Cow Talk

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Moran ◽  
Rebecca Doyle
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Dairy Production ◽  
Health Production ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Sustainable Systems ◽  
Small Holder

The aim of this manual is to improve the welfare of dairy cattle in tropical developing countries, and by doing so, optimise cow and herd performance. It gives the stockmen and farmers directly concerned with the cattle a better understanding of animal behaviour and the ways cattle communicate their comfort or distress. The book discusses normal cattle behaviour and shows how domestication and breeding can affect behaviour to achieve high levels of production of milk, live weight gain and fertility. Animal welfare is important for producers because it can affect the health, production and contentment of cows. Animal welfare practices which adversely affect cow and herd performance on tropical small holder dairy farms are identified. Advice is then given to change the animal's environment or modify a handler's technique to ensure cattle have the degree of comfort needed to achieve more profitable and sustainable systems of livestock farming. Cow Talk will be a beneficial resource for farmers who want to improve animal welfare, farm advisers who can assist farmers to improve their welfare practices, educators who develop training programs for farmers and dairy advisers, and other stakeholders in tropical dairy production such as local agribusiness, policy makers and research scientists.

scholarly journals Systems for evaluation of welfare on dairy farms

2020 ◽  
Vol 87 (S1) ◽  
pp. 13-19
Author(s):  
Angela Krueger ◽  
Jenifer Cruickshank ◽  
Erminio Trevisi ◽  
Massimo Bionaz
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dairy Production ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
Welfare Evaluation ◽  
The World ◽  
Welfare Quality ◽  
Poor Welfare

AbstractAnimal welfare is an essential component of dairy production and several systems exist to evaluate the welfare of dairy cows. Here, we review and compare three well-known systems that operate at farm level from around the world (FARM, Welfare Quality®, and The Code of Welfare) and discuss their advantages and limitations. Despite having some commonalities, the programs evaluate different elements. We also briefly review an emerging system (Integrated Diagnostic Welfare System) that might address some of the shortcomings of the existing systems, especially the possibility of automating the evaluation of animal well-being and identifying any cause of poor welfare. None of the aforementioned systems has been fully validated for their ability to assess animal welfare using independent measurements. The future holds increased attention around the well-being of dairy cows and increased use of sensing technologies. There is an urgent need for dairy welfare evaluation systems that are scientifically validated, holistic, and that can take advantage of the use of sensing technologies to continuously monitor animal welfare.

scholarly journals Smart Products in Livestock Farming—An Empirical Study on the Attitudes of German Farmers

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1055
Author(s):  
Sirkka Schukat ◽  
Heinke Heise
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
General Trust ◽  
Smart Products ◽  
Smart Farming ◽  
Livestock Farmers

In recent years, the fourth industrial revolution has found its way into agriculture. Under the term smart farming, various so-called smart products are offered that may positively influence both the daily work of farmers and animal welfare. These smart products can collect data from the farm, extract important information, and in some cases even make decisions independently. Particularly in Germany, where intensive livestock farming is criticized by society, such smart products could make a significant contribution to improving animal welfare. However, an important prerequisite is the acceptance of the users, who are usually the livestock farmers themselves. So far, there is little knowledge about farmers’ attitudes towards smart products in livestock production. In this study, a factor analysis and a cluster analysis are conducted to evaluate the attitudes of German livestock farmers towards smart products. Based on the analysis of an online questionnaire in which German livestock farmers (n = 422) participated, four clusters could be derived. The main distinguishing characteristics of the clusters are the influence of the social environment, the expected effort for implementation, the general trust in smart products, and the technology readiness of the farms. As a result, this study provides valuable insights for technology providers of smart products for livestock farming as well as for policy makers.

scholarly journals Animal Welfare Management in a Digital World

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Buller ◽  
Harry Blokhuis ◽  
Kees Lokhorst ◽  
Mathieu Silberberg ◽  
Isabelle Veissier
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
Daily Monitoring ◽  
Multiple Sensors ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Wide Range

Although there now exists a wide range of policies, instruments and regulations, in Europe and increasingly beyond, to improve and safeguard the welfare of farmed animals, there remain persistent and significant welfare issues in virtually all types of animal production systems ranging from high prevalence of lameness to limited possibilities to express natural behaviours. Protocols and indicators, such as those provided by Welfare Quality, mean that animal welfare can nowadays be regularly measured and surveyed at the farm level. However, the digital revolution in agriculture opens possibilities to quantify animal welfare using multiple sensors and data analytics. This allows daily monitoring of animal welfare at the group and individual animal level, for example, by measuring changes in behaviour patterns or physiological parameters. The present paper explores the potential for developing innovations in digital technologies to improve the management of animal welfare at the farm, during transport or at slaughter. We conclude that the innovations in Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) offer significant opportunities for a more holistic, evidence-based approach to the monitoring and surveillance of farmed animal welfare. To date, the emphasis in much PLF technologies has been on animal health and productivity. This paper argues that this emphasis should not come to define welfare. What is now needed is a coming together of industry, scientists, food chain actors, policy-makers and NGOs to develop and use the promise of PLF for the creative and effective improvement of farmed animal welfare.

