Integument Alterations Research Articles

EVALUATION THE DAIRY COWS’ WELFARE IN NORTHERN KAZAKHSTAN FARMS

In modern society animal welfare is an important attribute of the food quality general concept. Research purpose was to identify the dairy cows’ welfare problems in Kazakhstan. In 2022 and 2023, studies were organized at two industrial dairy farms in the central (Kamyshenka LLP) and northern (Ayna Dairy Farm LLP) zones of the Akmola region. Here, the welfare of 110 cows was measured in accordance with 33 parameters, 12 criteria and 4 principles (according to the Welfare Quality® protocol). On both farms, the main animal welfare indicators were approximately within the same limits. The criterion "Absence of prolonged thirst" was 60.0 scores. In both farms, such criteria indicators as “Absence of prolonged hunger", “Absence of diseases" had relatively low values in the range of 3.5-19.98 points. The criteria “Absence of injuries”, “Lameness”, "Integument alterations", "Positive emotional state" were also below 53.9 points. Scores of criteria “Comfort during rest”, “Absence of pain caused by management procedures”, “Manifestation of other forms of behavior”, “Good relations between man and animal” exceeded 55 points and reached a maximum value of 80.01 points at the Ayna Farm. Overall, farms scored from 20.1 to 50.4 points on the basic principles of welfare, with the exception of the principle of "Good Health", according to which Ayna Dairy Farm scored 64.4 points, but Kamyshenka Farm had a lower level – 38.2. Thus, both farms were classified by the Welfare Protocol as "Acceptable". The study has been shown that the housing of dairy cows needs to be improved for increasing the comfort of rest and reduce cow injuries.

Welfare assessment of horses and mules used in commercial beef cattle ranches in Brazil

This study aimed to identify, among the equine welfare indicators included in two available protocols (Assessment Protocol for Horses and AWIN - Welfare Assessment Protocol for Horses), those suitable to assess the welfare of ranch horses and mules in commercial beef cattle ranch in Brazil and report the welfare status of these animals when kept under such management and working conditions. Twenty-two equine animal-based welfare indicators were evaluated in 84 horses and 51 mules from seven commercial ranches located in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Most of the indicators showed no or little changes from an acceptable standard of animal welfare, defined when the welfare indicators were scored 0 or when a small number of animals were scored 1, for variables scored from 0 to 2. Those indicators which indicated frequent welfare problems (forced approach test, hoof problems, body condition score, integument alterations, lesions at mouth corners, and orbital tightening) were subjected to a principal component analysis (PCA). Differences between ranches were compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test, and between mules and horses, the Mann-Whitney test was used. The first principal component of the PCA indicated that forced approach test and integument alterations were directly associated with each other and inversely associated with body condition score, lesions at mouth corners, hoof condition, and orbital tightening. Ranch 1 showed a higher score on the forced approach test than Ranch 5, which may be related to variations in their handling routines. Mules showed a greater avoidance response during the forced approach test, while horses had a higher incidence of hoof problems, which may be associated with the differences in behavior and anatomy of these animals. We conclude that, except for facial expression indicators, all other animal-based welfare indicators were useful for assessing the welfare of ranch horses and mules, but that they were not sufficient to carry out a complete welfare assessment of these animals, since it lacks proper environmental-based indicators. Thus, we consider this study as a first step towards the development of a specific protocol to assess the welfare of ranch horses and mules. Additionally, our results clearly show that most of the welfare problems identified in this study can be prevented or mitigated by training cowhands on how correctly raise and handle the ranch horses and mules under their care.

Obtaining an animal welfare status in Norwegian dairy herds-A mountain to climb.

