There is increasing interest in animal welfare topics and the question on how to measure it is still under debate. Dairy cattle are often challenged with stressful practices but housing conditions are among the most important. Determination of hypothalamus- pituitary-adrenal axis activity evaluates stress conditions in farm animals, however, blood cortisol concentrations vary due to several factors and the release of cortisol is generally irregular and difficult to interpret. The use of hair as a suitable biological matrix to assess chronic stress in animals has been recently proposed by many authors. To establish dairy cow welfare an index method, named TOS-BBL, was developed taking into accountparameters mainly related to farm characteristics and housing systems; among these, free-stall and tie-stall housing represent a discriminant factor influencing animal welfare. The aim of this study was to verify the correspondence of the TOS-BBL index with the hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and the influence of the housing system on the same parameters in dairy cows. Eighty hair samples were carefully obtained using clippers from the tail switch of ten pluriparous dairy cows reared in eight farms located in Mugello area (Florence). HCC analysis was performed according to the method described elsewhere. Animal welfare level was performed by TOS-BBL index method that defines increasing welfare levels with a 1-5 scale. Spearman's correlation between TOS-BBL and HCC was calculated; HCC was related with housing system by ANOVA test; differences between welfare index and housing system was determined by Pearson Chi square test. Results showed a significant negative correlation between welfare index and HCC (r=0.345, P<0.0017) suggesting a correspondence between the two measures. HCC resulted influenced by the housing system (P<0.0001) with higher level of this stress indicator in tie-stall (2.76 pg/mg, SE 0.632) than in free-stall (1.63 pg/mg, SE 0.221). Mean welfare score was 1.7±0.48 and 4.2±0.40 respectively in the tie-stall and free-stall systems (P<0.001). However HCC resulted lower than those found in Italian-Friesian cows by other Authors. These first results indicate the correspondence between TOS-BBL index and HCC. In the inspected farms animals seem not affected by chronic stress, although free-stall system assure more suitable living condition.
Index of welfare, housing systems and hair cortisol level in dairy cows
GIULIOTTI, LORELLA;BENVENUTI, MARIA NOVELLA;
2015-01-01
Abstract
There is increasing interest in animal welfare topics and the question on how to measure it is still under debate. Dairy cattle are often challenged with stressful practices but housing conditions are among the most important. Determination of hypothalamus- pituitary-adrenal axis activity evaluates stress conditions in farm animals, however, blood cortisol concentrations vary due to several factors and the release of cortisol is generally irregular and difficult to interpret. The use of hair as a suitable biological matrix to assess chronic stress in animals has been recently proposed by many authors. To establish dairy cow welfare an index method, named TOS-BBL, was developed taking into accountparameters mainly related to farm characteristics and housing systems; among these, free-stall and tie-stall housing represent a discriminant factor influencing animal welfare. The aim of this study was to verify the correspondence of the TOS-BBL index with the hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and the influence of the housing system on the same parameters in dairy cows. Eighty hair samples were carefully obtained using clippers from the tail switch of ten pluriparous dairy cows reared in eight farms located in Mugello area (Florence). HCC analysis was performed according to the method described elsewhere. Animal welfare level was performed by TOS-BBL index method that defines increasing welfare levels with a 1-5 scale. Spearman's correlation between TOS-BBL and HCC was calculated; HCC was related with housing system by ANOVA test; differences between welfare index and housing system was determined by Pearson Chi square test. Results showed a significant negative correlation between welfare index and HCC (r=0.345, P<0.0017) suggesting a correspondence between the two measures. HCC resulted influenced by the housing system (P<0.0001) with higher level of this stress indicator in tie-stall (2.76 pg/mg, SE 0.632) than in free-stall (1.63 pg/mg, SE 0.221). Mean welfare score was 1.7±0.48 and 4.2±0.40 respectively in the tie-stall and free-stall systems (P<0.001). However HCC resulted lower than those found in Italian-Friesian cows by other Authors. These first results indicate the correspondence between TOS-BBL index and HCC. In the inspected farms animals seem not affected by chronic stress, although free-stall system assure more suitable living condition.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
