Dairy goats prefer to use different flooring types to perform different behaviours

Effect of floor types and seasons on behavioural activities of Surti goats

Present study was conducted to assess effect of floor types on behaviour of Surti goats under stall-feeding system in cold, hot dry and hot humid seasons. Adult dry Surti goats (27) were divided randomly on body weight (20-30 kg) basis in three treatment groups (T1: earthen floor, T2: brick floor and T3: cement concrete floor). In each treatment, six goats were selected for behavioural observations. Different behavioural patterns exhibited by goats were recorded continuously for 24 h by mini PTZ IR camera in each experimental phase. Time spent in each of the behavioural categories were recorded, i.e. feeding, drinking, standing, lying, moving and agonistic behaviour. Feeding time (min./d) was significantly higher in goats reared on brick (319.83±17.58) and cement concrete (316.22±16.02) floor but dry matter intake (g/min.) (2.92±0.11) was significantly higher in goats reared on earthen floor. Standing time (min./d) in covered area was significantly higher on brick floor. Time spent by goats for lying (min./d) in covered area on earthen (712.17±51.92) and cement concrete (855.83±20.19) floor was comparable but significantly higher as compared to brick floor (338.56±70.98). Time spent for lying (min./d) in covered area was significantly higher in summer season (786.78±45.02). Irrespective of floor and season, goats spent maximum time for lying (55.49%), standing (22.52%) and feeding (21.07%) whereas minimum time spent for other activities. The results indicated that earthen and cement concrete floor were better in terms of welfare and comfort level of goats under stall-fed rearing system.

Health and Welfare Survey of 30 Dairy Goat Farms in the Midwestern United States

Simple Summary

There appears to be a rapid expansion of dairy goat farming in the United States and the information available to producers on health, welfare, and production applicable to those in the Midwestern US is limited. This study intended to survey 30 dairy goat farms in the Midwestern US to provide insight into husbandry practices pertaining to health, welfare, and production, and to identify areas of future research. Pain relief for disbudding and castration, education and training programs, early kid management, and hoof trimming were identified as potential areas of future research. This study provided insight into the husbandry practices carried out on 30 dairy goat farms in the Midwestern US and areas of research to improve health and welfare.

Abstract

Dairy goat production in the Midwestern United States is increasing at a rapid rate and information on dairy goat husbandry practices applicable for producers in this region is limited. The objective of this study was to survey 30 dairy goat farms in the Midwestern US to provide insight into husbandry practices pertaining to health, welfare, and production, and to identify areas of future research. A questionnaire was developed and comprised 163 questions that were organized into categories including information on the producer (e.g., farming experience), staff, and goats (e.g., herd size, breed), housing, feeding and nutrition, milking practices and production, kid management, husbandry practices (e.g., disbudding, castration, hoof trimming), and health. Areas of future research that can improve goat health, production and welfare include pain relief for husbandry practices such as disbudding and castration, early kid management during birth to prevent illness/disease or mortality (e.g., warm and dry areas for kid rearing), eradication programs for common contagious diseases, training programs and education for claw trimming, disbudding, and udder health. In conclusion, this study provided insight into the husbandry practices carried out on 30 dairy goat farms in the Midwestern US and areas of research to improve health and welfare.

Effect of plastic slatted flooring on growth and welfare of stall-fed kids

Male kids (36) at 6 months age, 12 each of Jamunapari, Jakhrana, Barbari breed were equally divided and allotted randomly in plastic and soil floor and reared up to 12 of age through April to September months, fed ad lib. roughage, green fodder and concentrate to meet nutrient requirements for optimum growth. Body weight was recorded fortnightly, physiological responses were recorded twice and blood sampling at 60th and 120th day of trial. The weight gain and ADG on plastic floor was similar as compared to soil floor. Kids were equally comfortable on both floors except RR; however, increased RR on plastic floor did not affect the weight gain in kids. Plasma AST and ALT enzymes, total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, triglycerides level differed non-significantly in kids reared on both plastic and soil floor indicating the suitability of plastic floor in goat shelters in semi-arid conditions.