Knowing the national status of animal welfare, one can identify welfare problems and set a benchmark against which improvements can be compared. Such a status is potentially invaluable for tangible, sustained animal welfare improvement. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to report the status of animal welfare in Norwegian loose-housed dairy herds as assessed using the Welfare Quality® Assessment Protocol. Additionally, we investigated if the welfare status varied on a regional basis. In total, 155 herds in eight of Norway's eleven counties were assessed by six trained Welfare Quality® assessors. This article presents the herd prevalences of common welfare issues in dairy production in Norway, as well as integrated welfare scores. To determine whether welfare status varied regionally in Norway, generalized linear modeling was used to estimate the mean welfare score for five regions in the four Welfare Quality® principles: A. Good feeding, B. Good housing, C. Good health, and D. Appropriate behavior. These estimated mean welfare scores and their 95% confidence intervals were subsequently assessed for significant variation. Encouraging findings included the low mean herd prevalence of 'very lean' cows (3.0%) and the high proportion of cows (59.8%) which could be touched during avoidance distance testing, indicating a positive relationship between stockpeople and their cattle. Challenges affecting the welfare of Norwegian dairy cows were also identified. Of particular concern were issues related to the cows' environment such as prolonged times needed to complete lying down movements and integument alterations. No herd was completely free of changes to the integument and, on average, 77.9% of each herd were affected either mildly or severely. Animal welfare did not appear to vary much between the five regions assessed. Our investigation revealed significant regional variation between two regions (Trøndelag and Vestlandet North) in only the Welfare Quality® principle Good housing (p < 0.01). The almost complete absence of regional variation demonstrates that animal welfare status generally varies most at herd level. In conclusion, both welfare challenges and encouraging findings were identified in loose-housed Norwegian dairy herds. To improve animal welfare, herd-specific interventions are most likely to be effective in these herds.

Does housing system affect horse welfare? The AWIN welfare assessment protocol applied to horses kept in an outdoor group-housing system: The 'parcours'.

Outdoor group housing is generally reported as being beneficial to the welfare of horses compared to single boxes, being considered to show greater similarities with the living conditions of feral horses, allowing full expression of behaviours such as grazing, social interactions and free movement. However, concerns persist regarding the ability to maintain a good nutritional state and the possibility of acquiring injury. No data reporting a comprehensive assessment of welfare for horses in outdoor group-housing systems are currently available. The present study aimed at applying a scientifically valid welfare assessment protocol to group-housed outdoor horses in 'parcours', a particular management system used in the south of France. 'Parcours' are semi-natural areas, grazed by domestic herbivores located in lowland, mountain, or marsh. One hundred and seventy-one horses older than a year pertaining to six farms and kept on 'parcours' were evaluated by a trained veterinarian using a modified version of the second level Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) welfare assessment protocol for horses. No major welfare issues were detected. Horses in 'parcours' displayed few abnormal behaviours, they could move freely for most of the day and interact with conspecifics, maintaining a healthy state of nutrition and a good relationship with humans. The main welfare concerns were related to the presence of superficial integument alterations such as alopecia, difficulty in reaching quality controlled water sources and a lack of shelter. As the number of facilities involved in this study is relatively limited, further harmonised data collection should aim to enlarge the sample size and allow comparison with different outdoor group-housing conditions.

Effects of Housing and Management Factors on Selected Indicators of the Welfare Quality® Protocol in Loose-Housed Dairy Cows.

Simple SummaryHousing conditions and management practices affect animal welfare levels in livestock production. The objective of this study was to investigate potential effects of housing and management factors on animal welfare in dairy cattle by comparing different farms with each other in a benchmarking approach. For this purpose, 63 dairy cattle farms in Northern Germany were assessed using an animal welfare indicator system (Welfare Quality® protocol). Farms were categorized into a high and a low welfare group for each of the selected animal welfare indicators (body condition score, integument alterations, lameness, milk somatic cell count, and social behaviour). Both groups were compared regarding housing conditions and management practices in a statistical analysis. Clear differences between the groups were found for lameness concerning the routine use of foot-baths, milk somatic cell count concerning the milking frequency, and social behaviour concerning the cow-to-stall ratio. Comparing farms with high and low animal welfare status regarding housing and management factors provide useful information for the practice. Dairy cattle farmers could use these findings to improve animal welfare on their farms.The objective of this study was to examine the effects of housing and management factors on animal welfare indicators in dairy cows using a benchmarking approach. In total, 63 conventional dairy cattle farms with zero-grazing in Northern Germany were assessed using selected animal welfare indicators (body condition score, integument alterations, lameness, milk somatic cell count, and social behaviour) of the Welfare Quality® protocol. Additionally, housing characteristics such as designs of barns, cubicles, and floors were documented during farm visits and farmers were interviewed concerning their common management routines. Farms were categorized into a high welfare or low welfare group by calculating upper and lower tertiles for each of the animal welfare indicators separately. Both groups were compared regarding housing conditions and management practices using univariable and multivariable logistic regressions. Several associations between housing and management factors and animal welfare indicators were demonstrated in univariable analysis (p < 0.20). Significant effects within multivariable logistic regression analysis were determined for lameness (routine use of foot-baths), milk somatic cell count (milking frequency) and social behaviour (cow-to-stall ratio) (p < 0.05). Comparing farms with higher and lower animal welfare status can provide useful information about effective options to improve animal welfare.

