Brindle John E, Renaud David L, Haley Derek B, Duffield Todd F, Winder Charlotte B
Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada, N1G 2W1; Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada, N1G 2W1.
Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada, N1G 2W1; Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, Guelph ON, Canada, N1G 2W1.
J Dairy Sci. 2025 Jan;108(1):792-802. doi: 10.3168/jds.2023-24549. Epub 2024 Oct 5.
The objective of this study was to better understand current management practices for down cows in Ontario, Canada, and to identify factors associated with the adoption of acceptable practices. An online survey was distributed to all dairy producers in Ontario, Canada (n = 3,367) and was available from November 2020 to March 2021, inclusive. Dairy producers were identified through their provincial dairy organization and contacted via email, and the survey was also promoted via social media. The survey was comprised of 134 questions, 31 of which were related to down-cow management. Descriptive statistics were evaluated, and 2 logistic regression models were generated using Stata 17, exploring factors associated with (1) relocating down cows with hip lifters and (2) assisting cows to stand within 1 h after discovering a down-cow. A total of 226 producers responded (7.4%). Participants were predominantly male (68%), farm owners (78%), and 30 to 39 yr old (29%). Producers reported relocating down cows with a boat or sled (32.6%), front-end loader bucket (31.4%), hip lifters (28.0%), or "other" (with a text box to further describe; 8.0%). The median time to relocating a down-cow after identifying her was 1 h (range 0-17 h). Farms that relocated a down-cow sooner after identifying her as down, were more likely to use appropriate methods to move the cow. However, we also found that farms that provided feed and water sooner to down cows, were more likely to use an inappropriate method (hip lifters) to move her. Farms that used hip lifters to move cows had higher odds of assisting a cow to stand within 1 h following the discovery of recumbency. Additionally, producers who waited longer to relocate a down-cow were less likely to assist the cow to stand within 1 h of finding them down. Research has identified effective management practices for down cows, yet there remains a gap in understanding the implementation and the decision-making process of producers. Data from this study will be helpful in designing future research that further explores the barriers and motivations of producers when implementing evidence-based management plans to care for down dairy cows and may help inform current industry extension efforts.
本研究的目的是更好地了解加拿大安大略省奶牛趴卧的当前管理实践，并确定与采用可接受做法相关的因素。向加拿大安大略省的所有奶牛养殖户（n = 3367）发放了一份在线调查问卷，调查时间为2020年11月至2021年3月（含）。通过省级奶牛组织识别奶牛养殖户，并通过电子邮件联系他们，同时也通过社交媒体推广该调查。该调查问卷包含134个问题，其中31个与趴卧奶牛的管理有关。对描述性统计数据进行了评估，并使用Stata 17生成了2个逻辑回归模型，探讨与以下因素相关的因素：（1）使用臀部提升器转移趴卧奶牛；（2）在发现奶牛趴卧后1小时内协助奶牛站立。共有226名养殖户做出了回应（7.4%）。参与者主要为男性（68%）、农场主（78%），年龄在30至39岁之间（29%）。养殖户报告称，使用船或雪橇转移趴卧奶牛的比例为32.6%，使用前端装载机铲斗的比例为31.4%，使用臀部提升器的比例为28.0%，使用“其他”方式（需在文本框中进一步描述）的比例为8.0%。识别出奶牛趴卧后转移奶牛的中位时间为1小时（范围为0至17小时）。在识别出奶牛趴卧后更快转移奶牛的农场，更有可能使用合适的方法移动奶牛。然而，我们还发现，更快为趴卧奶牛提供饲料和水的农场，更有可能使用不适当的方法（臀部提升器）移动奶牛。使用臀部提升器移动奶牛的农场，在发现奶牛趴卧后1小时内协助奶牛站立的几率更高。此外，等待更长时间转移趴卧奶牛的养殖户，在发现奶牛趴卧后1小时内协助奶牛站立的可能性更小。研究已经确定了针对趴卧奶牛的有效管理实践，但在理解养殖户的实施情况和决策过程方面仍存在差距。本研究的数据将有助于设计未来的研究，进一步探索养殖户在实施基于证据的管理计划以照顾趴卧奶牛时的障碍和动机，并可能有助于为当前的行业推广工作提供信息。
