Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, Bolzano, Italy.
PLoS One. 2023 Aug 8;18(8):e0285394. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285394. eCollection 2023.
The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors for skin alterations at herd and cow level on dairy farms with different housing systems in South Tyrol (Northern Italy). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 204 farms (111 free stalls and 93 tie stalls) from March to October 2019 assessing the level of animal welfare using resource-based and animal-based indicators. A total number of 1,891 dairy cows were evaluated, of which 43.5% were reared in tie stalls and 56.5% in free stalls. A logistic regression model identified the herd and cow level risks factors for neck and leg skin alterations in the two different systems. There was a higher prevalence for skin lesions on the neck (Odd Ratio (OR) = 2.36) and hock (OR = 2.82) for tie stalls. Irrespective of the housing system the soft-based stall mattresses had a lower prevalence for knee and hock lesions of 0.48 and 0.54, respectively, compared to wood base stalls for both knee (OR = 2.19) and hock (OR = 2.47) consecutively. The prevalence of skin alterations on the knee (OR = 0.42) and hock (OR = 0.33) decreased by the presence of sawdust as bedding material. Similarly, straw (OR = 0.61) and lime-straw-water bedding (OR = 0.59) reduced the prevalence for skin alterations on the hock. Access to pasture reduced the prevalence of skin alterations on the neck (OR = 0.34), the knee (OR = 0.77), and on the hock (OR = 0.46) regardless of the housing system. In conclusion, the assessment of risk factors of different skin alterations in different housing systems can contribute to the improvement of overall animal welfare in traditional small scale mountain dairy systems.
本研究旨在确定南蒂罗尔（意大利北部）不同畜舍系统奶牛场的畜群和奶牛水平皮肤改变的风险因素。2019 年 3 月至 10 月，对 204 个农场（111 个自由畜栏和 93 个系畜栏）进行了横断面研究，使用基于资源和基于动物的指标评估动物福利水平。共评估了 1891 头奶牛，其中 43.5%在系畜栏中饲养，56.5%在自由畜栏中饲养。逻辑回归模型确定了两种不同系统中颈部和腿部皮肤改变的畜群和奶牛水平风险因素。系畜栏的颈部（优势比（OR）=2.36）和跗关节（OR=2.82）皮肤病变的患病率较高。无论畜舍系统如何，软基畜栏床垫的膝关节和跗关节病变的患病率分别为 0.48 和 0.54，而木质畜栏的膝关节（OR=2.19）和跗关节（OR=2.47）的患病率均较低。软基畜栏床垫的膝关节（OR=0.42）和跗关节（OR=0.33）皮肤病变的患病率随着木屑作为垫料的存在而降低。同样，稻草（OR=0.61）和石灰-稻草-水垫料（OR=0.59）降低了跗关节皮肤病变的患病率。无论畜舍系统如何，牧场的使用都降低了颈部（OR=0.34）、膝关节（OR=0.77）和跗关节（OR=0.46）皮肤病变的患病率。总之，不同畜舍系统不同皮肤病变风险因素的评估有助于提高传统小规模山地奶牛系统的整体动物福利水平。