To meet or not to meet welfare outcome thresholds: a case-control study in dairy cow herds

Recently published thresholds allow classifying dairy cattle herds according to target, caution and alert ranges for welfare outcomes. Such normative thresholds provide one way to transparently assess production practices and are a straightforward communication tool with farmers. In an ordinal response case-control study, we investigated associations of animal, management and resource-related indicators with the risk of exceeding thresholds of prevalence for lameness, claw disorders, integument alterations and leg cleanliness. To this end, we used cumulative logistic regression models on 264 tethered and 392 loose-housed Austrian dairy herds. In tethered herds, the risk indicator average lactation milk yield was positively associated with the probability to exceed thresholds for integument alteration prevalence but negatively regarding leg cleanliness. Associations were also found for operation type regarding integument alterations (lower risk on organic vs conventional farms), for herd size regarding lameness (negative association) and dirty upper hind leg (positive association), and for percentage of fifth or higher parity cows in the herd regarding dirty lower hind leg (positive association). Stall type was identified as risk indicator regarding claw disorders (lower risk of long vs short stands). In loose housing systems, none of the analysed risk indicators was associated with the probability to exceed thresholds for total lameness and claw disorder prevalence. Negative associations with the probability to exceed caution or alert thresholds were identified for lifetime milk yield (dirty upper hind leg), lactation milk yield (dirty upper and lower hind leg), percentage of cows in the herd with a fat-protein-ratio <1 (integument alterations), and percentage of cows in the herd with a fat-protein-ratio >1.5 (dirty upper hind leg). Pasture access showed negative (severe lameness, integument alterations) and herd size positive associations (severe lameness) with the probability to exceed thresholds. Deep litter cubicles compared to raised cubicles with rubber mats showed a lower probability to exceed thresholds (integument alterations, dirty lower hind leg) as well as solid rubber compared to concrete slatted flooring in alleyways (integument alterations). Assessments carried out during the pasture period compared to during winter housing were associated with a lower risk of exceeding thresholds for leg cleanliness measures in both, tethered and loose-housed herds, and for integument alteration prevalence in tethered herds. In conclusion, no principal risk indicator was identified which consistently determined the probability of exceeding predefined thresholds of considered welfare outcomes. Nevertheless, outcome-specific factors show sufficient impact on the categorisation of farms according to prevalence ranges.

Animal Welfare and Farmers' Satisfaction in Small-Scale Dairy Farms in the Eastern Alps: A "One Welfare" Approach.

The multidimensional concept of animal welfare includes physical health, good emotional state, and appropriate behavior of the animals. The most recent methods for its assessment are inspired by the Welfare Quality, a project compiling animal-, resource-, and management-based measures. Recently, animal welfare assessment has also considered the human factor in a so-called “One Welfare” approach. The One Welfare framework highlights the interconnections between animal welfare, human well-being, and the environment. The concept seems to fit particularly well to mountain areas where the relationship between human, animals, and the environment is stronger. In such disadvantaged areas, farmers' well-being plays a key role in maintaining livestock farming profitably and sustainably. This study aims to investigate the relationship between farmers' satisfaction, animal welfare outcomes, and overall farm performance in 69 small-scale dairy farms in the Eastern Alps. Animal welfare assessment consisted of animal-based measures and was performed using the methodology proposed by the European Food Safety Authority for this type of farm. Moreover, the farmers were interviewed to retrieve data on farm characteristics and on their level of satisfaction toward workload, land organization, relationship with the agricultural/non-agricultural community, and the future of local agriculture. The results show that good animal welfare can be obtained in a mountain farming system. Clinical indicators show a low prevalence of diseases and of very lean cows as opposed to integument alterations. The workload is not perceived as a problem in traditional farms (i.e., tie-stall and with no participation in quality-certification schemes). Animal welfare is higher in those farms where farmers have a positive engagement with both the agricultural and non-agricultural community and where farmers are satisfied with their land organization. A One Welfare approach could be applied on a larger scale to fully understand the links between animal and human well-being in mountain areas.

