Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork P61 C996, Ireland.
Animal Production Systems Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
J Anim Sci. 2021 May 1;99(5). doi: 10.1093/jas/skab093.
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.
在爱尔兰常见的春季产犊、放牧型奶牛场系统中，不同的时期很少成为大规模奶牛福利研究的重点。因此，本研究的目的是在放牧和圈养期间为春季产犊、放牧型奶牛场设计和进行基于动物的福利评估，以确定需要改进的领域，并为良好福利的指标建立基准。在爱尔兰南部的 82 家商业奶牛场进行了两次访问（一次在放牧，一次在圈养），评估了 7 种基于动物的福利指标。在每次访问时对所有福利指标进行了群体描述性统计，并使用配对 t 检验和 Wilcoxon 符号秩检验分析了访问之间的差异。在圈养和放牧时，分别有 9%和 10%的临床跛行奶牛（运动评分 2 和 3）。在放牧时，建议的体况评分（BCS）不符合要求的奶牛平均占 13%，在圈养时占 23%，圈养时的超健康奶牛比放牧时多（P < 0.001）。在两个时期，眼部分泌物都不常见。在圈养时，中度和重度鼻分泌物的总患病率（5%）低于放牧时（7%）。在两个时期，尾部受伤的平均水平相似：2%至 3%的奶牛有尾部撕裂，9%的奶牛有尾部断裂，8%的奶牛（仅在圈养时测量）有尾部截短。皮肤变化主要涉及脱发，在放牧时最常见于后躯（26%），在圈养时最常见于头部-颈部-背部（66%）和后躯（32%）区域。当接近人类时，奶牛的回避距离大于 1 米（表明有恐惧反应），在放牧时平均有 82%的奶牛和在圈养时 42%至 75%的奶牛会出现这种情况，具体取决于测试地点。在尾巴受伤预防、鼻腔健康以及室内饲养和喂养管理方面确定了改善该系统福利的机会。使用每个福利指标的前 20%农场的表现来确定基准：0%至 5%的临床跛行，0%至 12%的奶牛超出建议的 BCS，0%至 27%的眼部分泌物，0%至 27%的眼部分泌物 2%至 16%的鼻腔分泌物，0%的尾部撕裂和截短的尾巴，0%至 3%的尾部断裂，0%至 14%的皮肤变化，以及 4%至 74%的回避距离大于 1 米。这些代表春季产犊放牧型农场的可实现目标，以促进奶牛的良好福利。
