Trillo Yolanda, Quintela Luis Angel, Barrio Mónica, Becerra Juan José, Peña Ana Isabel, Vigo Marcos, Garcia Herradon Pedro
Department of Animal Pathology, Unit of Reproduction and Obstetrics, Veterinary Medicine of Lugo, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain.
Vet Rec Open. 2017 Sep 26;4(1):e000178. doi: 10.1136/vetreco-2016-000178. eCollection 2017.
The aim of this study was to describe the status of body condition score (BCS), hock injuries prevalence, locomotion and body hygiene score as animal welfare measures in 73 free-stall dairy cattle farms in Lugo (Spain). A benchmarking process was established across farms: (1) the animal-based indicators were ordered from low to high values; (2) The farms were classified into three categories based on the number of indicators within less than the 25th percentile, 25th to 75th percentile and above the 75th percentile. The median prevalence of unsuitable BCS, hock injuries and clinical lameness was (median (range)) 51.7 per cent (13.3 to 89.5 per cent), 40.0 per cent (7.0per cent to 100 per cent) and 9.0 per cent (0per cent to 60.0 per cent) respectively. The dirtiness of the cow's coat had a high prevalence (73.0 per cent (37.5per cent to 100 per cent)). Most farms did not display consistently good or poor animal-based indicators and each farm had its own set of strong and weak points. Moreover, facilities design and management practices were described to understand source of the observations made of the cows. The incidence of overstocking was 31.5 per cent for stalls and 26.0 per cent for headlocks. The front lunge space was reduced (<90 cm) on most dairies (90.4 per cent). Signs of poor natural ventilation (cobwebs or humidity on the roof) and ammonia odour were observed on 32.8 per cent and 85.0 per cent of the barns totally closed or with a side openingless than 50 per cent of the wall height. The milking parlour was designed with two or more turns more than 90° (9.3 per cent), and failed to allow cows to see the parlour before entering (45.2 per cent). On 52.0 per cent of dairies, more than 15 per cent of the cows had to be forcefully moved into the milking parlour. In conclusion, there was a big variation in the animal welfare levels within and across farms and they could benefit from others by changing management practices related to facilities and herds.
本研究旨在描述西班牙卢戈省73个散栏式奶牛场中，作为动物福利衡量指标的体况评分（BCS）、跗关节损伤患病率、运动能力和身体卫生评分的状况。在各农场间建立了一个基准评估过程：（1）将基于动物的指标按从低到高的值排序；（2）根据指标数量将农场分为三类，指标数量低于第25百分位数、第25至第75百分位数以及高于第75百分位数。不合适的体况评分、跗关节损伤和临床跛行的患病率中位数（中位数（范围））分别为51.7%（13.3%至89.5%）、40.0%（7.0%至100%）和9.0%（0%至60.0%）。奶牛皮毛的脏污患病率很高（73.0%（37.5%至100%））。大多数农场在基于动物的指标方面并非始终表现良好或不佳，每个农场都有自己的优点和缺点。此外，还描述了设施设计和管理实践，以了解对奶牛观察结果的来源。畜栏的过度拥挤发生率为31.5%，颈枷的过度拥挤发生率为26.0%。大多数奶牛场（90.4%）的前冲空间减小（<90厘米）。在完全封闭或侧开口小于墙高50%的牛舍中，分别有32.8%和85.0%观察到自然通风不良的迹象（屋顶有蜘蛛网或潮湿）和氨气味。挤奶厅设计有两个或更多超过90°的转弯（9.3%），并且在奶牛进入前未能让其看到挤奶厅（45.2%）。在52.0%的奶牛场中，超过15%的奶牛不得不被强行赶入挤奶厅。总之，各农场内部和之间的动物福利水平存在很大差异，通过改变与设施和畜群相关的管理实践，它们可以从其他农场中受益。