Animal welfare outcomes and associated risk indicators on Austrian dairy farms: A cross-sectional study

In 2017, an Austrian dairy company implemented a third-party animal-based assessment of health and welfare to stimulate welfare improvements on farms. Using this cross-sectional data set, we aimed at identifying prevailing welfare problems and associations thereof with main farm and management characteristics. Welfare outcome measures regarding body condition, cleanliness, diarrhea, integument alterations, claw condition, lameness, rising behavior, and avoidance distance toward humans were assessed by 13 trained observers. Data from health recordings and farm characteristics, such as housing system, feeding regimen, and pasture access, were collected via a questionnaire. Analyses included outcome measures from 23,749 individual cows on 1,221 farms [median (M) herd size = 19, interquartile range (IQR) = 16]. Herd-level prevalence of the outcome measures showed a high between-farm variability with highest median values for dirty lower hind leg (M = 46%, IQR = 47), signs of diarrhea (M = 28%, IQR = 39), and hairless patches on the tarsal joint (M = 21%, IQR = 36). Median prevalence of severe welfare problems, such as very lean cows, lesions, lameness, or mastitis treatments, were low compared with previously reported findings (very lean: 0%, IQR = 0; lesion tarsus: 0%, IQR = 4; moderately lame loose-housed: 7%, IQR = 16; mastitis treatments: 10%, IQR = 16). On half of the farms, at least 83% (IQR = 25) of the assessed cows could be touched in a standardized approach test, indicating a good human-animal relationship. Using generalized linear models, we found frequent associations with welfare outcome measures for the amount of milk delivered per cow (e.g., lower risk of very lean cows or dirty hind legs but higher risk of mastitis treatments or antibiotic dry-off with increasing milk delivery), housing system (e.g., loose-housed animals were at lower risk of lesions on the tarsal joint than animals kept in tiestalls, but at higher risk of being classified as very fat), and assessment period (winter vs. summer period). Beneficial associations were consistently found for an increasing number of days with access to pasture (e.g., body condition, integument alterations, lameness) as well as organic compared with conventional farming (e.g., integument alterations, claw health, lameness). Although the latter associations may be especially important for advisory services, in policy making, or when engaging with the public, other farm or management characteristics require careful attention, as they may have both beneficial as well as adverse impacts on welfare, calling for good management skills to avoid undesired effects.

Assessing dairy cow welfare during the grazing and housing periods on spring-calving, pasture-based dairy farms.

The different periods characterizing spring-calving, pasture-based dairy systems common in Ireland have seldom been the focus of large-scale dairy cow welfare research. Thus, the aim of this study was to devise and conduct an animal-based welfare assessment during both the grazing and housing periods on spring-calving, pasture-based dairy farms, to identify areas for improvement and establish benchmarks for indicators of good welfare. Assessment of seven animal-based welfare indicators was conducted during two visits (one each at grazing and housing) to 82 commercial dairy farms in southern Ireland. Herd-level descriptive statistics were performed for all welfare indicators at each visit, and differences between visits were analyzed using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. A mean of 9% and 10% clinically lame cows (mobility scores 2 and 3) were observed at housing and grazing, respectively. Recommended body condition scores (BCS) were not met for a mean of 13% of cows at grazing and 23% at housing, with more over-conditioned cows present at housing than grazing (P < 0.001). Ocular discharge was uncommon in both periods. Prevalence of moderate and severe nasal discharge combined was lower during housing (5%) than grazing (7%). In both periods, similar mean levels of tail injury were observed: 2% to 3% of cows with tail lacerations, 9% with broken tails, and 8% (measured at housing only) with docked tails. Integument alterations involved primarily hair loss and were most prevalent on the hindquarters (26%) during grazing and on the head–neck–back (66%) and the hindquarter (32%) regions during housing. Cows displayed an avoidance distance of >1 m (indicative of a fearful response) from an approaching human in an average of 82% of grazing cows and 42% to 75% of housed cows, dependent on test location. Opportunities to improve welfare in this system were identified in the areas of tail injury prevention, nasal health, and the management of indoor housing and feeding. The performance of the top 20% of farms for each welfare indicator was used to establish benchmarks of: 0% to 5% clinical lameness, 0% to 12% of cows outside recommended BCS, 0% to 27% ocular discharge, 2% to 16% nasal discharge, 0% tail lacerations and docked tails, 0% to 3% tail breaks, 0% to 14% integument alterations, and 4% to 74% for avoidance distance of >1 m. These represent attainable targets for spring-calving pasture-based farms to promote good dairy cow welfare.

