scholarly journals Animal-Based Indicators for On-Farm Welfare Assessment in Goats

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3138
Author(s):  
Adrian Minnig ◽  
Romane Zufferey ◽  
Beat Thomann ◽  
Sibylle Zwygart ◽  
Nina Keil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Hair Coat ◽  
Welfare Indicators ◽  
Current State ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Full Text Screening

This review describes the current state of knowledge relating to scientific literature on welfare indicators for goats. Our aim was to provide an overview of animal-based indicators for on-farm welfare assessments. We performed a literature search and extracted 96 relevant articles by title, abstract, and full-text screening. Out of these articles, similar indicators were aggregated to result in a total of 32 welfare indicators, some of which were covered in multiple articles, others in only a single one. We discuss a set of three established assessment protocols containing these indicators, as well as all individual indicators which were covered in more than one article. As single indicators, we identified lameness, body condition score (BCS), qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA), and human–animal relationship (HAR) tests with substantial evidence for sufficient validity to assess welfare in goats. A multitude of indicators (e.g., hair coat condition) was studied less intensively but was successfully used for welfare assessments. For some indicators (e.g., oblivion, lying behaviour), we highlight the need for future research to further validate them or to optimise their use in on-farm welfare assessments. Moreover, further investigations need to include kids, bucks, and meat and fibre goats, as well as extensively kept goats as the literature predominantly focuses on dairy goats in intensive production systems.

scholarly journals The Use of Qualitative Behaviour Assessment for the On-Farm Welfare Assessment of Dairy Goats

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Battini ◽  
Sara Barbieri ◽  
Ana Vieira ◽  
Edna Can ◽  
George Stilwell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Principal Component Analysis ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Qualitative Behaviour ◽  
Hair Coat ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Welfare Indicators ◽  
Normal Hair ◽  
On Farm

This research investigated whether using qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) with a fixed list of descriptors may be related to quantitative animal- (ABM) and resource-based (RBM) measures included in the AWIN (Animal Welfare Indicators) welfare assessment prototype protocol for goats, tested in 60 farms. A principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted on QBA descriptors; then PCs were correlated to some ABMs and RBMs. Subsequently, a combined PCA merged QBA scores, ABMs and RBMs. The study confirms that QBA can identify the differences in goats’ emotions, but only few significant correlations were found with ABMs and RBMs. In addition, the combined PCA revealed that goats with a normal hair coat were scored as more relaxed and sociable. A high farm workload was related to bored and suffering goats, probably because farmers that can devote less time to animals may fail to recognise important signals from them. Goats were scored as sociable, but also alert, in response to the presence of an outdoor run, probably because when outdoors they received more stimuli than indoors and were more attentive to the surroundings. Notwithstanding these results, the holistic approach of QBA may allow to register animals’ welfare from a different perspective and be complementary to other measures.

scholarly journals On-farm welfare assessment in dairy goats in the Brazilian Northeast

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 2308-2320
Author(s):  
L.O. Leite ◽  
F.O. Stamm ◽  
R.A. Souza ◽  
J.A. Camarinha Filho ◽  
R.C.M. Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Northeast Brazil ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Lactating Goats ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Brazilian Northeast ◽  
On Farm

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to apply a modified AWIN Goat protocol to evaluate and compare the welfare of adult lactating and non-lactating dairy goats at pen and individual levels on small farms located in Ceará, Northeast, Brazil, and to take into consideration the application of this protocol on Brazilian Northeast goat farms. Five farms with Lactating goats (L) and five farms with non-lactating goats (NL) were evaluated. At the first level of welfare assessment, animals were evaluated in the pen and during the second level of welfare assessment, animals were evaluated in the pen and individually. Indicators assessed were animal and resource-based indicators. Significant difference between L and NL on farms was set at P<0.05. Only queuing at feeding indicator showed significant difference (P=0.027) between groups in pens at the first level welfare assessment. On individual assessments, there was significant difference between L and NL regarding body condition score (P=0.003), overgrown claws (P=0.001) and udder asymmetry (P=0.001). The application of a modified AWIN Goat protocol on farms in Ceará was considered positive. In general, these results demonstrated that both groups are submitted to welfare problems in Ceará, although lactating goats present more challenges to cope.

