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 Influence of Housing and Management on Claw Health in Swiss Dairy Goats

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1873
Author(s):  
Lisa Marie Sailer ◽  
Mirjam Holinger ◽  
Joan-Bryce Burla ◽  
Beat Wechsler ◽  
Patrik Zanolari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Goat Milk ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Occurrence Rate ◽  
Dairy Goat ◽  
Housing Conditions ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
Before And After

Due to a rising demand for goat milk and goat milk products worldwide, it is likely that dairy goat production will be intensified in the future, with larger herds per farm. In Switzerland, as in many other countries with intensive farming systems, dairy goats are typically housed on deep litter, with little access to hard abrasive surfaces. Such housing conditions will result in wall horn overgrowth. The aim of this study was to gain profound knowledge on the occurrence of overgrown wall horn, its impact on claw health and locomotor behavior, and possible adverse effects on animal welfare. Additionally, housing and management factors that may contribute to non-physiological claw conditions were evaluated. To compare claw conditions after the summer grazing period and the winter indoor housing period, data were collected on 28 Swiss dairy goat farms in autumn and spring (621 goats in total). Claw lesions were recorded with the help of a “claw card” documenting each claw. Furthermore, pictures were taken of each claw to determine the severity of wall horn overgrowth. Locomotion behavior (activity, lying time and lying bouts) was recorded with three-dimensional accelerometers fixed to the goats’ hind legs. In autumn, 66.7% of the examined claws showed moderate overgrowth, 32.4% severe overgrowth and 0.9% no overgrowth. In spring, 47.4% of the examined claws were affected with moderate overgrowth, 52.6% with severe overgrowth and 0.0% with no overgrowth. Horn separation (48.1% of examined claws) and sole hemorrhages (16.0% of examined claws) were the most frequent lesions. In goats with severely overgrown claws, the risk of developing sole hemorrhages was doubled compared with moderate overgrowth. The occurrence rate of horn separation was lower if the trimmer had attended a special skills training course (p < 0.001). Furthermore, locomotor activity (p < 0.01) and the number of lying bouts per day (p < 0.01) were higher in spring than autumn. Neither the goats’ activity nor the number of lying bouts per day differed before and after claw trimming. Finally, season and trimming were not associated with the goats’ total lying time. A certain extent of wall horn overgrowth in dairy goat claws cannot be avoided under the housing conditions typical for Swiss farms. Severe wall horn overgrowth is associated with an increase in the proportion of claws with sole hemorrhages. Therefore, regular and careful functional claw trimming, taking the housing situation (deep bedding, access to pasture, grazing on alpine pasture) into account, should be promoted.

Multivariate classification of farming systems for use in integrated pest management studies

1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 647-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Y. Leeson ◽  
J. W. Sheard ◽  
A. G. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Minimum Variance ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Organic Systems ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

On-farm studies provide a realistic setting to examine the impact of interactions of management practices on weed communities within various farming systems. Clustering farm units into groups that use similar management practices enables the replication of farm management systems within on-farm studies. The goal of this study is to objectively classify farm units into management systems on the basis of quantitative variables describing aspects of cropping history and chemical input levels using multivariate techniques. Twenty-eight Saskatchewan farmers provided details of their management practices from 1990 to 1997 through a series of questionnaires. Twelve variables derived from the questionnaires were used to describe cropping history, pesticide, tillage and fertilizer use on each farm unit. These variables were used to cluster farm units using minimum variance classification and NMS ordination. Both techniques identified seven farm management systems. The greatest differences were observed between organic and non-organic systems. Farm management systems that used annual fallow and continuous annual cropping histories were most similar. The consistent results obtained by use of the two unrelated methodologies indicate the utility of this approach for the classification of farm management systems. Key words: Farm management system, classification, cropping history, chemical input level, on-farm

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

Development and testing of an on-farm welfare assessment protocol for dairy goats

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Muri ◽  
SM Stubsjøen ◽  
PS Valle
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
On Farm