Assessing dairy goat welfare in intensive or semi-intensive farming conditions in Mexico

We aimed to verify whether a low number of relevant animal-based indicators was able to discriminate 33 semi-intensive (grazing during the day and confinement during the night with access to an outdoor paddock; S-INT) and 8 intensive farms (permanent confinement with access to an outdoor paddock; INT) located in the Mexican semi-desert. In addition, we implemented the resource-based assessment scheme Animal Needs Index (ANI) with the identified animal-based indicators to compare the overall level of welfare in INT and S-INT. In particular, we used a protocol made up of 2 parts. The first comprised 4 evaluation sheets (locomotion, flooring, environment, management) and resource-based indicators derived from ANI, and the second one comprised a set of validated animal-based measures focusing on physical conditions and clinical signs of disease derived from the Animal Welfare Indicators scheme and reported in 2 additional sheets. The scoring system was also derived from ANI, with partial scores for each sheet to be summed to obtain the total score. A total of 1,116 dairy goats were assessed. All the observations and recordings were performed by an expert veterinarian evaluator assisted by an auxiliary, and longevity was retrieved from the farm records. The prevalence of animals displaying dirtiness, ocular discharge, abscesses, and claw overgrowth were higher in INT than in S-INT. Disbudding was routinely performed in INT only. Therefore, scurs, indicating improper disbudding, were recorded only in INT. In addition, the longevity of goats raised in S-INT was higher than in INT. Conversely, the prevalence of goats affected by anemia (i.e., FAMACHA scores >2) or lean (i.e., body condition score <2) tended to be higher in S-INT than in INT. No significant differences between the 2 groups of farms were detected for wounds, nasal discharge, integument alterations, fecal soiling, uterine prolapse, and subclinical mastitis. The results obtained using only animal-based measures were confirmed when resource-based variables were also included in the assessment, as 3 out of 6 sheets of the evaluation scheme (i.e., flooring, environment, and health-physical conditions) were scored higher in the S-INT than in the INT. As a consequence, the total score was also higher for S-INT than for INT. We conclude that the selected set of validated animal-based measures was able to discriminate between farms from different production systems. In particular, higher welfare levels were observed in S-INT farms, where the animals were allowed to spend most of the day on natural pasture, compared with INT farms, where the animals were constantly confined. Nevertheless, a certain degree of improvement should also be promoted in terms of anemia and body condition in S-INT farms.

Donkey welfare assessment in north-east Portugal

AbstractThe well-documented versatility of donkeys (Equus africanus asinus) means that issues concerning their welfare can vary depending on how they are mainly used and their geographic location. The present study is the first assessment of donkey welfare to be systematically conducted in the Iberian Peninsula. This area is characterised by the coexistence of high levels of mechanisation and industrialisation, and human populations with low levels of formal education, still making use of donkeys in their daily work. This study aims to evaluate the main welfare problems affecting donkeys within this context. The welfare assessment was carried out in accordance with the first level of the AWIN protocol for donkeys. Only 37.6% of the animals evaluated showed all positive indicators, with no physical problem detected while the remaining 62.4% revealed at least one negative health indicator. Body Condition Score (BCS) was one of the main concerns, with around half of the donkeys exhibiting an inadequate body condition. Dental evaluation revealed similarly concerning results, with 62.8% of the animals assessed requiring treatment. Indications of hoof neglect were noted in 39.5% of the animals evaluated with a 9.84% incidence of lameness. Skin problems affected 26.7% of individuals. Only 41% of the animals displayed positive results for all behavioural indicators. Aside from BCS, the most prevalent problems were sub-optimal behaviour, pain reaction to cheek palpation, hoof disease and integument alterations. These issues should be prioritised, both as regards this specific donkey population and the education of their caretakers.

Recycled manure solids as a bedding material: Udder health, cleanliness and integument alterations of dairy cows in mattress stalls

Interest in using recycled manure solids (RMS) as a bedding material for dairy cattle is increasing, but suitable information for Nordic housing conditions is scarce. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of RMS bedding on dairy cow welfare compared to peat bedding commonly used in Finland. We conducted a 2 × 3-month cross-over study with two groups of 24 lactating dairy cows, where first three months one group was housed with RMS-bedding and the other group with peat-bedding and then vice versa for the next three months. We followed integument alterations, cleanliness of the animals and udder health fortnightly. With RMS bedding cows had less severe integument alterations in tarsal joints (p=0.0031) and their udders were cleaner (p=0.0109) compared to peat. Somatic cell count did not differ between bedding materials, but link between RMS bedding and the small number of cases of clinical mastitis cannot be ruled out. Based on this study, RMS could provide an economical and renewable bedding source for Nordic dairy farms, with no major effects on animal welfare.

Animal welfare and biosecurity assessment: a comparison between Italian and Irish beef cattle rearing systems

Context European beef production is facing fresh challenges on various fronts: increasing public concern on animal welfare; declining EU meat consumption; and, conversely, expected growth in global demand for meat. The Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Welfare (CReNBA) has developed an assessment protocol for collecting information about beef cattle welfare and biosecurity conditions, with the intention of better understanding animal needs and disseminating best practices. Aims The protocol was applied on Italian and Irish farms, and the results were used as a starting point for a specific statistical analysis for comparing animal welfare and biosecurity levels in the two countries. Methods The protocol consists of animal-based measures and non-animal-based measures (management-based and resource-based indicators) and has been designed to determine the major hazards and benefits that can influence cattle health and welfare, including the presence of biosecurity issues. The outcomes of welfare and biosecurity assessments conducted during November 2016–July 2017 of 40 Irish beef herds reared indoors were compared with those of 85 Italian beef units assessed over the same period. Differences obtained within each beef-unit distribution were calculated by the VARNC index (diversity index), and a distance estimate of the beef-unit distribution from a hypothetical ideal condition was calculated by using the distance from ideal (dfi) index. Key results The dfi index revealed that Irish farms were closer to the ideal condition for the measures ‘experience and training of stockpersons’, ‘water provision’, ‘handling facilities’, ‘restraint facilities’, and ‘temperature, humidity and ventilations conditions’. Italian farms were closer to the ideal condition for ‘diet calculation and feed quality’, ‘feeding management’, ‘feeding place dimension’, ‘cleanliness of water points’, ‘cleanliness of floors’, ‘type of floors’, ‘cleanliness of animals’, and ‘integument alterations’. In contrast to the Italian farms, there was particular awareness of the importance of biosecurity on Irish farms. Conclusions The results revealed intrinsic management and housing differences between the two rearing systems, although only few dissimilarities were found in the animal outcomes: in fact, the assessment of the animal-based measures gave very similar results for the two countries, except for ‘cleanliness of the animals’ and ‘integument alterations’. Implications In the face of global challenges affecting the pursuit of farming sustainability, farmers should be encouraged to improve safeguards for animal welfare and reduce the spread of animal diseases. This can be achieved by facilitating knowledge exchange internationally.

Impacts of Compost Bedded Pack Barns on the Welfare and Comfort of Dairy Cows.

Simple SummaryAs few studies have examined the most common housing systems in terms of cow behavior and welfare, we designed this study to compare three loose housing systems for lactating cows: compost bedded pack, conventional bedded pack, and freestalls. Cows kept in bedded pack barns were dirtier yet had fewer hairless patches and lesions or swellings on the body and spent more time lying down in the resting area than cows housed in freestalls. All housing systems show benefits and inconveniences in terms of welfare and comfort at resting. Other factors, such as management practices and proper barn design, should be considered when comparing housing systems in terms of animal welfare. Three loose housing systems for lactating cows (compost bedded pack, CBP; conventional bedded pack, BP; and freestalls, FS) were assessed on one farm in terms of cow behavior and welfare. An on-farm welfare assessment based on the Welfare Quality protocols was used four times every three months on 757 cows. Video recordings taken twice over four days were used to assess behavior patterns at resting areas. Cows in CBP and BP were dirtier than those in FS (p < 0.0001). Fewer integument alterations were recorded for CBP and BP than FS (p < 0.001). Cows in BP were quicker to lie down and stand up compared to those in CBP or FS (p < 0.001). Percentages of cows needing more attempts before rising were higher for FS (p < 0.01). However, a higher frequency of kneeling was observed in CBP (p = 0.033). A lower percentage of cows lying in the resting area was recorded for FS (56%) than CBP or BP (97 or 84%, respectively, p < 0.05). Overall, in this study, cows kept in bedded pack barns were dirtier but had fewer integument alterations and spent more time lying down in the resting area than cows housed in freestalls.

