One thousand, four hundred and sixteen cows kept on three dairy farms located
near Ithaca, New York, USA, were enrolled from 30th August until 4th November
2010, and data were collected until 30th June 2011. Farm A milked 3700 cows, farm
B 1600 cows and farm C 3500 cows. The cows on farms A and C were housed in freestall
(cubicle) barns with concrete stalls covered with mattresses and bedded with
digested manure solids and waste paper–pulp, respectively. Farm B housed the
cows in free-stalls with sand bedding.