Abstract
Simple SummaryManagement and housing conditions have been reported to significantly affect the health and welfare of livestock species. Therefore, the adoption of novel, alternative housing systems (such as the compost-bedded pack barn, developed in the USA) requires extensive research to assess the implications for animal welfare. From a general point of view, animal welfare is typically assessed by means of animal-based (such as blood biochemical markers) and resource-based (such as management practices) indicators. Based on such considerations, the present study evaluated the fluctuation of circulating cortisol and beta-endorphins in dairy cows housed in a conventional freestall barn (FB) and in the alternative compost-bedded pack barn (CB). The results obtained suggest that the CB housing system did not elicit significant changes in either blood cortisol or beta-endorphins.The up-to-date literature suggests that the compost-bedded pack barn housing system is capable of remarkably improving productive and reproductive performance, as well as health status and welfare, in dairy cattle. However, there is currently limited knowledge available on the endocrine and biochemical changes in animals housed in such alternative systems. Therefore, this study aimed to measure blood cortisol (COR) and beta-endorphins (BE) in 22 two-year-old primiparae Fleckvieh cows, who were randomly allotted to the following two different housing systems: CB (n = 11) and FB (n = 11). Blood samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment (T0) and every two months thereafter (T1, T2, and T3). The COR and BE were measured through an immunoenzymatic kit. With the only exception being T0, no differences were observed over time between the two groups, neither for COR nor for BE. However, the blood cortisol levels of the CB cows decreased over time, while a T1 peak was identified in the FB group. On the contrary, both the housing systems displayed numerically higher BE at T3 than at the other experimental times. Therefore, the overall data suggest that the compost-bedded pack barn did not significantly affect the studied parameters. Accordingly, cow welfare should be assessed using a wider panel of animal-based indicators.
Highlights
Several research studies have previously quantified the economic returns of animal welfare, showing that the application of adequate standards and practices can contribute to increased food security and, in turn, farm income
As a matter of fact, management and housing hazards may have a remarkable impact on the welfare of dairy cows, especially those linked to comfort around resting, such as bedding material type and management [4,5]
At T0, the compost-bedded pack barn (CB) cows showed numerically higher blood COR levels when compared to the freestall barn (FB) group (Figure 2)
Summary
As a matter of fact, management and housing hazards may have a remarkable impact on the welfare of dairy cows, especially those linked to comfort around resting, such as bedding material type and management [4,5]. Within such a scenario, the compost-bedded pack barn (CB) is a housing system for dairy cattle that has received increasing attention in recent years [6,7,8]. The compost bedding can be remarkably expensive due to the labor requirements for litter management operations, greater unitary surfaces when compared to traditional stables, and high heat production in the hot season [9,10]
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