Izvorni znanstveni članak
COMPARISON OF WELFARE OF DAIRY COWS UNDER TETHER AND FREE HOUSING CONDITIONS
Dragica Ornik
; University of Maribor, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department for Livestock-Breeding, Hoče-Slivnica, Slovenija
Marko Volk
; University of Maribor, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department for Livestock-Breeding, Hoče-Slivnica, Slovenija
Maksimilijan Brus
; University of Maribor, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department for Livestock-Breeding, Hoče-Slivnica, Slovenija
M Janžekovič
; University of Maribor, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department for Livestock-Breeding, Hoče-Slivnica, Slovenija
Sažetak
Milk production on Slovenian farms is an important economic activity that underwent essential changes after the introduction of the European Union standards. Sound state of health and welfare of dairy cows remain the essential conditions for the quality of milk and dairy products, as well as important public health aspects. This paper presents the currently applicable welfare standards for farm animals, the European priority activities in the field of welfare of farm animals, and the results of inquiry into the state of play in dairy cow housing systems in the narrower north-eastern territory of Slovenia. Ten free housing system dairy farms and ten tether system dairy farms were inspected, compared and assessed according to the Austrian method of the Animal Needs Index (ANI) for cattle. ANI is a relevant criterion for assessing the adequacy of husbandry systems, based on graded point system. The five areas of influence impacting animal welfare were assessed, including: affording movement (‘Locomotion’), affording social interaction (‘Social interaction’), type and condition of flooring (‘Flooring’), light and air conditions (‘Light and Air’), including ventilation and noise level, and quality of care for the animals (‘Stockmanship’). Adequacy of housing conditions was evaluated and compared between the free housing and tether systems for dairy cows. The paper further presents the state of health of animals examined and the scope of diseases detected, including technopathies and injuries, reasons for culling dairy cows and herd structure by the end of 2009, in either of the two husbandry systems. The advantages and disadvantages of the method used for assessing the adequacy of each husbandry system are presented as well.
Ključne riječi
animal welfare; dairy cows; ANI
Hrčak ID:
67885
URI
Datum izdavanja:
8.4.2011.
Posjeta: 1.506 *