scholarly journals On-farm Qualitative Behaviour Assessment of dairy goats in different housing conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 180 ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilia Grosso ◽  
Monica Battini ◽  
Françoise Wemelsfelder ◽  
Sara Barbieri ◽  
Michela Minero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Qualitative Behaviour ◽  
On Farm

scholarly journals The Assessment of Housing Conditions, Management, Animal-Based Measure of Dairy Goats’ Welfare and Its Association with Productive and Reproductive Traits

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 893
Author(s):  
Francesco Tiezzi ◽  
Laura Tomassone ◽  
Gilberto Mancin ◽  
Paolo Cornale ◽  
Martina Tarantola
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
Animal Resources ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
On Farm

The aim of the study was to evaluate the welfare of dairy goats of 32 farms located in Northwestern Italy, applying an on-farm assessment protocol, centered on animal-, resources- and management-based measures. The farms were classified as ‘intensive’ or ‘semi-intensive’ according to access to pasture. During each on-farm visit, a checklist was compiled, based on specific scores for housing and management conditions, and animals’ nutritional status, health, and behavior. Finally, the possible association between welfare measures and productive and reproductive traits was assessed. Overall, we observed an adequate level of animal wellbeing both in intensive and semi-intensive farming systems. This is possible thanks to the increased knowledge on goat breeding characteristics, and to the fact that veterinarians and farmers understood the importance of welfare protection to achieve a better health. Higher milk production was associated to some management practices (presence of the owner on the farm, high frequency of bedding change), and to seasonal breeding (which was mainly performed in the intensive farming). Moreover, it was associated to a quantity of urea in the milk comprised between 33 and 44 mg/dL. In intensive farms, the prevalence of caseous lymphadenitis was significantly higher compared to non-intensive farms. The semi-intensive breeding system positively influences the animals’ behavior.

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

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Battini ◽  
Sara Barbieri ◽  
Ana Vieira ◽  
Edna Can ◽  
George Stilwell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Qualitative Behaviour ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
On Farm

scholarly journals How Can We Assess Positive Welfare in Ruminants?

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattiello ◽  
Battini ◽  
De Rosa ◽  
Napolitano ◽  
Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Validity Evidence ◽  
Sampling Strategies ◽  
Qualitative Behaviour ◽  
Nutrition And Health ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
On Farm

Until now, most research has focused on the development of indicators of negative welfare, and relatively few studies provide information on valid, reliable, and feasible indicators addressing positive aspects of animal welfare. However, a lack of suffering does not guarantee that animals are experiencing a positive welfare state. The aim of the present review is to identify promising valid and reliable animal-based indicators for the assessment of positive welfare that might be included in welfare assessment protocols for ruminants, and to discuss them in the light of the five domains model, highlighting possible gaps to be filled by future research. Based on the existing literature in the main databases, each indicator was evaluated in terms of its validity, reliability, and on-farm feasibility. Some valid indicators were identified, but a lot of the validity evidence is based on their absence when a negative situation is present; furthermore, only a few indicators are available in the domains of Nutrition and Health. Reliability has been seldom addressed. On-farm feasibility could be increased by developing specific sampling strategies and/or relying on the use of video- or automatic-recording devices. In conclusion, several indicators are potentially available (e.g., synchronisation of lying and feeding, coat or fleece condition, qualitative behaviour assessment), but further research is required.

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 Indicators to assess goat welfare on-farm in the semiarid region of Brazilian Northeast

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luana Oliveira Leite ◽  
Fabiana de Orte Stamm ◽  
Rita de Cassia Maria Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Brazilian Semiarid ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Meat Goat ◽  
Brazilian Northeast ◽  
On Farm

ABSTRACT: In 2015, AWIN Goat Protocol was published in Europe, with indicators that identify welfare level of lactating dairy goats; however, there are no welfare protocols for meat goat. Therefore, the objective of this study was to select animal and resource-based indicators to assess welfare in meat goat in different types of grazing systems in Brazilian semiarid Northeast. Eighteen indicators were selected to evaluate the welfare of meat goat. The knowledge of the welfare degree of these animals is the best way to make improvements and promote a better quality of life to meat goat.

Housing conditions do not alter cognitive bias but affect serum cortisol, qualitative behaviour assessment and wounds on the carcass in pigs

2016 ◽  
Vol 185 ◽  
pp. 39-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricard Carreras ◽  
Eva Mainau ◽  
Laura Arroyo ◽  
Xènia Moles ◽  
Joel González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Bias ◽  
Serum Cortisol ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Qualitative Behaviour

Feasibility and validity of animal-based indicators for on-farm welfare assessment of thermal stress in dairy goats

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Battini ◽  
Sara Barbieri ◽  
Luna Fioni ◽  
Silvana Mattiello
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
On Farm

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.

On-farm qualitative behaviour assessment in sheep: Repeated measurements across time, and association with physical indicators of flock health and welfare

2016 ◽  
Vol 175 ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare J. Phythian ◽  
Eleni. Michalopoulou ◽  
Peter J. Cripps ◽  
Jennifer S. Duncan ◽  
Françoise. Wemelsfelder
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measurements ◽  
Qualitative Behaviour ◽  
On Farm
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document