This study examined the relationship between the synchronisation of locomotion activity
and feeding activity with the external 24-h cycle of dairy cows on two farms during early
lactation. The main differences between the two farms were the milking system and
feeding bunk stocking density (FBSD; cow to bin). The synchronisations of the activities
with the external 24-h cycle were analysed using the Degree of Functional Coupling
(DFC). Overall, the correlation coefficients of DFCs of locomotion- and feeding activity
were low with a high inter-cow variability. No differences in correlation coefficients
between the farms were detected, indicating that milking system and FBSD affect
synchronisation of locomotion and feeding activity similarly.