Effects of cubicle characteristics on animal welfare indicators in dairy cattle

Cubicle characteristics such as cubicle dimensions or management factors such as cow-to-cubicle ratio could affect health and behaviour of dairy cows. The objective of this study was to estimate effects of cubicle characteristics on animal welfare indicators in dairy cattle. A total of 64 loose housing farms in Germany were assessed once during the winter housing period by one experienced assessor. Nearly 15% of the dairy cows had access to pasture during summer months for <6 h/day, whereas 85% were zero-grazing farms. Selected animal welfare indicators (duration of the lying down process, collisions of cows with cubicles, cows lying outside cubicles, cow cleanliness, integument alterations, lameness and subclinical mastitis incidence) of the Welfare Quality® protocol and cubicle characteristics such as cow-to-cubicle ratio and cubicle dimensions were recorded. Data were statistically analysed using a multiple linear regression approach. Pasture access and cubicle type were considered as potential influencing factors. Wider cubicles positively affected the proportion of dairy cows with dirty flanks (−18.5% per 10 cm increase) but increased the number of cows with severe integument alterations (+8.9% per 10 cm increase). Larger lying areas reduced the percentage of cows with dirty udders (−2.9% per 10 cm2 increase). Longer distances from neck rail to curb were associated with higher prevalence of cows with dirty flanks (+3.1% per 10 cm increase) and subclinical mastitis incidence (+1.2% per 10 cm increase). With increasing neck rail height, the duration of the lying down process (−0.1 s per 10% increase), the percentages of cows with dirty legs (−8.4% per 10 cm increase), dirty udders (−7.0% per 10 cm increase) and severe lameness (−3.0% per 10 cm increase) decreased. Compared with rubber mat-equipped cubicles, deep-bedded cubicles showed a reduction in the lying down duration (−0.8 s), percentages of cows with dirty legs (−34.2%), dirty udders (−30.5%) and lesions and swellings (−13.1%). Compared with farms that did not provide any summer grazing, pasture access was associated with an increase of cows with severe lameness (+5.6%). Contrastingly, the number of cows with subclinical mastitis incidence was lower when cows had access to pasture in summer (−5.4%). Findings of the present study indicate several associations between cubicle characteristics and animal welfare in dairy cattle. Bedding type was found as the most influencing factor in terms of health and behaviour. Results of this study are valuable for farmers to identify the optimal cubicle design and improve the animal welfare level.

Assessment of on-farm welfare for dairy cattle in southern Spain and its effects on reproductive parameters.

In this Research Communication we analyse the animal welfare status of dairy farms located in southern Spain and test the hypothesis that monitoring of wellbeing could increase the profitability of dairy herds by improving indices of reproduction. Twenty dairy farms were visited and a total of 1650 cows were assessed using the Welfare Quality® (WQ) protocol to determine their welfare status. These farms were selected as representatives of the main types of dairy farms found in the south of Spain. No farms attained a welfare status of 'excellent', but all obtained an adequate score for most parameters. Feeding assessment showed relatively low variability among farms, whereas housing and health assessments exhibited high variability. Significant correlations were found between a number of welfare parameter pairings: between percentage of collisions and time needed to lie down; between cleanliness of water points and cleanliness of various animal parts; between farms with access to an outdoor loafing area and an inadequate body condition score and with animal cleanliness; between the frequency of animals lying partly or completely outside of the lying area and the percentage of integument alterations and finally between the presence of respiratory problems and farm hygiene parameters. Furthermore, significant correlations between welfare parameters, reproductive indices and milk production were found. The percentage of cows exhibiting an inadequate body condition score and farms where cows took longer to lie down were correlated with the calving-first insemination interval. Animals showing a higher incidence of coughing and hampered respiration presented lower heat detection rates and milk production and finally farms with dirtier animals had lower milk production. This study is the first step towards including welfare in the recording of routine data in dairy cattle farms in southern Spain.

Integrating links between tree coverage and cattle welfare in silvopastoral systems evaluation

Livestock production in Latin America is strongly associated with deforestation. Silvopastoral systems are an alternative; however, the relation between animal welfare and tree coverage has been poorly studied. We hypothesized that a connection between these features exist and that its evaluation can influence system management decisions. A general assessment of tree coverage percentage and tree distribution in ten Mexican cattle ranches was performed using satellite images. Animal welfare indicators from the Welfare Quality® dairy cattle protocol measurable in extensive conditions were also assessed. Tree coverage percentage was highly variable and formed a gradient (52.42% in Ranch J2 to 2.00% in Ranch S1). The tree coverage percentage of two ranches was deemed as silvopastoral (between 22 and 35%). Body condition was better in ranches with high tree coverage compared to those with low (P < 0.05). The percentage of wooded grassland was negatively correlated with flight distance reductions (P < 0.05). Less integument alterations were present in high tree coverage ranches compared to low (P < 0.05). Our landscape analysis showed the presence of different vegetal compositions in silvopastoral systems of the Mexican tropics. This knowledge can be applied to improve management decisions and promote the use of silvopastoral systems in the area. Additionally, this is the first study proving a relationship between landscape structure and welfare indicators, since body condition and integument alterations were positively affected. Although our results need further research, similar analyses can be implemented to improve cattle well-being in production systems associated to trees. In conclusion, landscape analysis in combination with animal welfare measurements could increase productivity by identifying important links between cattle welfare and the presence of trees, as well as help to identify areas of further research for the implementation of silvopastoral systems in Mexico.