Limitations to pasture and sheep enterprises and options for improvement in the Victorian Mallee

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 841 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Robertson ◽  
R. K. Wimalasuriya
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Farm Productivity ◽  
Farm Profit ◽  
Increase Productivity ◽  
Sheep Production ◽  
On Farm

A survey of 29 sheep producers was conducted to benchmark current sheep production practices and producer attitudes to sheep and pasture management in the Victorian Mallee. This report describes the farming systems, defines current sheep management practices and identifies management issues that are limiting production. It also highlights limitations of adoption, suggests potential adoption rates of specific practices by producers, and estimates increases in productivity achievable. Sheep producers could achieve small gains in farm productivity (an estimated average 0.3% annually) by adopting sheep management practices including using superior genetics, reducing ram numbers and introducing supplementary feeding. Possible reasons why recommended practices have not been adopted are discussed. The difficulty of integrating sheep into current short cropping systems was considered to be a key limitation to the adoption of management that could substantially increase productivity, such as higher stocking rates and winter–spring lambing. Important benefits to both productivity and environmental sustainability may be achieved through the replacement of fallowed land with improved pastures. However, a lack of data on the feed base and sheep production in relation to a changing feed base made it impossible to estimate the size of these benefits. It was concluded that further research is needed to collect data and benchmark pasture and livestock enterprises to allow quantification of the potential impact on farm profit of changes to pasture and sheep management in this region.

On-farm compost: a useful tool to improve soil quality under intensive farming systems

2016 ◽  
Vol 107 ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Scotti ◽  
Catello Pane ◽  
Riccardo Spaccini ◽  
Assunta Maria Palese ◽  
Alessandro Piccolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
On Farm

On-farm udder health monitoring

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (02) ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
J. C. van Veersen ◽  
O. Sampimon ◽  
R. G. Olde Riekerink ◽  
T. J. G. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Udder Health ◽  
Critical Control Points ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Clinical Problems

SummaryIn this article an on-farm monitoring approach on udder health is presented. Monitoring of udder health consists of regular collection and analysis of data and of the regular evaluation of management practices. The ultimate goal is to manage critical control points in udder health management, such as hygiene, body condition, teat ends and treatments, in such a way that results (udder health parameters) are always optimal. Mastitis, however, is a multifactorial disease, and in real life it is not possible to fully prevent all mastitis problems. Therefore udder health data are also monitored with the goal to pick up deviations before they lead to (clinical) problems. By quantifying udder health data and management, a farm is approached as a business, with much attention for efficiency, thought over processes, clear agreements and goals, and including evaluation of processes and results. The whole approach starts with setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals, followed by an action plan to realize these goals.

Good Management Practices in Managing the Most Important Factors to Ensure Dureble Soil Quality

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 2350-2357
Author(s):  
George Ungureanu ◽  
Gabriela Ignat ◽  
Eduard Boghita ◽  
Luiza Costuleanu ◽  
Catalin Razvan Vintu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Programming Model ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Silage Maize ◽  
Cash Crops ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Fodder Grass ◽  
Alfalfa Silage

The importance of sustainable development has started to be acknowledged in Romania as well, once the various pollution sources and the restrictions affecting industrial and agricultural pollution were identified, from an economic and ecological standpoint. Sustainable development represents the need of raising awareness about environmental protection and educating people, and this aspect is reflected by the evolution of communal policies in recent years, policies marked by a shift from an approach based on constraints and sanctions to a higher level of flexibility, based on incentives. The purpose of this paper is to make a recommendation for improving existing policy by making an assessment of economic incentives in order to stimulate farmers to adopt sustainable farming systems of a viable, sustainable agriculture, capable to apply the newest technologies and lead to profit and efficiency, to the economical and organizational consolidation. To analyse the effects of different zone packages on income of farmers and the environment a linear programming model is developed for a typical, 192 ha mixed farm in the Iasi region plain pilot area. The major activities of the farm is keeping dairy cattle, growing fodder (grass, alfalfa, silage maize) and cash crops (winter wheat and maize).

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