scholarly journals Animal welfare and other ethical implications of Precision Livestock Farming technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette Schillings ◽  
Richard Bennett ◽  
David Christian Rose
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Precision Livestock Farming ◽  
Ethical Implications

AbstractIn this commentary, we explore the risks and challenges associated with Precision Livestock Farming technologies based on an online workshop with over 70 international animal welfare experts, policy-makers, NGO, students, farmers and industry staff.

scholarly journals DAIRY PRODUCTIVITY OF HOLSTEIN COWS OF DIFFERENT BREEDINGS UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF COMMERCIAL DAIRY FARMS

THE BULLETIN ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (391) ◽  
pp. 110-115
Author(s):  
V.G. Semenov ◽  
A.D. Baimukanov ◽  
A.S. Alentayev ◽  
R.M. Mudarisov ◽  
A.K. Karynbayev
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Comparative Evaluation ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Holstein Cows ◽  
Average Intensity ◽  
Dairy Production ◽  
Machine Milking ◽  
Ideal Line

This work aims to identify the level of productivity of Holstein cows of different breedings. The experimental studies were performed using purebred Holstein animals imported from Germany, Hungary, and Finland. When studying the exterior-constitutional features of livestock raised on the farm, it was found that Holstein cows as a whole were characterized by a relatively strong constitution, a proportionally developed and slightly elongated body with average live weight, deep chests with well-defined milk veins, glandular and properly attached bath-like and cup-shaped udder, with an average intensity of milk yield (2.12-2.4 kg/min). According to the expressiveness of dairy forms, the best indicators were for animals of Hungarian breeding with the linear affiliation of Reflection Sovering, and in cows of German and Finnish breedings - Montwik Chieftain. A study of the dairy productivity of cows showed that the greatest milk yield over 305 days for three lactations, depending on the linear affiliation, was for Hungarian cows: during the 1st lactation - 6465.9- 6951.2 kg, the 2nd lactation - 7463.5-7706.2 kg, according to the 3rd lactation - 8254.2-8297.7 kg of milk. A comparative evaluation of the dairy production of cows showed that the highest dairy productivity was noted in cows of the Reflection Sovering line. Thus, the average milk yield in cows of this line in the first three lactations was higher than in analogs of the Finnish breeding by 885 kg (13.02%) and German one - by 892 kg or 13.1% (P<0.05), Vis Beck Ideal by 444.5 kg (6.2%) and 807 kg or 12.0% (P<0.01) respectively. The animals of the Montwik Chieftain line of the Hungarian breeding exceeded in the milk yield of the German cows by 176.5 kg (2.4%) and the Finnish cows by 238.2 kg or 3.3%. Indicators of the coefficient of variation in milk yield show that the herd of Holstein cows in the first and third lactations is very heterogeneous. According to the second lactation, the representatives of the Vis Beck Ideal line of the German selection and the Montwik. It was established that in the coefficient of consistency of lactation, cows of German breeding exceeded the analogs of the Finnish and Hungarian breedings by 4.7 and 6.7%, respectively. Herewith, in the Hungarian cows, the lactation full value indicator was higher by 18.3% and 1%, which indicates higher stability of milk yield of cows of this group for the entire lactation. In such a way, our analysis of the morphofunctional properties of the udder showed that the investigated groups of animals correspond to the technological requirements for industrial keeping technology and organizing machine milking.

Improving animal welfare: a practical approach

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Practical Approach ◽  
Fish Welfare ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Agricultural Animal ◽  
Animal Care

Abstract The third edition of this book contains a total of 20 chapters (including 3 new chapters), including the implementation of an effective animal welfare programme; the importance of measurement to improve the welfare of livestock, poultry and fish; the social and ethical importance of agricultural animal welfare; the implementation of effective animal-based measurements for assessing animal welfare on farms and slaughter plants; how to improve livestock handling and reduce stress; painful husbandry procedures in livestock and poultry; the importance of good stockmanship and its benefits to animals; in-farm considerations of animal behaviour and emotions; improving livestock, poultry and fish welfare in slaughter plants with auditing programmes and animal-based measures; recommended on-farm euthanasia practices; welfare during transport of livestock and poultry; animal well-being on organic farms; a practical approach on sustainability for supply chain managers of meat, dairy and other animal proteins; the effect of economic factors on the welfare of livestock and poultry; practical approaches for changing and improving animal care and welfare; successful technology transfer of behavioural and animal welfare research to the farm and slaughter plant; technological innovations for individualized animal care and welfare; technology designed to enhance poultry welfare; precision livestock farming and technology in swine welfare and practical methods for improving the welfare of horses, donkeys and mules. There is also a list of videos that will allow students to see different types of farms and technology for raising broiler chickens, cattle, laying hens and pigs. This book provides practical information which will enable veterinarians, managers, animal scientists and policy makers to improve welfare. It will be especially useful for training animal welfare specialists.

