On-farm welfare assessment of dairy goat farms using animal-based indicators : the example of 30 commercial farms in Portugal
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2016
Citazione:
On-farm welfare assessment of dairy goat farms using animal-based indicators : the example of 30 commercial farms in Portugal / E. Can, A. Vieira, M. Battini, S. Mattiello, G. Stilwell. - In: ACTA AGRICULTURAE SCANDINAVICA SECTION A-ANIMAL SCIENCE. - ISSN 0906-4702. - 66:1(2016), pp. 43-55. [10.1080/09064702.2016.1208267]
Abstract:
Welfare assessment can play multiple roles in the path to welfare improvement. In the dairy goat area, identification of the main welfare problems across countries and different production systems is needed. By the application of a prototype welfare assessment protocol, based on animal-based indicators, we aimed to provide an insight into the main welfare problems affecting intensively kept dairy goats in Portugal. Thirty farms, organised in three size categories, were assessed. The main areas of concern were claw overgrowth, queuing at feeding and hindquarter dirtiness, with larger farms heading higher concerns. Additionally, this paper aimed to investigate indicators’ consistency over time. Ten of the 30 farms were revisited four months later, during which no major husbandry changes were made. Our results showed an overall consistency. This study can help define intervention thresholds or minimum legal levels for each indicator, by determining their overall prevalence.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
animal welfare; animal-based indicator; consistency over time; dairy goat; intensive system; food Animals; animal science and zoology
Elenco autori:
E. Can, A. Vieira, M. Battini, S. Mattiello, G. Stilwell
Link alla scheda completa: