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Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin‐Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar Schmidt C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Padalino B, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Stahl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, De Boyer des Roches A, Jensen MB, Mee J, Green M, Thulke H, Bailly‐Caumette E, Candiani D, Lima E, Van der Stede Y, Winckler C. Welfare of dairy cows. EFSA J 2023; 21:e07993. [PMID: 37200854 PMCID: PMC10186071 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
This Scientific Opinion addresses a European Commission's mandate on the welfare of dairy cows as part of the Farm to Fork strategy. It includes three assessments carried out based on literature reviews and complemented by expert opinion. Assessment 1 describes the most prevalent housing systems for dairy cows in Europe: tie-stalls, cubicle housing, open-bedded systems and systems with access to an outdoor area. Per each system, the scientific opinion describes the distribution in the EU and assesses the main strengths, weaknesses and hazards potentially reducing the welfare of dairy cows. Assessment 2 addresses five welfare consequences as requested in the mandate: locomotory disorders (including lameness), mastitis, restriction of movement and resting problems, inability to perform comfort behaviour and metabolic disorders. Per each welfare consequence, a set of animal-based measures is suggested, a detailed analysis of the prevalence in different housing systems is provided, and subsequently, a comparison of the housing systems is given. Common and specific system-related hazards as well as management-related hazards and respective preventive measures are investigated. Assessment 3 includes an analysis of farm characteristics (e.g. milk yield, herd size) that could be used to classify the level of on-farm welfare. From the available scientific literature, it was not possible to derive relevant associations between available farm data and cow welfare. Therefore, an approach based on expert knowledge elicitation (EKE) was developed. The EKE resulted in the identification of five farm characteristics (more than one cow per cubicle at maximum stocking density, limited space for cows, inappropriate cubicle size, high on-farm mortality and farms with less than 2 months access to pasture). If one or more of these farm characteristics are present, it is recommended to conduct an assessment of cow welfare on the farm in question using animal-based measures for specified welfare consequences.
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Barden M, Anagnostopoulos A, Griffiths BE, Bedford C, Winters M, Li B, Coffey M, Psifidi A, Banos G, Oikonomou G. Association between a genetic index for lameness resistance and the incidence of claw horn lesions in Holstein cows. Vet Rec 2022; 191:e1632. [PMID: 35468242 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.1632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to determine the association between the lameness advantage genetic index and four outcomes: sole haemorrhage (SH), sole ulcers (SU), white line lesions (WL), and lameness during mobility scoring. METHODS We enrolled 2352 Holstein cows from four predominantly housed dairy herds in the UK. Cows were mobility scored and foot lesions recorded at four time points from before calving to late lactation. Cows were genotyped and genetic indexes were assigned to each cow following national genetic evaluations. Lameness records and genetic indexes were matched for 2107 cows. Four separate multivariable logistic regression models, which included farm and parity as covariables, were used to quantify the association between the lameness advantage index and whether animals were affected by SH, SU, WL, or lameness. RESULTS The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for one-point increases in the lameness advantage index were 0.79 (0.72-0.86), 0.68 (0.59-0.78), 0.94 (0.84-1.04), and 0.82 (0.74-0.91) for SH, SU, WL, and lameness, respectively. The same trends were present when the sire's lameness advantage index was evaluated in place of the animal's own, although the strength of this association was generally weaker. CONCLUSION The lameness advantage index is associated with SH, SU, and lameness, therefore selection on the lameness advantage index could be considered in herds aiming to reduce lameness. Where genomic testing of heifers is not conducted, sire lameness advantage index may still be effective to reduce SH and SU incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Barden
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Liverpool, UK
| | - Alkiviadis Anagnostopoulos
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Liverpool, UK
| | - Bethany E Griffiths
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Liverpool, UK
| | - Cherril Bedford
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Liverpool, UK
| | - Marco Winters
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, UK
| | - Bingjie Li
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Mike Coffey
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Androniki Psifidi
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Georgios Banos
- Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Georgios Oikonomou
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Liverpool, UK
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Thompson JS, Hudson CD, Huxley JN, Kaler J, Robinson RS, Woad KJ, Bollard N, Gibbons J, Green MJ. A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of indoor living space on dairy cow production, reproduction and behaviour. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3849. [PMID: 35264670 PMCID: PMC8907246 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07826-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