Characterization of hazards, welfare promoters and animal-based measures for the welfare assessment of dairy cows: Elicitation of expert opinion

An expert opinion elicitation, based on a modified Delphi technique, was organized to collect the opinion of 16 Italian veterinarians with the aim of conducting a hazard and a welfare promoter characterization for defining and weighing a list of management and housing factors potentially associated with negative or positive welfare outcomes in dairy cows kept in loose housing systems. In addition, the 16 experts judged a set of animal-based measures in order to rate them by appropriateness and by the level of animal pain and suffering due to the welfare consequences they measure. Veterinary experts were asked to score 52 hazards, 47 welfare promoters and 18 animal-based measures. Management and housing hazards, that were determined to be associated with a very high impact on the welfare of dairy cows, were mainly referred to lactating cows (absence of bedding material, presence of inadequate or slippery floor in walking areas, wrong design of the lying area), but also the use of harmful tools for animal handling and the lack of scheduled foot inspection, trimming and foot bathing reached very high impact scores. Management and housing welfare promoters dealing with optimal cow comfort around resting obtained the highest ratings, together with the presence of experienced and trained stockpersons, the implementation of an attentive animal grouping strategy and the control of temperature, humidity and ventilation. Considering animal-based measures, the highest ranking of importance was given to observation of lameness, records of mortality of adult cows and calves, observation of integument alterations and body condition scoring. This study has been the starting point for the development of the first Italian national protocol for the assessment of the welfare of dairy cows farmed in loose housing systems.

Assessing dairy cow welfare at the beginning and end of the indoor period using the Welfare Quality® protocol

AbstractThe Welfare Quality® (WQ) project developed protocols as international standards for farm animal welfare assessment. For dairy cattle, the WQ protocol may be performed any time during the indoor period when the herd has no access to pasture. However, timing of welfare assessments during the indoor period might influence the outcome, as pasture access influences many welfare aspects and such effects are likely to carry over to the beginning of the indoor period. In order to test this hypothesis, we assessed ten herds at both the beginning and end of the same indoor period. Assessment at the end of the indoor period resulted in a higher prevalence of the following welfare measures: severely lame cows, mild integument alterations, coughs per cow per hour, diarrhoea, and vulvar discharge. In addition, at the end of the indoor period, the mortality rate was higher and the Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) score was worse, but there were fewer cows with dirty udders and mean time to lie down was lower. This led to worse scores on the criterion and principle levels of WQ integration, but resulted in a lower welfare categorisation for one of the herds only. The better scores for several aspects of health and for the QBA at the beginning of the indoor period not only confirm the carryover of positive effects of access to pasture, but also imply a need for careful consideration of the timing and frequency of WQ assessments of herds that are housed outdoors for part of the year.

Investigating integument alterations in cubicle housed dairy cows: which types and locations can be combined?

In this study, a data set of 2922 lactating dairy cows in a sample of 64 conventional and organic dairy farms with Holstein Friesian cows in Germany and 31 conventional dairy farms with the dual purpose breed Fleckvieh in Austria was used to screen for correlations between the occurrences of different integument alterations. All cows were housed in cubicle systems. Alterations were classified as hairless areas (H), scabs or wounds (W) or swellings (S) and assessed at 15 locations of the cows’ body. Highest median farm prevalences were found at the joints of the legs, which are already commonly included in studies on integumentary alterations: median farm prevalence was 83% for S and 48% for H at the carpal joints, followed by H (38%) and S (20%) at the lateral tarsal joints and H at the lateral calcanei (20%). Additional body parts with notable median prevalences for H were the hip bones (13%), pin bones (12%) and sacrum (11%). Three cluster models, with 2, 5 and 14 clusters, were built by hierarchical clustering of prevalences of the 30 most relevant alteration location combinations. Clustering revealed that location overruled type of lesion in most cases. Occasionally, clusters represented body segments significantly distant from each other, for example the carpal joints and lateral and dorsal calcanei. However, some neighbouring areas such as the medial and lateral hock area should be analysed separately from each other for causal analysis as they formed distinct clusters.