Table 1 Description of the behaviour patterns detected by direct behavioural observations in the barn.

Social proximity

Cow's distance to her first neighbour is less than 1 body length

Standing-up posture¹¹

Cow is standing on all four legs

Resting¹¹

Cow is possibly sleeping (eyes closed, head resting) or drowsy (eyes half-closed). The cow can be either standing up or lying down

Apathy¹¹

Cow is not active, not sleeping and not ruminating, does not react to tactile, visual and/or audible environmental stimuli, or is orientated towards a wall

Feeding activity³⁴

Cow is eating or ruminating

Unsteady balance³⁴

Cow is standing or resting unsteadily, sometimes with body leaning against a wall; or standing with weight shifting on hind legs

Head down³⁴

Cow’s head (poll) is below the line of the spinal column. The cow can be either standing up or lying down

Hunched back posture³⁵

Cow is standing with its back arched

Extended forelegs position³⁵

Cow is standing or lying with at least one foreleg partially or fully extended

Extended hindlegs position³⁵

Cow is standing or lying with at least one hindleg partially or fully extended caudally

Pressed tail position³⁶

Cow's central part of tail is pressed against vulva and udder and distal part of tail between hindlegs

Eyelids wide open³⁷

Cow's pupil, iris and sclera are visible

Ears down^11,37

Cow’s ears lower than spinal column, with increased gap between ears and the opening facing downwards

Strained nostrils³⁷

Cow's nostrils sometimes dilated, possibly also with creases above the nostrils

Miscellaneous clinical signs

Cow displays dyspnoea and/or tremor and/or orthopnoea