43 Cow Performance and Lameness Are Affected by Housing in Drylots vs Pasture During the Summer

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 147-148
Author(s):  
Lucas Hofer ◽  
Megan Myerscough ◽  
Wes Chapple ◽  
Travis T Meteer ◽  
Keela Trennepohl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Binary Data ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Hair Coat ◽  
Milk Protein Content ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Milk Urea ◽  
Cow Performance ◽  
Distillers Grain ◽  
Dried Distillers Grain

Abstract The objective was to compare the performance of cows housed in drylots or on pasture. Spring-calving, Simmental × Angus cow-calf pairs (n = 108; 77 ± 18 days postpartum) were stratified by age, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), calving date, and calf sex. Cows were allotted into six groups which were randomly assigned to drylot or pasture. Drylot cows were limit-fed a ration consisting of corn silage, dried distillers grain, corn stalks, cracked corn, and a corn-based supplement to meet protein and energy requirements. Cows on pasture were rotationally grazed with access to free-choice mineral. Cows were artificially inseminated on day 0. Cow BW, BCS, hair coat scores, locomotion scores, and lameness treatments were evaluated throughout the 110-day experiment. Milk production and composition were evaluated on day 56. Data were analyzed using the MIXED and GLIMMIX (binary data) procedures of SAS. Artificial insemination and overall pregnancy rates did not differ (P ≥ 0.79) between groups. Drylot cows were 22 and 51 kg heavier (P ≤ 0.02) than pasture cows on days 83 and 110, respectively. Drylot cow BCS was greater (P = 0.03) on day 110. Hair coat scores were more desirable (P = 0.03) in drylot cows than pasture cows on day 110. Drylot cows had greater (P = 0.04) milk production than pasture cows. Pasture cows had greater (P ≤ 0.03) milk protein content and milk urea nitrogen. Although locomotion scores did not differ (P ≥ 0.45) on days 0 and 34, they were less desirable (P = 0.02) for the drylot cows on day 110. A greater (P = 0.02) percentage of drylot cows (33%) were treated for lameness than pasture cows (7%). Housing cows in drylots increased BW, BCS, and milk production, but resulted in poorer locomotion scores and increased lameness treatments.

scholarly journals Ewe Wastage in New Zealand Commercial Flocks: Extent, Timing, Association with Hogget Reproductive Outcomes and BCS

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 779
Author(s):  
Kate J. Flay ◽  
Anne L. Ridler ◽  
Chris W. R. Compton ◽  
Paul R. Kenyon
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Key Management ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Survival Models ◽  
Reproductive Outcomes ◽  
Increase Risk ◽  
Interval Censored ◽  
Mortality Incidence ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
On Farm

Ewe wastage is the combination of on-farm mortality and premature culling. Internationally, there is limited research on actual wastage incidence and causes in commercial sheep flocks. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that reports both lifetime wastage and detailed annual wastage in a sample of commercial New Zealand flocks. This study utilized data collected from 13,142 ewes from four cohorts on three commercial New Zealand farms (Farm A 2010-born, Farm A 2011-born, Farm B, Farm C), during the period 2011–2017, as they aged from replacement hoggets to 6-year-old ewes (Farm A and Farm B) or 3-year-old ewes (Farm C). Data collection visits occurred at three or four key management times each year, namely pre-mating, pregnancy diagnosis, pre-lambing and weaning. At each visit, body condition score (BCS) was assessed and any ewes that were culled or had died on farm were recorded. As this was a lifetime study, each ewe was assigned an outcome and corresponding ‘exit age’. By the end of the study, all ewes that had exited their respective flocks, were classified as either prematurely culled, or dead/missing, or if still in the flock, as censored, and either the exact date or interval in which they exited the flock was recorded. Semi-parametric competing risk (premature culling vs. dead/missing), interval-censored survival models were developed to: 1. describe the association between hogget reproductive outcomes and risk of subsequent wastage, and 2. assess pre-mating BCS as a predictor of wastage in that production year. Of the 13,142 enrolled ewes, 50.4% exited their respective flocks due to premature culling and 40.0% due to on-farm dead/missing, giving a total of 90.4% that exited due to wastage. Annual mortality incidence ranged from 3.5 to 40.2%. As a hogget, wastage incidence ranged from 7.6 to 45.4%. Pregnancy or rearing a lamb as a hogget did not increase risk of subsequent wastage. In all years, pre-mating BCS was a predictor of ewe wastage, with odds of wastage lower with increasing BCS. Therefore, farmers should focus on improving pre-mating BCS to 3.5/5.0 by assessing ewe BCS at weaning, allowing poorer-BCS ewes to be managed to gain BCS before re-breeding.

105 Effect of a Hydrolyzed Yeast Product on Body Weight, Body Condition Score, and Hair Coat Score in Cows Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue.

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 52-53
Author(s):  
P L Harrelson ◽  
C B Rogers ◽  
R A Martin ◽  
B N Bosley ◽  
F M Kilgallin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Hair Coat ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Yeast Product

Hair coat condition: A valid and reliable indicator for on-farm welfare assessment in adult dairy goats

2015 ◽  
Vol 123 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 197-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Battini ◽  
Tanja Peric ◽  
Inês Ajuda ◽  
Ana Vieira ◽  
Lilia Grosso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reliable Indicator ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Hair Coat ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
On Farm

scholarly journals The Effect of P4 + eCG Estrus Induction Protocol during the Deep and the Transition Anestrous Period on the Reproductive Performance of Crossbred Dairy Goats