As a global society, we have a duty to provide suitable care and conditions for farmed livestock to protect animal welfare and ensure the sustainability of our food supply. The suitability and biological impacts of housing conditions for intensively farmed animals is a complex and emotive subject, yet poorly researched, meaning quantitative evidence to inform policy and legislation is lacking. Most dairy cows globally are housed for some duration during the year, largely when climatic conditions are unfavourable. However, the impact on biology, productivity and welfare of even the most basic housing requirement, the quantity of living space, remains unknown. We conducted a long-term (1-year), randomised controlled trial (CONSORT 10 guidelines) to investigate the impact of increased living space (6.5 m2 vs 3 m2 per animal) on critical aspects of cow biology, behaviour and productivity. Adult Holstein dairy cows (n = 150) were continuously and randomly allocated to a high or control living space group with all other aspects of housing remaining identical between groups. Compared to cows in the control living space group, cows with increased space produced more milk per 305d lactation (primiparous: 12,235 L vs 11,592 L, P < 0.01; multiparous: 14,746 L vs 14,644 L, P < 0.01) but took longer to become pregnant after calving (primiparous: 155 d vs 83 d, P = 0.025; multiparous: 133 d vs 109 d). In terms of behaviour, cows with more living space spent significantly more time in lying areas (65 min/d difference; high space group: 12.43 h/day, 95% CI = 11.70-13.29; control space group: 11.42 h/day, 95% CI = 10.73-12.12) and significantly less time in passageways (64 min/d), suggesting enhanced welfare when more space was provided. A key physiological difference between groups was that cows with more space spent longer ruminating each day. This is the first long term study in dairy cows to demonstrate that increased living space results in meaningful benefits in terms of productivity and behaviour and suggests that the interplay between farmed animals and their housed environment plays an important role in the concepts of welfare and sustainability of dairy farming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake S Thompson
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Christopher D Hudson
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Jonathan N Huxley
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4474, New Zealand
| | - Jasmeet Kaler
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Robert S Robinson
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Kathryn J Woad
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Nicola Bollard
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Jenny Gibbons
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Stoneleigh, Kenilworth, CV8 2TL, UK
| | - Martin J Green
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK.
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What type of loafing areas do housed dairy cattle prefer? Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Redfern EA, Sinclair LA, Robinson PA. Dairy cow health and management in the transition period: The need to understand the human dimension. Res Vet Sci 2021; 137:94-101. [PMID: 33940352 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
During the transition from the dry period to lactation the dairy cow undergoes a period of physiological, metabolic and immunological change, and is at greater risk of developing disease, to the detriment of health, welfare and production. Many studies have been undertaken to determine appropriate management strategies to improve health and welfare during the transition period, however the incidence of disease, particularly metabolic disease, in this period remains high. To date, a lack of research attention has been paid to the social factors which may affect the management of transition dairy cows. An understanding of farmer and advisor attitudes and behaviour, and the challenges they face in managing transition cows, may help to direct farmers towards more effective disease prevention and control. It is also possible that transition cow morbidity may be due to complex interactions that are difficult to manage, despite efforts to implement best practice. This review paper provides a brief overview of some of the management factors that may influence herd health during the transition period. It then investigates how social influences may relate to the uptake of transition management practices by exploring the use of qualitative interviews investigating farmer and stakeholder attitudes and behaviour in relation to cattle health and welfare, before focussing more specifically on farmer behaviour. Additionally, this paper explores farm advisor behaviour, and how that has been shown to influence farmer adherence to advice, which has particular relevance to transition cow management. It then suggests potential research strategies to investigate the human influences affecting the scale of the problem that may provide solutions to tackle the challenge of improving dairy cow health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma A Redfern
- Department of Veterinary Health and Animal Sciences, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, United Kingdom.
| | - Liam A Sinclair
- Department of Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, United Kingdom
| | - Philip A Robinson
- Department of Veterinary Health and Animal Sciences, Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, United Kingdom
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