Objectives: Housing and management conditions are expected to affect dairy cattle welfare. The animals could experience pain or distress as a result of widely accepted management practices, and possibly suffer being kept under apparently “unnatural” conditions. The animal welfare assessment requires the use of multiple indicators in order to analyse the heterogeneity of aspects involved. The aim of this study was to compare animal welfare of dairy cows reared in tie-stall and open-stall system by means of metabolic, immunological and stress related parameters. Materials and Methods: The study involved 80 pluriparous lactating cows belonging eight dairy farms located in the area of Mugello (Florence district) reared in different system: tye-stall (TS) and open-stall (OS). Ten blood samples were collected in the morning from the jugular vein using vacutainer tubes containing EDTA to estimate non esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total proteins (TP), creatinine (Creat), nitrogen ureic (BUN), betahidroxibutirrate (BHBA), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) alanina-aminotransferase (ALT), calcium (Ca), chloride (Cl), potassium (K), oxygen free radicals (OFR), haptoglobin (HP), serum lisozyme (SL), bactericidal activity (SBA) and hair cortisol. Hair samples were carefully cut from the tail switch using clippers and were frozen at the temperature of -20°C; cortisol was analysed by the method described by Accorsi et al. At the same time body condition score (BCS) was recorded.The experiment was performed in accordance with European Commission regulations (86/609/EEC) and Italian law (116/92). Results: Results showed that the housing system affected some parameters such as ALT, AST, N ureic, BHBA, OFR and cortisol. Most of these showed mean values within the range of reference without revealing signs of suffering. An interesting outcome regarded OFR level that resulted higher in the OS system likely as consequence of a higher productive effort. Results regarding hair cortisol were particularly interesting because it is known as an indicator of chronic stress: TSdisplayed significant (P<0.001) higher mean value than OS (2.8±1.43 vs 1.6±1.05 pg/mg respectively).The two housing systems did not differ for BCS, that was 3.1 and 3.0 respectively for both the solution. Conclusions: In this study did not emerge a situation of evident suffering in animals reared in TS. Tethered cows may have an improved welfare quality if they benefit from comfortable and clean stalls, quantitatively and qualitatively adequate feeding and watering, access to exercise and not in the least a good relationship with the stockperson.

Welfare parameters in dairy cows reared in tie-stall and open-stall farming systems

GIULIOTTI, LORELLA;
2016-01-01

Abstract

Objectives: Housing and management conditions are expected to affect dairy cattle welfare. The animals could experience pain or distress as a result of widely accepted management practices, and possibly suffer being kept under apparently “unnatural” conditions. The animal welfare assessment requires the use of multiple indicators in order to analyse the heterogeneity of aspects involved. The aim of this study was to compare animal welfare of dairy cows reared in tie-stall and open-stall system by means of metabolic, immunological and stress related parameters. Materials and Methods: The study involved 80 pluriparous lactating cows belonging eight dairy farms located in the area of Mugello (Florence district) reared in different system: tye-stall (TS) and open-stall (OS). Ten blood samples were collected in the morning from the jugular vein using vacutainer tubes containing EDTA to estimate non esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total proteins (TP), creatinine (Creat), nitrogen ureic (BUN), betahidroxibutirrate (BHBA), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) alanina-aminotransferase (ALT), calcium (Ca), chloride (Cl), potassium (K), oxygen free radicals (OFR), haptoglobin (HP), serum lisozyme (SL), bactericidal activity (SBA) and hair cortisol. Hair samples were carefully cut from the tail switch using clippers and were frozen at the temperature of -20°C; cortisol was analysed by the method described by Accorsi et al. At the same time body condition score (BCS) was recorded.The experiment was performed in accordance with European Commission regulations (86/609/EEC) and Italian law (116/92). Results: Results showed that the housing system affected some parameters such as ALT, AST, N ureic, BHBA, OFR and cortisol. Most of these showed mean values within the range of reference without revealing signs of suffering. An interesting outcome regarded OFR level that resulted higher in the OS system likely as consequence of a higher productive effort. Results regarding hair cortisol were particularly interesting because it is known as an indicator of chronic stress: TSdisplayed significant (P<0.001) higher mean value than OS (2.8±1.43 vs 1.6±1.05 pg/mg respectively).The two housing systems did not differ for BCS, that was 3.1 and 3.0 respectively for both the solution. Conclusions: In this study did not emerge a situation of evident suffering in animals reared in TS. Tethered cows may have an improved welfare quality if they benefit from comfortable and clean stalls, quantitatively and qualitatively adequate feeding and watering, access to exercise and not in the least a good relationship with the stockperson.
2016
978-1-5262-0432-5
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/795972
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