Biology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 311
Author(s):  
Francisco G. Véliz-Deras ◽  
César A. Meza-Herrera ◽  
Miguel Mellado ◽  
Viridiana Contreras-Villarreal ◽  
Leticia R. Gaytán-Alemán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Reproductive Outcomes ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Herd Level ◽  
Reproductive Response ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Positive Correlations

Seasonal reproduction restricts the offering of goat commodities across the year. Therefore, it is crucial to improve diverse strategies to induce the reproductive response in goats during the anestrus stage. The effectiveness of a short P4 + eCG-based estrus induction protocol during both the deep anestrous (March) or the reproductive transition period (June) upon the reproductive performance of crossbred dairy goats was assessed. Adult, anestrous, 24–30-month- old dairy crossbred (Saanen–Alpine–Nubian × Criollo) goats (n = 123) from two commercial herds and 10 sexually active goat bucks were used. Before the trials, the anestrous status of goats was confirmed. Then, goats were randomly allocated into two different experiments. In Exp. 1, we tested the effect of different doses (D) of intramuscular progesterone (P4; 10 or 20 mg + eCG (100 UI)) and type of breeding (TB), natural mating (NM), or artificial insemination (AI), on two commercial goat herds (H1 & H2), in March (deep anestrous). In Exp. 2, we evaluated the effect of D (P4; 10 or 20 mg + 100 UI eCG) in goats subjected to NM, and either during deep anestrous (March; M) or transitional anestrous (June; J), in two commercial herds. After breeding, conception and pregnancy were diagnosed with ultrasound scanning. The response variables were estrus induction (EI; %), estrus latency (EL; h), ovulation (OVP; %), ovulation rate (OR; units), fertility (FERT; %), and pregnancy (PREG; %). No differences (p > 0.05) in live weight (LW) and body condition score (BCS) occurred between herds in both trials. In Exp. 1, EI, EL, OVP, OR, FERT, and PREG were affected (p < 0.05) by the H–TB–D interaction, whereas in H1 + P4–20 combination had the highest (p < 0.05) EI, EL, and OVP values. Irrespective of TB, H1 had the largest (p < 0.05) OR, independently of TB or D. Also, the lowest (p < 0.05) OVP occurred in the AI + P4–10 group, while the AI had the lowest (p < 0.05) FERT, irrespective of D. FERT and PREG were two-fold higher (p < 0.05) in NM compared with AI. In Exp. 2, EI, EL, OVP, OR, FERT, and PREG were affected (p < 0.05) by the H–M–D interaction. In general, H2 + P4–10 had the lowest (p < 0.05) reproductive outcomes in March, whereas H1 had the largest (p < 0.05) values in either month. No differences (p > 0.05) between P4 doses occurred for EI, OVP, OR, FERT, and PREG. Yet, the largest (p < 0.05) EL occurred with P4–20 in June. No correlations (p > 0.05) occurred between LW and all the reproductive variables. BCS was positively correlated (p < 0.05) with EI (0.34), OVP (0.44), OR (0.58), and PREG (0.20). Also, positive correlations (p < 0.05) occurred between EI with EL (0.83), OVP (0.80), OR (0.64), and PREG (0.56); EL with OVP (0.58), OR (0.44), and PREG (0.42); OVP with OR (0.79) and PREG (0.70), as well as OR and PREG (0.63). Results of these studies confirm a multidimensional response regarding the effectiveness of P4 + eCG for estrus induction in goats mainly modulated by a specific time within the anestrous season, or even by specific management or a particular environment at the herd level (H1), although quite remarkably independent of the animal’s LW or BCS at herd level. Moreover, the best reproductive outcomes occurred with NM in June. The most reproductive variables were similar using either 10 or 20 mg P4 + 100 IU eCG, giving the possibility to lessen the scale in the use of exogenous hormones while obtaining acceptable out of season reproductive response.

Body Condition Scoring in Dairy Cows - A Conceptual and Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhishek Paul ◽  
Santu Mondal ◽  
Suresh Kumar ◽  
Tripti Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Lactation Period ◽  
Selection Indices ◽  
Farm Mechanization ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Score Gain ◽  
Body Condition Scoring ◽  
Good Technique ◽  
On Farm

As herd sizes have increased in the last decades due to commercialization of dairy sector, computer monitoring solutions, which provide fast and accurate evaluation of body condition score, gain more and more importance. The main reasons that discourage the use of traditional BCS estimation techniques are the lack of computerized reports, its subjectivity in the judgment, observational variations and time consuming on farm training of technicians. Moreover, measurement on a cow must be collected every 30 days interval throughout the lactation period to have valuable information for use in selection indices. However, an automated BCS largely diminishes the need for labor, time and training, be less stressful for the animals, increase accuracy and could provide large volumes of data for use in genetic evaluation. The sonography is also good technique to detect depletion of body fat reserve by measuring back fat thickness (BFT) in conjunction with BCS in dairy cattle. In India, BCS monitoring technique is not well adopted due to lack of farm mechanization, awareness and an extra labor charges, can create a burden on farm finances.

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