Rearing Young Stock on Tropical Dairy Farms in Asia

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Moran
Keyword(s):  
Live Weight ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Young Stock ◽  
Climatic Stress ◽  
Dairy Farmer ◽  
Feeding Management ◽  
Calf Mortality ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Small Holder

Rearing young stock for replacement heifers is probably one of the least well understood and practised aspects of herd and feeding management on dairy farms throughout the world, particularly on small holder dairy farms in the tropics. This book addresses all the major concerns of the small holder dairy farmer in Asia. It shows how to attain optimal growth in young stock, so that as cows, they can calve at an appropriate early age at the lowest cost and promptly substitute for any cows culled from the milking herd. This provides continuing returns on the investments of feed, labour and other farm resources. Low reproductive rates and high calf mortality are the major causes of reproductive wastage. This has a direct bearing on culling and replacement strategies and on genetic improvement. In many tropical countries, calf mortality can be as high as 50%. In some areas this can be due to climatic stress on temperate or crossbred stock. While climatic stress compounds the other hazards of calf life, high calf mortality is usually due to diseases and poor feeding management. Rearing Young Stock on Tropical Dairy Farms in Asia encourages the small holder dairy farmer to maintain their investment in replacement heifers and gives them the tools necessary to achieve realistic targets for mortalities, live weight gain, mating age, and age and live weight at first calving. It is a companion volume to three previous manuals written by John Moran: Tropical Dairy Farming, Business Management for Tropical Dairy Farmers and Managing High Grade Dairy Cows in the Tropics.

Hill farming - An opinion on the future

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
G.W. Sheath
Keyword(s):  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Future ◽  
Hill Farming

This paper is not a formal review of hill farming literature. Rather, it is my view on the critical challenges and changes that we need to deal with if mixed livestock farming on hill lands is to be successful over the next 20 years. It is my hope that industry leaders, policy makers and agribusiness managers will give consideration to these views. Some people say that it is not smart to look into the rear-vision mirror, but I do not agree. Having a better understanding of the consequences of past events can help guide future decisions and changes.

scholarly journals 101 Evaluation of Growth Curve Functions for predicted weight in small holder crossbred dairy cattle in Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 79-80
Author(s):  
Chinyere Ekine ◽  
Raphael Mrode ◽  
Edwin Oyieng ◽  
Daniel Komwihangilo ◽  
Gilbert Msuta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Curve ◽  
Model Comparison ◽  
Predictive Ability ◽  
Nonlinear Least Squares ◽  
Information Criterion ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Exponential Model ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Small Holder ◽  
Two Parameter

Abstract Modelling the growth curve of animals provides information on growth characteristics and is important for optimizing management in different livestock systems. This study evaluated the growth curves of crossbred calves from birth to 30 months of age in small holder dairy farms in Tanzania using a two parameter (exponential), four different three parameters (Logistic, von Bertalanffy, Brody, Gompertz), and three polynomial functions. Predicted weights based on heart girth measurements of 623 male and 846 female calves born between 2016 and 2019 used in this study were from the African Dairy Genetic Gains (ADGG) project in selected milk sheds in Tanzania, namely Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Iringa, Njomba and Mbeya. Each function was fitted separately to weight measurement of males and females adjusted for the effect of ward and season of birth using the nonlinear least squares (nls) functions in R statistical software. The Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC) were used for model comparison. Based on these criteria, all three polynomial and four parameter functions performed better and did not differ enough from each other in both males and females compared to the two-parameter exponential model. Predicted weight varied among the models and differed between males and females. The highest estimated weight was observed in the Brody model for both males (278.09 kg) and females (264.10 kg). Lowest estimated weight was observed in the exponential model. Estimated growth rate varied among models. For males, it ranged from 0.04 kg-0.08 kg and for females, from 0.05 kg-0.09 kg in the Brody model and logistic model respectively. Predictive ability across all fitted curves was low, ranging from 25% to approximately 29%. This could be due to the huge range of breed compositions in the evaluated crossbred calves which characterizes small holder dairy farms in this system and different levels of farm management.

scholarly journals Precision Technologies to Address Dairy Cattle Welfare: Focus on Lameness, Mastitis and Body Condition

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2253
Author(s):  
Severiano R. Silva ◽  
José P. Araujo ◽  
Cristina Guedes ◽  
Flávio Silva ◽  
Mariana Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Economic Sustainability ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Technological Tools ◽  
Cow Welfare ◽  
Time Assessment

Specific animal-based indicators that can be used to predict animal welfare have been the core of protocols for assessing the welfare of farm animals, such as those produced by the Welfare Quality project. At the same time, the contribution of technological tools for the accurate and real-time assessment of farm animal welfare is also evident. The solutions based on technological tools fit into the precision livestock farming (PLF) concept, which has improved productivity, economic sustainability, and animal welfare in dairy farms. PLF has been adopted recently; nevertheless, the need for technological support on farms is getting more and more attention and has translated into significant scientific contributions in various fields of the dairy industry, but with an emphasis on the health and welfare of the cows. This review aims to present the recent advances of PLF in dairy cow welfare, particularly in the assessment of lameness, mastitis, and body condition, which are among the most relevant animal-based indications for the welfare of cows. Finally, a discussion is presented on the possibility of integrating the information obtained by PLF into a welfare assessment framework.

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