quantify Heat Stress in Ruminants: Current Status and Future Prospects","volume":"186","author":"Wijffels","year":"2021","journal-title":"Methods"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1443","DOI":"10.1007\/s00484-013-0746-8","article-title":"Body Temperature and Respiratory Dynamics in Un-Shaded Beef Cattle","volume":"58","author":"Gaughan","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Biometeorol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4879","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-31801-7","article-title":"Revealing the Diversity of Internal Body Temperature and Panting Response for Feedlot Cattle under Environmental Thermal Stress","volume":"13","author":"Islam","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3798","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2015-10212","article-title":"Modeling Heat Stress under Different Environmental Conditions","volume":"99","author":"Logar","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1093\/af\/vfy031","article-title":"Heat Stress: Physiology of Acclimation and Adaptation","volume":"9","author":"Collier","year":"2019","journal-title":"Anim. Front."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Deniz, M., Sena, A.R., De-Sousa, K.T., Vieira, F.M.C., de Souza, E.R., H\u00f6tzel, M.J., and Dittrich, J.R. (2025). Herd Dominance Influences Dairy Cows\u2019 Use of Heat Abatement Resources in a Silvopastoral System. Animals, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15121791"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biosystemseng.2020.03.013","article-title":"Assessment of Dairy Cow Heat Stress by Monitoring Drinking Behaviour Using an Embedded Imaging System","volume":"199","author":"Tsai","year":"2020","journal-title":"Biosyst. Eng."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7286","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2023-24587","article-title":"Redefining Dominance Calculation: Increased Competition Flattens the Dominance Hierarchy in Dairy Cows","volume":"107","author":"Sheng","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Valn\u00ed\u010dkov\u00e1, B., Barto\u0161ov\u00e1, J., and Barto\u0161, L. (2024). Losing a Herd Mate: Negative Effects on Milk Yield and Udder Health Indicators in Loose-Housed Dairy Cattle. Animals, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14233459"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1011","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2007-0532","article-title":"Acute Behavioral Effects of Regrouping Dairy Cows","volume":"91","author":"Olenick","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"skae287","DOI":"10.1093\/jas\/skae287","article-title":"Is Heat Stress a Growing Problem for Dairy Cattle Husbandry in the Temperate Regions? A Case Study of Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg in Germany","volume":"102","author":"Leandro","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"772","DOI":"10.1080\/1828051X.2025.2471545","article-title":"Dairy cow behaviour and physical activity as indicators of heat stress","volume":"24","author":"Leliveld","year":"2025","journal-title":"Ital. J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2077","DOI":"10.1007\/s00484-020-01999-6","article-title":"Evaluation of Thermal Indices Based on Their Relationships with Some Physiological Responses of Housed Lactating Cows under Heat Stress","volume":"64","author":"Yan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Biometeorol."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1110","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2023-23483","article-title":"New Insight into Social Relationships in Dairy Cows and How Time of Birth, Parity, and Relatedness Affect Spatial Interactions Later in Life","volume":"107","author":"Marina","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/18\/2891\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T12:43:34Z","timestamp":1789389814000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/18\/2891"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"18","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["ani16182891"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani16182891","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]]}}}