Black globe temperature from meteorological data and a bioclimatic analysis of the Brazilian Northeast for Saanen goats

The black globe temperature (BGT) is not a common measurement for weather station networks, despite having great relevance to bioclimatic studies. The aim of this study was to propose equations for estimating the BGT, using meteorological data for different time scales and a bioclimatic evaluation of the Brazilian Northeast for breeding Saanen dairy goats. The data used in elaborating the equations were collected between 1 November 2014 and 31 October 2017. Data for BGT, incident global solar radiation (SR), air temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH) and wind speed were handled on a daytime, night-time, daily and monthly scale. One half of the database was used to adjust the equations and the other half in the evaluation. The bioclimatic diagnosis of the Brazilian Northeast was carried out based on mean monthly values of the black globe temperature and humidity index (BGHI) estimated for the four seasons of the year. For the daytime scale, an equation based on AT (BGT = 1.3897.AT-5.4421, r² = 0.80) and a multiplicative model combining the effects of AT and SR (BGT = [1.3897.AT-5.4421] (0.0384.ln(SR)+0.7935], r² = 0.91) were obtained. AT adjusted well for BGT on the night-time scale (BGT = 0.995.AT-0.6964, r² = 0.99), daily scale (BGT = 1.1641.AT-1.5941, r² = 0.97) and monthly scale (BGT = 1.1550.AT-1.3498, r² = 0.98). The BGT can therefore be calculated from AT and/or SR for the daytime scale, and from AT only for the night-time, daily and monthly scales. In general, the west and centre-south of the state of Bahia offer the animals the most thermal comfort during each season of the year. In the state of Maranhão, heat stress occurs throughout the year, with the BGTI predominately in the range of 85-95. As such, strategies to combat heat stress should be encouraged to minimise the negative effects of climate on milk production in Saanen goats, and favour the milk-production chain in the northeast of Brazil.

Understanding natural behavior to improve dairy goat (Capra hircus) management systems

Public interest is stimulating farming industries to improve animal welfare in production systems. Indoor housing of ruminants has received scrutiny because of perceived intensiveness and lack of naturalness. Animal welfare has traditionally focused on health benefits (e.g., bedding management and reducing disease) and reducing negative experiences (e.g., painful husbandry practices). Recent attention to animals having “a life worth living” extends expectations to provide increased care and opportunities for positive experiences and natural behaviors. Although not all natural behaviors necessarily contribute to improved welfare, we present evidence for why many are important, and for how they can be promoted in commercial systems. Worldwide, commercial dairy goats (Capra hircus) are frequently housed in large open barns with space to move and soft bedding for lying; however, this is not sufficient to promote the range of natural behaviors of goats, which in turn suggests that commercial housing could be improved. The basis for this thinking is from the range of behaviors expressed by the Capra genus. Collectively, these species have evolved cognitive and behavioral strategies to cope with harsh and changing environments, as well as variable and limited vegetation. The rocky and often steep terrain that goats inhabit allows for predator avoidance and access to shelter, so it is not surprising that domesticated goats also seek out elevation and hiding spaces; indeed, their hoof structure is designed for the movement and grip in such rugged environments. The browsing techniques and flexibility in diet selection of wild, feral and extensively managed goats, appears to be equally important to housed goats, highlighting the need for more complexity in how and what goats are fed. Goats naturally live in small, dynamic groups, governed by complex social structures in which horns play a strong role. Commercial housing systems should consider the benefits of more natural-sized social groups and revisit the rationale behind horn removal. We suggest that cognitive stimulation is a potential welfare improvement for goats in commercial settings. Goat cognitive abilities, which enabled success in complex and variable social and physical environments, are unchallenged in uniform environments, potentially leading to negative affective states. We make suggestions for housing improvements that could be readily adopted into current systems without compromising production efficiency.